• amazingly simple
• incredibly powerful
• wonderfully fun

So what would your plan look like?  It could  look like some of these ideas:

1. Building a contest into your company to attract participants: For an example, at Networlding we held a “Will You Be at the Table for Lunch?” event. I had people send in emails as to why they wanted a seat at a table at a wonderful, local Chicago restaurant. I only had seating for eight people. The emails were engaging, creative, funny and compelling. I ended up with an incredible Networlding (we don’t use the term networking here if we don’t have to) lunch and everyone walked away with better connections and opportunities. It was just as fun as any Oprah Book Club!
2. Creating a special “Pay As You Wish” Day for people who had not tried our services but wanted to experience them without paying our full fees. It worked well and got people who I had not yet had the opportunity to talk to ringing me up and requesting coaching sessions.
3. Hosting a free mentoring breakfast. I reached out to 10 people I admired and asked them if they wanted to come to a “Mentor Breakfast” where they could get mentored and they could also offer mentoring support to others. It was that day that was one of the most unique days of my business as I was surprised when I asked the question, “Who is one person who has made a huge impact in your success?” I found out that the majority said, “You, Meilssa.” I was shocked. I had no idea that I had helped them to the tune of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in extra income from my support. Needless to say, it was a very special moment.

So what will you do to make to today that day you do something very different? You know WHY? It’s because if you do something different it will result in something different, perhaps something better or even, something AMAZING! What will you do?

Now my weekly work takes me to offices teaching people LinkedIn or working with CEO’s on their books or building websites and growing online communities. But I remember when I was on the online marketing panel for Crains in Chicago a few years ago. I was sitting next to the CIO of a company called Shop Local. I had made a statement to the audience that when it comes to building online success, it’s “All about the people.” The CIO turned to me and smiled and said very emphatically, “No, Melissa. It’s always about the people.”

This is a better way of thinking about why I work each week–a more powerful way. This last week the reason WHY I worked was because of:

• The owners of C-Speak: a marvelous website that offers video and audio email.
• Maranne Murciano who is a wonderful media trainer, helping people show up like stars for interviews on radio, tv and print.
• The folks who created Bagmasters.
• The new book coming out on global values called “The Adventures of the Tornado Kid.”
• The amazing people at PlanetFassa who are helping the author of the book coming out on global values.

I could go on and on as each week I am also meeting new people, introduced from one great person to another. WHY do you work each week? Is it just to get a paycheck or is it something deeper? If you are like me and people inspire and motivate you then find the right people to connect to and make something great happen. It all starts with one person who can make ALL the difference.

“Scientists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute found that when just 10 percent of the population holds an unshakable belief, their belief will always be adopted by the majority of the society. ‘When the number of committed opinion holders is below 10 percent, there is no visible progress in the spread of ideas. It would literally take the amount of time comparable to the age of the universe for this size group to reach the majority,’ said SCNARC Director Boleslaw Szymanski. ‘Once that number grows above 10 percent, the idea spreads like flame.’ These findings were published in the July 22, 2011, early online edition of the journal Physical Review E.”

So what are the implications here? They would include:

1. It’s no longer the 20% that yields an 80% return but rather 10% that yields a 90% return.
2. You don’t hae to have as large a number of people who buy into a new idea you have as you think.
3. You can find those 10% influencers and accelerate your success. Who are they? Look for people like Seth Godin and Chris Brogan, but also go for people who are growing their influence–rising up through the influence rankings.
4. Follow sites that produce the 10% wisdom on sites like Hubspot. That site is on steroids offering at least two amazing, free e-books a month on the 10% of net wisdom.
5.  Follow just one thought leader you admire most. Pull out their top ideas and implement them. Document their contributions giving them full credit. I have found that after a year of taking Seth Godin’s advice I doubled my revenue. Focusing on just one leader at a time really helps you leverage. Focus creates leverage.

What other ideas to you have? Feel free to riff away!

On my Networlding site I offer three products: 1) a LinkedIn tutorial guide, 2) a checklist for companies looking at implementing a social media campaign and 3) a guide for thought leaders who want to publish books.

When someone requests one or more of the guides, I send them a note thanking them for their request and sharing that I respond personally to every request. I also offer them a no-obligation fifteen minute phone chat if they choose. My goal is to find out if they really are interested and then if they are ready, willing and able to start working with me and my team, now or at some future date.

At the very least I have taken the time to create a more personal touch. Goodwill can go a long way and I know not everyone who ventures on my site is going to become a client. But what I have seen is that this approach has shown me what people are searching most for–in my case they are interested most in publishing books and second, in developing their thought leadership through social media and online marketing initiatives.

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I have had several people ask why I accepted the invitation to serve on the Advisory Board of Social Media Week Chicago. While my first response is usually look at the list of names I’m serving alongside and you’ll get your answer, I can honestly say that I think I have something unique to contribute. Specifically, I see the potential of digital publishing in the social media as a largely untapped, vulnerable resource that is just waiting to be unleashed.

This summer, Borders declared bankruptcy and closed its doors. This might have come as a shock for some but CEO Mike Edwards said it perfectly in the email sent to faithful customers explaining the demise of what seemed like a bulwark in the book selling industry: “The fact is that Borders has been facing headwinds for quite some time, including a rapidly changing book industry, the eReader revolution, and a turbulent economy.” Basically, the company didn’t see the potential of digital publishing.

One of my passions and commitments is creating an ongoing social media innovation environment in the city of Chicago. I believe that Networlding is positioned to continually re-invent itself as we further the reaches of social media into markets all over the world. Upon joining such a leadership team as is represented on the board, I bring the opportunity of digital media not only to the city of Chicago but to the world as hundreds of thousands of men and women will tune in to discover the future of social media.

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I just finished our first “Worlds Biggest Book Club” with our first book, and still free on Kindle for 18 more days, called “Do the Work” by Steven Pressfield whose credits include a number of movies including “The Legend of Baggar Vance.” In that movie we are inspired by the following dialogue:

Bagger Vance: See, the trick is… to find your swing…
Rannulph Junuh: What’d you say?…
Bagger Vance: Well you lost your swing… We got to go find it… Now it’s somewhere… in the harmony… of all that is… All that was… All that will be…

In Steven Pressfield’s new book, “Do the Work” you will just as powerfully get inspired by statements like, “The ‘Real You’ Must Due the ‘Resistance You’” and

“The Opposite of Resistance is Assistance.” There are so many amazing ideas and suggestions in this book that you MUST go read it, NOW, TODAY.

This is where a reference to my son comes in. Please read on and see if you see the connection:

If you had a second chance at life, would you recognize it? Would you do everything in your power to live as if there were no tomorrow?

Last year the threat of “no tomorrow” was very real for me, but the universe offered up a gift, an opportunity to learn the true nature of acceptance and gratitude. Although disguised as a malicious malady, it was no less rewarding to receive, and I am a better person because of it. I learned so much about myself, the world and my relationship to it. Cancer is increasingly becoming a household name and will continue to touch our lives as all things get harder, better, faster, stronger.

It’s been one year and I’m well. In fact, I haven’t felt this strong since college, so I thought this is as good a time as any to ride my bicycle from Chicago to the Panama Canal. That’s 3,000 miles, 6 weeks, 9 countries. I’ve been training for the last 4 months, and even got a job as a bike courier during the day for efficiency’s sake. I will take off Sunday May 8th at 9am from The Bean at Millenium Park. If your in the neighborhood, stop by and see me off.

I’m going to maintain a travel log throughout the trip, documenting the unique and curious experiences I encounter along the way. If you have experience in places on the route, or know of anyone/anything I simply must see, don’t hesitate to let me know! I can use all the support I can get. I’m getting incredibly excited as my departure draws near and I’d like to invite you to follow me on the Interweb. You can visit www.onegraham.tumblr.com for more info. Click the links at the top of the website for details.

I look forward to seeing you when I return on June 24th. Until then, don’t stop ’til you get enough.

All my best,
Graham Lee Giovagnoli
www.onegraham.tumblr.com

———As a mother, as a coach, mentor, speaker and advocate of young people trying to get a good start in life, I hope you can take some inspiration away from Graham. . . . I know I did.

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His networking skills began their steady growth with this job; soon he became familiar with Pittsburgh’s most important figures.  Through this he met Thomas A. Scott of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, who decided to hire him as a secretary.  Again he quickly advanced through the company and Scott taught him about the railroad business while helping him make his first investments (although not without ulterior motives).  Carnegie’s investments slowly grew and he eventually opened his own steel rail company while continuing to diversify his other investments in a variety of businesses.

Connections with other well-known figures were vital, and so Carnegie built up a wide network of contacts to rely on.  Not content with just owning a steel empire, Carnegie also wrote a variety of literary articles and stated his strong views on philanthropy.  His donations to philanthropic purposes ranged widely; however, there was a heavy emphasis on the building of public libraries and other structures for colleges in both the United States and Scotland.  When all was said and done, he had given away more than $350 million (in 2005 this would have been around $4.3 billion).  Carnegie believed that one should try to learn as much as possible, make as much money as possible, and then give that money away to good causes:  for him people who held on to their money was an act to be considered abominable.  There is no doubt that his ability to connect with people and foster meaningful relationships was a major factor in his advancement in the many industries he pursued.

The first step of Networlding is to choose your top four values and then prioritize them? For example, our values are: 1) making a difference,  2) integrity, 3) collaboration, 4) innovation. What are you top values? What drives you each day?

Take about a week or two to figure out your value priorities. Then, a good tip would be to go on LinkedIn and search on the Advanced People Search Page (hint: that link to the far right at the top of your HOME page on LinkedIn). Here, you can search keyword terms  such as “integrity” and “innovation.” You will find like-valued people this way–people who you can partner with to build your respective networks and realize better opportunities faster.

Step #2: Figure Out Who You Already Know Who Could be a Primary Circle Partner

Pick the current people you know–up to five, whom you think would have similar or complementary values. Then, set up times to meet these people. If they are unavailable for the longer term, put them into what we call your “Secondary Circle” where you can connect with them, perhaps, every three months.

Carol had an informal primary circle before she became involved with Networlding. However, when she decided to leave her job to attend graduate school she felt little support from her colleagues or her boss. Additionally, many of those she had in her professional network prior to her transition did not share her values nor did they understand why a successful woman would want to return to school later in life.

Carol decided to develop a new primary circle. To do this, she surrounded herself with friends and colleagues who shared her values. Her new primary circle included personal friends who had also experienced recent career changes and newly made friends who were her grad school peers. Carol was able to find the Networlding Seven Levels of Support (see Step #4) in her personal friends, her peers and her professors. Carol is fortunate enough to see many of these friends daily but she keeps in contact at least weekly with everyone in her primary circle.

To inspire you, check out the huge movement Seth Godin is starting with his new Domino Project Team (I’m a part of the 65-person team!) and the make-a-difference, book publishing campaign he is igniting around the world with 65 of the most passionate creative business, social media experts around the world.

Keep re-evaluating the effectiveness of your efforts. Your network is not just your pipeline to opportunities. It is now your net to all opportunities. Take time today to build those connections that count.

Getting introduced to others is just the beginning. the process of staying connected, “co-creating” opportunities with others following an initial meeting, is what the best-of-the-best networking is all about. Don’t be afraid that you don’t have anything to offer today. you don’t need to:

• Have an in-depth knowledge of another’s industry
• Have any current leads or referrals to give
• Have to manipulate the conversation to get the other party
• to focus on your needs
• Have to feel as though you are pushy
• Have to offer anything more than appreciation for the other person in the beginning and then be on the look out for opportunities for those with whom you network going forward

Finally, note that, today, the introduction is the new referral. You don’t have to be referred to carry additional influence or klout with a solid introduction. And for my bonus tip, go one more step. Provide a good introduction for those you ask to introduce you.

For example, if I ask someone to introduce me, I send them the following request,  ”I would like you to meet Melissa. Melissa is the author of thirteen books, four that have been on best-seller lists. Her greatest strength is helping thought leaders grow themselves and their organizations through social media and publishing. She and her firm, Networlding, have helped more than 100 top thought leaders grow their platforms through social media marketing, book publishing and, now, speaking.”

Now do the same for yourself. What can I say about you to get others interested in connecting with you? Write me an introduction and you are many steps ahead of the pack.