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Networking is a Contact Sport with Joe Sweeney #271

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Networking is a Contact Sport with Joe Sweeney #271

Our guest is Joe Sweeney, author of three books most recently “Networking is a Contact Sport”. Joe has owned, operated, and sold four manufacturing companies, headed up the Wisconsin Sports Authority, and launched a sports marketing firm, where he represented several professional athletes, most notably serving as Brett Favre’s marketing agent during his time in Green Bay. In this episode we discuss networking principles with advice all Sales Babblers will appreciate.

Networking Philosophy

Joe prefers to think of networking as Connecting. He believes:

  • Networking is not just business development but it’s really about relationship building
  • Give and serve and NOT get
  • You haven’t had a perfect day until you’ve done a favor from someone who can never repay you. – John Wooden
  • Networking is not about you
  • Don’t talk about yourself
  • Ask great questions

Approach to Business Networking

Ask, Listen, Take Action and lastly believe when you serve others it will come back.  God gave us two ears and one mouth, use them in proportion.  This is what makes networking a contact sport.

    • Ask:  Bad Question Examples:  How are you doing?  Are you busy? What’s new?  Good Question Examples:  What are you most excited about in your life?
    • Listen Deeply: Most people don’t want to go deep. People don’t talk about what’s really important in their life. The more you can learn  about the buyer, the better you can service them.   Let go of your attitude “I know what’s best for you.”
    • Take Action :  Create opportunities, not excuses. When he hears why something doesn’t happen, he knows the excuses are not true.
    • Believe and Receive: All the things you do for others, will come back two fold.

How To Find Joe Sweeney

Habanero Business Community

This episode is the first episode mentioning the Habanero Business Community app.  We’ve created the website in preparation for the announcement and commissioned a study to better understand the needs and desires of the market. Find the website at Habanero.community and sign up for the pre-launch.

 Networking Tips