Do you realize that everything you do gets results?
You might be thinking, No, I’m not getting results from what I do on my down time. I want to suggest that how you come back from your down time is the result you get.
Are you rested and refreshed and ready to go? Or are you exhausted and looking for more time off?
Both of these are results from the same amount of time and effort.
What about your results when you’re at a conference or a networking event?
When you attend an event, do you have a plan for what you want to accomplish? Do you want to come home with new knowledge? Do you want to come home with new connections and stronger relationships with existing connections? Do you want to come home with new knowledge and connections to help you implement the knowledge?
Or do you want to come home with a handful of business cards but with no memory of the people who gave them to you?
I did not consider this early in my business career. I went to a conference to learn, maybe meet a few people, and have some fun. I went to networking events to meet whoever was there. I had no plan for what I wanted to accomplish.
My mistake, I really needed to have a plan.
This goes back to what I wrote about last week. You can click here if you missed it.
Every event you attend gives you a chance to connect with someone or, possibly, several someones.
To get the best results, you need to have an idea of who you want to connect with. If not the exact name, you need to at least identify the person’s position and business.
It helps you focus your efforts and decide who you’re going to spend your time with. At the last event I attended, there were over 700 people there. My plan helped me filter that number to a more manageable level. I only had so much time, and I wanted to have a focused audience to meet with. I didn’t get to spend time with everyone that I wanted to, but I did connect with a large percentage of those I had identified.
This enabled me to reach the goals I had set before I left for the conference.
Attending an event without a plan for identifying who you want to meet costs you money. It’s like leaving on a road trip with no destination in mind. You aren’t likely to end up where you want to be.
All of us know where we want to take our business, or at least we know the direction we want to take. If you plan before you attend any event or meet with people, you’ll have a better chance of getting the results you want, results that will lead you toward your goal.
Put an action plan in place before you do anything, and you’ll see your results change without spending any more time or money.
Have a great week!