Biznik - Business Networking that Doesn’t Suck

We’re fortunate to have one of the world’s foremost authorities on business networking, Ron Sukenick, as a member of Biznik. And what’s better, he’s flying to Seattle this week to join us at BizJam on June 9, where he’ll hosting a session titled “9 networking strategies every entrepreneur should know.” I’ve never met Ron in person, but from many phone conversations I’ve learned that his passion for business relationship-building is infectious. And as the author of two books about how to network effectively, he’s got a lot of say on the subject. So here he is, in his own words…

Q: What interests you so much in business networking, and how have you come to make a career of it?

What has interested me the most from inception is the opportunity meet and be with people. In fact, in a world where owning and operating a business is no easy task, the power of building, developing and implementing networks of contacts has been a life saver. I began back in the late 70’s in Los Angeles really taking an interest in the process and by the late 1980’s I was smack in the beginning of the biggest movement for expanding what today is considered the largest and most successful business-to-business contact networking in the world. That happens to an organization called BNI.

With a passion for being with and bringing people together, the word just kept getting out there and the next thing you know, people are interested in the message and paying to attend speaking engagements, workshops, and then other consulting opportunities as well. In fact, one day an editor from a publishing company heard me speak and he stated the following - “If you would promise that you would keep speaking about your passion on networking, and you could write a book, we would be more then happy to publish it. With that being said, it was clearly the fuel that kept the fire burning. The rest is all history.

Q: Tell me about the books you’ve written, and how you came to write them.

“Networking Your Way to Success” was published in 1995. The first book was easy to get out because it was very clear to me why a large percentage of people were not achieving the results they desired. I figured that if people would just develop the passion and form some strategy behind the process, then people can be in control of their efforts. This first book is about 9 networking strategies that, if implemented, will work for most people, most of the time.

My second book - “The Power is in the Connection” is really about taking networking to the next level. In essence, it’s beyond networking.

It is very interesting how this book concept actually came to me. Just picture this - I was getting ready to speak at a Jiffy Lube National Convention in Palm Spring in September 1995, and the excitement was building because my first book was also being published at that time.

I was on stage speaking to 600 people and within a split second it hit me that there was clearly a next level for the thing called networking.

As I kept speaking I stated that networking is awkward for most people, hit and miss for most people, and in more instances always about individual success.

If you think about it, I really started to tell them that while networking has served us well, there was clearly a next level for the process.

You see, people tend to use this incredible marketing tool as a way to make sales, and if they would spend more time and effort developing a relationship focus, and look for ways to co-create and collaborate, the idea of networking could easily be moved into a new philosophy for building business with others.

I ended building the basis of the new book around the philosophy called NetBeing, a word I coined that captures the Essence of a relationship mindset.

“The Power is in the Connection” helps individuals build out a roadmap for transforming their networking contacts into meaningful connections.

I’ve put in place with my writing partner 15 relationship building strategies that lay the foundation for long lasting business partnerships with others.

Q: Biznik makes a big point of emphasizing relationships over referrals. Do you think that’s a good approach?

In my opinion, it’s the most effective approach. Let’s be straightforward. As people, we want affiliations. And as human beings, we want relationship. From a business standpoint, there’s no doubt that relationships open doors. The fact is that relationships don’t always make sales.

But with all things being equal, and even if there not equal, people in business will more times then not gravitate toward doing business with people they or someone they know has a relationship with.

In closing, relationships add to the quality of life, and easily is translatable into enhanced revenue for all involved

Q: Is business networking different today than it was a few years ago? What trends do you see that affect how business networking takes place?

Networking it not like what it used to be.

Handing out your business card at monthly Chamber of Commerce meetings no longer qualifies as networking. Today’s business leaders know that real, profit-generating networking requires more. More strategy, more connectedness, and more trust.

I’d suggest we’re moving into an era where the relationship-based NetBeing, a set of attitudes and actions that foster real meaningful business relationships and build mutual trust, will overtake networking as a business development strategy.

Adapting to this new strategy brings its share of challenges but it can also yield great rewards. Partnerships form more easily. Sales and retention increases. Profits grow faster. After all success in business is all about relationships.

Q: What can people who attend your workshop at BizJam on June 9th expect to learn?

That’s a great question. In fact, I can hardly wait to hear what I’ve got to say! All joking aside, attendees will experience my tremendous passion behind the process that I’ve been building since the 70’s. I will help those in attendance implement a proven system of taking their existing networking relationships to another level. In fact, I’ll also provide a step-by-step approach in going from contacts to a meaningful connection. And if that’s not enough, I’ll throw in what I call the “Magic of Six.” This is a proven method for people to increase their frequency of interactions with others thus leading to mutually rewarding business relationships. And if that’s not enough, I’ll introduce what I call the “Small World” Theory. A method for reducing anything that is taking place at the point of interaction that has the ability to create the biggest impact on others.

In closing, I’m thrilled to be coming to BizJam on June 9, and looking forward to many exchange opportunities. Can’t wait to meet the people in one of my most favorite places in the world: Seattle, Washington.

Ron Sukenick is the Chief Relationship Officer and founder of the Relationship Strategies Institute, a training and Relationship development company that provides innovative, effective and relevant programs and systems for corporations, organizations, and associations. To learn more about the value of Relationship Development, visit their Web site at www.RelationshipStrategiesInstitute.com or e-mail him at - RS [at] RelationshipStrategiesInstitute [dot] com.