I'm off on my Christmas holiday on Thursday but

....will that stop me working? I doubt it. As a member of the Life-long association of Self-confessed Workaholics I look for opportunities everywhere.
Simple...just ask questions, be genuineley interested and you may spot an opportunity to help people if they have an issue.
The issues I am looking for are people who say "We want more business or new clients."
When they say that I can help

How much "enthousiasmos" do you have when

you meet people and explain what you do? Do you have a feeling of excitement, show some exuberance and a lively interest in others.exuberance: overflowing with eager enjoyment or a lively interest?
Enthousiasmos is the original word for enthusiasm which originally meant inspiration or possession by a divine afflatus or by the presence of a God.
When we act enthusiastically we become enthusiastic and it becomes contagious.
I love what I do, showing people how to become more confident and effective networkers. i make people laugh when I tell them every day is my birthday and that I never work.
Back to the past. Confusious says, "Give someone a job they and they'll never have to wortk a day in their life" rings true for me.
What about you?
We can show you how to answer that question, "What do you do?" in an enthusatic and clear manner. Why not enrol on one of our nationwide (UK) seminars. If you are a reader of this blog entry do ask for a massive 30% discount off the posted price

"Go to the funeral ...and get business!"

At our networking club today Graham turned to me and said "Will Kintish, you're right, there's business everywhere. I went to a funeral and noticed metal letters (initials of the deceased) were screwed into the side of the coffin.I asked the undertaker - after the funeral(!)-where he had got them from and the reply was that he had had real problems finding them. I explained my company does that and we agreed to meet later next week."
Was that inapproriate? Wrong time, wrong place?
No, I don't think so great networkers do it anywhere. Graham spotted a potential opportunity and took it. he simply asked a question and when the reply came that this man had a problem ther was Graham to help. Not sell, not be pushy, no pestering, just offering some help.
When you look to offer your area of expertise to add value to others, rather than try to sell services or products with the focus on only yourself ...you won't succeed.
Become a MARTINI networker
Any time, any place anywhere!

The actions of rude ignorant hosts.

Why do people behave differently in a business setting from their social setting? i find it very strange.
I was invited to an business event recently by ( careful Will don't give too many clues) a professional services firm. Their boss man walked up to me gave me a perfunctory 'Hello Will' half shook my hand didn't eye contact me ...then immediatley moved off. His business partner did smile and in the same sentence said 'Hi Will(looked over my shoulder); sorry just seen XXX, excuse me I'll see you later'.
Dumped me, rejected me the ignorant host.
I feel just 100% sure if these men ( and they are usually men...women don't behave like that) had invited me into their home they would have treated me rather differently.
HOSTING AT WORK AND AT HOME IS EXACTLY THE SAME. LOOK AFTER YOUR GUESTS...PROPERLY.
We run seminars on 'How to host successful and profitable corporate events'
perhap these people need to attend.

I've just returned from my favourite monthly meeting....

...the North West Chapter of the Professional Speakers Association.
Everyone involved with the speaking or training community are generous people with a giving spirit. It's lonley for us all and so there is a natural want and need to help other'lonely people'.
If you are a presenter who wants the best network support call me (0161 773 3727) so you can be my guest at the next meeting on Tuesday 5th February 2008 at the SAS Radisson Hotel T2 at Manchester Airport

You learn most....when you teach!

Kintish is looking for franchisees and when they join we have to show them how to present and introduce them to the content of our training and presentations. As I am helping them I am learning lots and lots. Not just how to do it but how I have been doing it and shouldn't.
As part of your career development and personal marketing look for opportunities to present , coach or mentor others. YOU wil learn so much about your are of expertise

A big lesson from Chris

I receive a newsletter from my coaching friend Chris weekly. Below is a section from this week's headed 'Personal Relections.'

WHAT A GREAT SERIES OF LESSONS. HERE IT IS

I don't mind admitting that I experienced one of those "wake-up call" moments a few days ago.

Back in August I spent a delightful day with a potential new client, meeting his team, touring his beautiful practice, lunching with his wife and even meeting his family at home - a complete day of immersion in his business and his life.

Subsequent to that meeting he agreed to utilise what is now branded as our Breathe Bespoke service - personal in-house coaching from Chris in 2008 - and an investment on his part of over £12,000 in the service and in the future of his own business.

My support team contacted him and all the dates were scheduled in next year's diary.

Imagine, therefore, my surprise when I read a short email from him a couple of weeks ago, simply requesting that the service be cancelled and the dates removed.

That just doesn't happen to me - so I was intrigued to know what had "gone wrong".

I replied to the email personally, confirming the cancellation and asked is it would be possible to arrange a short phone call to explore the reasons behind his decision, simply to improve my systems and standards going forward.

This is a really nice guy - evidenced by his immediate response, agreeing to speak with me.

My day of workshop presentation followed, with my mind constantly drifting back to the call arranged later that day and me fantasising about all the possible explanations for his change of heart.

As I drove between "gigs" that evening, the call took place - and here is what he said:

"Chris - we had a fantastic day with you in August - a really good diagnosis and treatment plan for our business going forward and plenty of breakthrough strategies BUT:

1. You promised to send me some follow up work after the meeting - I knew that you were about to take a vacation but nothing ever came;

2. We booked the 2008 dates at the end of September but then there was absolute silence from you and your team;

3. All I read about in your ezine and in your blog posts is how BUSY you are - endless tours of the UK, innumerable hotels, early morning starts, the launch of Breathe Business, conferences, workshops, visits, hardly ever home, bemoaning the lack of balance;

4. The final straw was at the Showcase, when my wife and I saw you hurtling towards us down the corridor, BUSY and on your way between meetings. You stopped to say "hello" to us, quickly told us how you were looking forward to working together and how BUSY you were - and then rushed off again, looking like some American Presidential Candidate;

5. We turned to each other after that and discussed the merits of hiring the BUSIEST coach in Britain to help us.

All in all Chris, we have decided to wait a year - until you are less BUSY, before we consider proceeding with our relationship."

Gulp.

In the call - I accepted and thanked him for his feedback - and hoped that in 2009 we could begin again. I wished him every success and asked him to reassure me that if we met at a dental "gig" again in 2008, he would walk across the room to say "hello" not avoid me - agreed.

We part on good terms - that's important to me.

A few days later I had occasion to check his first point - and he was correct - back in August I went on vacation - and promptly forgot to deliver on the promised follow through - guilty as charged.

I'm also going to plead guilty to all other charges - as I look back over the written material I have produced in recent months, much of it has been about "harvest time" (as Stephen Covey would call it) - working 6 days a week to launch Breathe Business, continue my obligations in The Dental Business School and meet our 2008 sales targets. Busy, busy, busy.

So the whole episode has been a potentially expensive learning curve.

Lesson 1 - make sure you deliver on your "follow up" promises. I'm going to claim that my follow through is normally meticulous - and this one just slipped through the net. The buggeration factor in business is that you always make that type of mistake with the clients or prospects who are most likely to be sensitive to it - isn't that such a bitch?

Lesson 2 - be careful and mindful that what you mean when you say something might not be what the reader hears.

Lessons 3 - if you lose business - find out why.

Yes - this has been the busiest of times - I'm looking forward to 17th December when this harvest time ends.

I remain convinced that I have fulfilled my obligations to clients during this time, judging by the steady stream of appreciation that makes my work a delight to deliver.

2008 for me is principally about "back to balance", with plenty of Sullivan's Free, Focus and Buffer Days already scheduled in my diary.

But my "busy-ness" has certainly caused one potential client to think again - so I'm going to re-phrase my language around that in the future.

Daryl’s 14 year Dream

I and the Kintish team went for lunch to the new sports and community centre recently. What a great resource for the local community. Football pitches, café , community lounge, sports hall …the works, all modern and already in great demand.

By coincidence I met Daryl who was the creator of the complex. He was typically modest ( giving credit to everyone else) but I know he was THE MAN who made it all happen. He had a dream and in spite of the barriers and obstacles one has to deal with when going for these big projects, Daryl never gave up. He told us it was 14 years since he started the project…yes 14 years

DO YOU HAVE A DREAM?

ARE YOU PERSISTENT?

WHAT DO YOU WANT? WHAT DO YOU REALLY REALLY WANT?

When you are committed you can have it.

Commitment is doing what you say you’re going to do long after the mood has worn off. Daryl’s commitment never wore off.