Rock Your Business Tip #2: How To Get Magnetic People To Notice You

Written by Dave Navarro on September 3, 2008

(Yes, I know it’s been a week without a post, but the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina were calling me out for an early Labor Day Weekend.  Good times.)

Last Wednesday we talked about the importance of having “Magnets” as business contacts so that you would be pulled towards growing, rather than keeping the status quo with your Grounders.  Magnets are essential to making the big leaps that get you to move past what you think you want and start chasing what you really want.  (Clay gets this.)

Now let’s talk about how to start attracting the attention of these Magnets so your business can grow like you want it to.  Here’s the big, deep, dark secret:

The Top Secret Strategy:  Givers Get.

I’ve said it before - the number one way to connect with people is to get to know what they are passionate about and discover how you can add value to what they are doing.  That’s it.  You want to get on a Magnet’s radar?  Find a way to make their life easier.  Find a way to help them get what they want.  Find a way to make them feel better, or more valued, or more confident.

Take note:  I’m not talking about ass-kissing.  That’s a stupid networking strategy, it’s not sustainable, and it doesn’t give you any leverage.  I’m talking about connecting with someone on a meaningful level and making their world better for your being there.

A long time ago I realized the secret of climbing the corporate ladder wasn’t to be a superstar at work (though that’s important for a lot of reasons).  The secret of climbing the ladder is making life easier for the people above you and helping them reach their business goals.  Then they notice you and want to reward you.

When You Give, Give Strategically

Face it - your time, energy, and personal bandwidth are limited.  There’s not “enough of you to go around” for everyone.  So when you start networking via this giving strategy, you have to choose the people who you give to strategically.  You can’t just give to everyone without limit.

Think about what your end goals are, and begin to give accordingly to the types of people who can not only benefit from what you give, but also are in a position to give back according to your goals.  A great example of this strategy is guest posting on people’s blogs.  (James gets this.)  I’m doing this like crazy right now, because it works both ways - I bring good content to other blogs, and I get exposure to their audience.

This is also the reason that links to other blogs work so well when connecting to bloggers.  You’re giving them something they want (exposure) without asking for anything in return.  And more often than not, what goes around comes around.

These are blogging examples because that’s my giving strategy at the moment - I’m working on raising the profile of this blog, so I’m helping other bloggers achieve their goals.  Many people keep the focus on themselves, but shouldn’t - the payoff for helping others is nothing short of amazing.

Of course, there’s another benefit to focusing on being a giver - it makes you a nicer person to be around.

In my next Rock Your Business article, I’ll go into how to start choosing strategic networking connections.  Stay subscribed so you don’t miss it.

A Few Networking Posts You Should Read

A while back, I started writing a few networking tips articles that I think you’d enjoy.  Check them out if you’d like, and please leave a comment if you’ve got a moment.  That’ll put you on my radar

• 5 Must-Have Skills For Million Dollar Networkers
• Become A Master Networker By Changing These 3 Beliefs
• Confidence: The Networking Strategy That Works Every Time
• How To Build A Huge Network Without Traveling Anywhere
• How To Start Building Your Networking Plan