The Steps to Value Based Networking Part 3: WOW and Attitude
So far we’ve discussed the first three steps of Value Based Networking, which are to create a networking baseline, network with purpose and add value to your network. The fourth and final step is to be a WOW! person. How do you that? By not allowing yourself to get stuck in an attitude trap and by transforming a normal event into a WOW event.
Let’s start with attitude. Vince Lombardi said, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” To get closer to the truth, Lombardi should have substituted the word attitude for winning!
Think about the New York Yankees: They spend the most money of any baseball team in the league to build the most talented team of players, but yet they can’t win a World Series. Why is that? Could it be that they don’t all have that winning attitude?
A positive attitude needs to be there all the time, in the background, as fuel to run your engine without toxic emissions.
How to Improve Your Attitude
· Practice gratitude very day
· Always protect your confidence and your team’s confidence
· Always remember when things go wrong it is no one’s fault but yours
· Remember you always have a choice
· Always use half-full communications
· Always say why you like things
· Ignore junk news. Work on something that enhances your life or your organization’s
· For the next 6 months read positive books and materials
· Help others without expecting a return
· Never stay in a bad mood for more than 5 minutes
People with great attitudes and high confidence will find it relatively easy to go beyond ‘value’ to adding WOW, which may ultimately lead to loyalty. Anyone can do it with a little planning. What does WOW stand for? What Others Want. That doesn’t sound too profound but it has BIG implications if you’re committed to creating WOW experiences for others.
WOW is about exceeding a person’s expectations. It’s providing an experience for someone that makes such an incredible impression they will naturally want to share it with family, friends and colleagues.
What WOW People Are Known For
· Always making it about the other person
· Appearing to put great care and thought into things you do for others
· Creating surprising or unique experiences for others
· Exceeding expectations, even when others didn’t realize they had expectations
What might be a WOW interaction? A good example is the story about the writer who sent an editor a coffee mug imprinted with a quote from the editor’s favorite author. Depending on the interests of the individual, the artifact could be a mug, a t-shirt, a coaster, a sports bag. And the personal imprint could be a sports team, a favorite bar of music or a picture of a flower they’re passionate about growing.
How about a golf game? Rather than just proposing the normal round of golf, one time you invite the person but surprise them with a lesson from the pro. Afterward you meet for lunch and talk about the experience. You won’t get as much out of it, but they will. And remember: it’s all about them and the value you’re creating for them.
Having trouble coming up with ideas? Look at every aspect of your customer’s experience and figure out how you can take it from ordinary to extraordinary. Build loyalty! And once you do, you’ll have yourself an incredible value based network that will be there for you in the good times and bad and power your future.
