The first and most difficult step is making first contact. Here are four creative methods that work. I know because I have successfully used every one to connect with CEOs, presidents and senior corporate executives.
Volunteer
Volunteer for a community cause, program or event that you support. It must be something that you believe in because you will then give your best effort without expecting repayment. That’s when you are at your best. This is where you can meet and get to know business leaders. You might volunteer with your daughter’s soccer team, a community center committee or even a political campaign. CEOs and other executives are regular people and they participate in these community activities.
Some volunteer groups require more of your time than others and some will tend to pay off better than others. Rotary International is a good business connector. Hospital boards will introduce you to community and business leaders. The United Way is a popular charity and powerful avenue to build relationships with movers and shakers. These are just a few examples. There are many other volunteer opportunities for you.
When you volunteer, do it for the cause and the leaders will be attracted to you.
Become a Reporter
CEOs, presidents and senior executives talk to reporters because these business leaders want to convey their message to others. Reporters are a means to do that. So you become a part time reporter. How do you do that? First adopt the mind set of a reporter. They are always looking for a story. Reporters will approach anybody to get their story. When they make contact they are not selling anything – they only want a story – so they ask good questions and then they listen well. Can you do that? It’s tough. It’s a skill. It can be learned and it takes practice.
So how do you present yourself as a reporter? You have several options. You offer to research and write an article for your association, a local publication or a school project. CEOs love to talk to students.
When a local business magazine asked me to research and write an article for them I jumped at the opportunity because of the contacts I would make. The editor suggested that I interview half a dozen people for the article. I called 30 local community and business leaders and interviewed 19 of them. Bonus - the magazine paid me for the article.
Another way to become a reporter is to be a radio interviewer. Most college and universities have a radio station run by volunteers. I have hosted the weekly radio show, Business in Motion, at the local university for more than a decade. During that time I have met and interviewed hundreds of business leaders. After the thirty-minute rapport
they like me and remember me. It’s a good start to a profitable relationship.
Arrange a guest speaker
This is a variation of the volunteer role. Be the person to arrange a guest speaker for your club, association or group. The guest speaker is someone that you want to meet. Be very helpful to your guest speaker. After the event, send that person a nice thank you and offer to help them whenever they need you. Then do it again to meet more business leaders.
Award
Give the person an award. This is a variation of the “Arrange a guest speaker technique”. This works best when the award comes from an organization that carries some credibility. Toastmasters International uses this technique to get powerful speakers at their conferences. The award conveys prestige to the award winner and Toastmasters gets a credible speaker to speak for free at their conference. Both the guest speaker and the organization get some quid pro quo. You benefit when you are the person to nominate and contact the award winner. It’s not necessary to get the award winner to speak at your conference but it helps build the relationship.
© George Torok is the co-author of the national bestseller, “Secrets of Power Marketing”. He is the author of “Your Guide to Networking Success”. Get your free copy of “50 Power Marketing Ideas” at http://www.PowerMarketing.ca Find more networking ideas at http://www.BusinessNetworkingTips.net Arrange a speech or media interview by calling 905-335-1997
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