As a business owner, I’m always looking to enhance my odds of a successful outcome, whether it be a speaking engagement, an initial conversation with a prospect, or an actual client assignment.

As a budding photographer, I had that same goal in mind when I booked a weekend in Washington DC for the National Cherry Blossom Festival. The Tidal Basin ringed in pink blossoms in the shadow of the Jefferson Memorial is one of the most stunning places to photograph. I figured, how hard would it be for a beginner like me to get a great picture?

Well, what I didn’t count on was a winter that lingered into April, keeping the air temperature too cold for the cherries to bloom. I was one of thousands of tourists, camera in hand, strolling among the bare trees on a weekend that is normally considered the peak of color.

Then I stumbled into an orchard swathed in brilliant yellow. Forsythia trees were in full bloom at one end of the Basin. Around each one, families and friends posed for both group shots and selfies, and a close up or two of the golden blossoms themselves.

Because conditions weren’t perfect for the cherry blossoms, they continued to hide, so pent up demand was lavished on the grove of forsythias instead. These flowers were ready for their close up!

It made me think about how tempting it is for professionals to hide when conditions are less than perfect. “It’s the holidays,” “It’s tax season,” “I don’t have my (website/elevator pitch/LinkedIn profile/etc.) ready yet,” or whatever the reason may be.

I’ve found that success comes from consistently reaching out for opportunities, not from saving your strength until every star is aligned. What are you saving it for? Pulling yourself out of the game only puts you further behind competitors who continually work at building their visibility, making new contacts and having conversations to create those opportunities.

So here are some questions to consider…

• Where are you holding yourself back from playing full out?
• What is it you think you are missing?
• What are you doing to overcome this?

Over the next few days, think about these questions, but more importantly, think about ACTIONS you can take to put yourself in the best light no matter what the conditions, so you’ll be ready to shine anytime, all the time.

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© 2013, Liz Lynch International LLC

Liz Lynch Interviews Bob Burg On How to Get More Referrals The Go-Giver Way

You know you need to market yourself in order to grow your client base and increase your income. But how do you do that effectively without being “sales-y”? It’s all about building relationships the right way and expanding your base of supporters.

This month, I’m honored to interview my friend Bob Burg, a sought after corporate speaker and bestselling co-author of The Go-Giver.  Bob will discuss his 5 counter-intuitive laws that will accelerate your success with getting more referrals.

Mark your calendars for our NEXT…
Smart Networking Shift call
WEDNESDAY, May 22, 2013 at 9am PDT / 11am CDT / Noon EDT

“How to Create An Endless Stream of Referrals: The Go-Giver Way”

Learn more and register for the LIVE call here 

During our conversation you will…

If you want to create an endless stream of referrals in a natural and consistent way that explodes your income, don’t miss this call!

There is no charge to attend the LIVE call. Hope you can join us! Learn more and register HERE 

Profitable Partnerships to Power Your Business Growth

One of the key things I work on very closely with my clients is building strategic relationships. I believe that the more you try to do on your own, the longer success will take, and that’s why I’ve been so passionate about spreading the message of Smart Networking.

Referral partnerships, joint ventures and other forms of collaboration with like-minded professionals can help
 connect you to a stream of new clients without your 
having to do as much work.

Here’s
 an example: If I meet an insurance agent at a networking event who wants to follow up with me to talk about my insurance needs, I’ll probably politely decline. But, if my financial planner
 says to me, “Go speak to this insurance agent, you really need to think about
 this right now, here’s his card,” then I’d do it. Because someone I already 
trust and who knows my situation is suggesting that I do so.

When prospects are pre-sold on working with you because of a strong recommendation from your networking partner, this shortens the sales cycle for you tremendously.

As a speaker, I look to form partnerships with companies who have an audience but need content, and where we can work together year in and year out. When both of you can contribute something that the other needs, that’s a win-win, and can help sustain your business for the long-term.

Here are some examples in other professions where partnering for referrals can help all the way around:

• Real
 estate agent, interior designer, landscape architect
• Wedding
 planner, florist, caterer
• Nutritionist,
masseuse, personal trainer

What kinds of strategic partnerships can YOU form to help you bring in a steady stream of new clients? Here are 3 questions to get your thinking started:

• What kinds of businesses serve the same audience you do?
• Whom do you already know who is a leader in their field?
• What other products and services do your clients need?

An important additional benefit of building strategic partnerships is in the eyes of your clients, you 
move from being just a vendor who looks out just for himself, to a trusted
 advisor who looks out for THEM and connects them to the best people.

Free Telesummit: How to Network Authentically, Strategically and with Heart

Did you know that 92% of successful business professionals credit “networking” for playing a crucial role in their success?

That’s just common sense when you think about it.

Effective Heart-Centered Networking is about nurturing relationships, not just making contacts or promoting yourself. And when you have strong collaborative connections you have an endless source of new clients, programs and revenue.

The KEY to being heart-centered and effective is to network authentically AND strategically…you simply can’t have one without the other, or else it’s going to be a bust!

I’m delighted to announce that I’ve joined 13 of the top Heart-Centered Entrepreneurs who are sharing how they achieved immense success by networking in a heart-centered and strategic way.

Join us for The FREE Heart-Centered Networking Virtual Training. You will learn all the secrets behind the energy, the mindset AND the specific step-by-step strategies before, during, and after networking opportunities – both offline and online,  that the top Heart-Centered Networking Masters have used to make their businesses incredibly prosperous.

Check out the 14 powerful topics and register HERE

… AND the best part is that this virtual training gives you everything you need to get started, including

• Full access to each of the LIVE training sessions, plus over $1000 worth of bonuses hand-picked by the master teachers
• Participate in the Private Heart-Centered Networking Facebook Community
• The Heart-Centered Networking Challenge of the Day (so you can begin applying these principles right away).

If you know it is time to get out there with your gifts and serve more people, don’t put this off any longer. We will be giving you ALL the details you need to make networking finally work for you.

Register for the Heart-Centered Networking Virtual Training HERE

The training starts on May 1st. Even if you can’t make all the calls live, no worries. Go ahead and sign up anyway. You can catch the replays of the calls for FREE for 48 hours after each call!

Hope you can join us!

Liz Lynch Interviews Jennifer Bourn On How to Brand Your Brilliance and Build a Strong Brand

Do you know how to build a strong brand for your business? The kind it takes to be memorable and helps you land the clients you deserve?

There’s a big difference between marketing and branding. It means the difference between merely existing and becoming a magnetic force in the marketplace.

This month, I’m thrilled to interview branding expert Jennifer Bourn, who will share the FIVE simple steps you must take (that most people skip) to build a strong brand that positions you as a thought leader in your niche and makes you the ONLY choice, instead of just another choice.

Mark your calendars for our NEXT…
Smart Networking Shift call
WEDNESDAY, April 24, 2013 at 9am PDT / 11am CDT / Noon EDT

“Brand Your Brilliance:
Discover 5 Simple Steps to Create an Extraordinary and Lucrative Brand”

 Learn more and register for the LIVE call here 

 During our conversation you will learn…

Whether you just want to update your bio or need to redo your entire marketing content, you will NOT want to miss this call!

There is no charge to attend the LIVE call. Hope you can join us! Learn more and register HERE 

Your brand story helps you stand out with your network. It’s also an engaging way to share your business purpose with prospective partners and clients, and get their support.

Learn more in the latest issue of “Smart Networking Success.”Enjoy!

I shared some key principles from Smart Networking and led the entire group through a “progressive networking” exercise that always gets everyone talking, making connections, and feeling confident about their networking skills. It’s one of my favorites!

Then I flew from there to another conference, so I thought it would be apropos to share my latest “Ask Liz” video on my #1 strategy for maximizing conferences and events.

It’s posted to my newsletter along with my newest article “Persuade with Purpose.” Hope you enjoy both!

Nearly every time I interview an expert on a teleclass or webinar, the first question I ask is “How did you get started in your business?” It’s a question I usually ask at networking events as well, to break the ice and find a connection with the person I’m speaking with.

I love hearing their stories, and I feel in that moment their reconnection to their “why,” their greater purpose. I wish I could hear more of that more often instead of the same, staid elevator pitches.

My latest article talks about why it’s important to share not just WHAT you do, but WHY you love to do it:

“WHY Do You Love What You Do?”

I hope you enjoy it!

First, I would LOVE your help on a new video series I am launching called “Ask Liz Lynch.” After taking an extended hiatus from video, I’m now back in full force! I’ll be dipping into the mailbag of questions I get every day about how to build relationships effectively in person and online, and how to convert those relationships to revenues. It would be great to hear from you on any questions you have, or any ideas for questions you think I should cover.

Second, I wrote a new article all about the importance of conversations. If your business is not growing the way you’d like, you’re simply not talking to enough people.

To help you with that, my friend Wendy Weiss, the Queen of Cold Calling, is hosting a webinar next week on how to conduct successful prospecting conversations via the phone.

All this and more in the latest issue of Smart Networking Success.

I hope you enjoy it!

It seemed like there was an overwhelming number of things to do — launch a website, build a network, publish articles, and on and on. It was hard to know where to focus, what to do next and what would really work.

Of all the things you think you need, there are really four that matter most. Read about them in my newest article:

“4 Ways to Be Well Armed for Growth in 2013″

I hope you enjoy it!