The Buzzard, Blue Heron and Eagle

WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS NETWORKING BIRD ARE YOU?

In mid-October, I once again had the pleasure of escaping to a week-long bass fishing trip to Kentucky Lake. It's a time to get away with a group of about 10 guys to spend 8-10 hours a day trying to outsmart large mouth, small mouth, and other species of bass on one of the largest lakes in the United States. One afternoon while fishing back in a bay called "Byrd", I was enjoying the sights and sounds of nature. Occasionally, I would hear fish jump, a squirrel scamper through the leaves or the rapid fire sound of a woodpecker as he bore through tree bark in search of insect morsels. It was here in Byrd that I began to notice the various birds. Among them were an American Eagle, a flock of buzzards, and a lone Blue Heron that was wading by the bank. These birds reminded me of the business networkers that I often encounter on a weekly basis.

The buzzards were circling about 150 yards off shore to the southeast about 200 feet in the air. There was I guess what you would call a "flock" of about 18 buzzards circling something on the forest floor below that was either dead or dying. To me, they represented the group of business networkers that probably don't get much out of the whole networking experience. You know them. They are the business owner that waits until he or she is really hungry. They show up out of nowhere hoping to pick clean the carcasses of victims. They circle, circle, circle...and then SWOOP! They are in to grab a piece of flesh. Then...all is quiet. They're on to their next meal only to return to the area some other day when there's a meal to be had.

The Blue Heron, on the other hand, looks rather prehistoric as it wades quietly in the shallows on the north bank waiting for hours until an unsuspecting shad or bluegill swims by. They are always there, just sort of hanging out. They never risk venturing into deeper waters where the bigger fish live - they're just content hanging around the fringe. They don't make a sound or say too much. But, when they do have something to say, it's usually fast and forgettable. They don't really bother anybody but they don't do a whole lot to contribute to their surroundings. And, when they are up against the rocks (or rip-rap as we anglers call it), they simply blend in and are hard to spot. They don't really stand out.

Then, there is the Eagle. It's a majestic bird. It's wingspan is immense as it swoops down within about 50 feet over my boat for a closer look. It's an awesome site. It doesn't flap its wings. It just glides effortlessly. It catches an up-current and soars to great heights to join two other eagles about 300 yards to the northeast. There are other birds following the eagles' flight patterns. There are gulls and even pelicans that ride the tails of the eagles and seem to watch with the same amazement and intensity as me and my fishing partner. They are leaders with great vision. They contribute to their natural culture. They give and take in their environment.

I looked at the buzzards for only a minute and thought, "these are ugly birds that serve no purpose except to survive." I quickly look away from them without a second thought.

The Blue Heron is amusing. I watched it periodically just to see if it was going to do anything special. But after a while, I forgot about it and it eventually flew away.

But the eagles - I looked up to them for a long while - totally captivated. They are such a rare and beautiful bird. They have that intense, reassuring gaze. It's hard not to watch them and think, "If I was a bird, I'd want to be an eagle." They have great vision and grace.

There are times in my business life where I've been a buzzard or a Blue Heron. And, on a rare occasion, I've strived to be an eagle. But, at this stage in my life I've realized that to forge the positive and trusting relationships, I need to aspire to exude eagle-like qualities. I've got to spread my wings wider and focus intently on the tasks at hand. I need to be more of a leader. In business networking, that means serving others, providing referrals, and participating on a regular basis.

Think about yourself and the people who attend your business networking meetings. If you are a buzzard, you're probably not getting many referrals. Why? Because if we can't count on you to attend meetings on a regular basis and be a contributor and leader, we probably can't count on you to manage the referrals we provide...and we're most likely not going to do business with you. If you are a Blue Heron, you'll probably get a few leads here and there, but you probably won't be with the group long as you'll bore us to tears and you'll get bored waiting for business.

But if you are an eagle, people will look up to you. They'll follow you and want to do business with you because of the leadership qualities you display. You're going to be there in the future, just like those same eagles will be there when I visit Byrd on Kentucky Lake again next year. It's their environment. It's where they roost. It's where they lead.

What kind of networking bird are you?

To learn how to leverage your business networking opportunities, contact me today at 317.696.6734 or visit www.btkmarketing.com.

Lessons from a Five Year Old

Welcome to my new blog!

This whole blogging thing is a bit awkward and uncomfortable right now. It reminds me of how my 5-year-old son must have felt last evening as I let go of the back of his brand new Spider Man bike (sans training wheels) and watched him wobble about 10 yards down the street before he realized that I was no longer holding on. I cheered. He started laughing and turned around to see where I was...and then he crashed! Thank goodness for elbow pads and helmets!

Like my son, I am a little wobbly, too. This blog is my new bike. The training wheels are off and I'm peddling hard, hoping to get my balance. If I crash, I simply get back up, dust myself off and do it again...just like I told him as we plucked tiny pebbles out of his knee.

I've learned a lot about blogs over the past couple of months. It's not the blogs that my teen daughters are creating on the social blogging sites that I'm referring to. The ones that especially interest me as a marketing and sales consultant are those focused on, well, marketing and sales topics.

It seems that everyone blogging on the topics of marketing or selling has an opinion and "their" way of doing things. What one person offers up as gospel, another person may repute as pure bunk. That's the beauty of blogging. You get so many different views based on a person's personal experience, education and beliefs. Who's right? Who's wrong? Who's really an expert and who isn't?I sure don't have all of the answers. I do have a lot of experience. Am I an expert? I guess it depends on the topic. I've had a successful marketing and sales career up until now. I'd like to think others can learn from my experience and will value my advice.

One absolute belief that I have is that what I'm doing right now, "blogging", is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to marketing in today's world. Web 2.0 (or Marketing 2.0 as the marketing community has designated it), the newest generation of the Internet gives businesses the tools to expand their reach and communicate beyond boundaries. No longer do I have to limit my business to a small geographic area, I can use the new tools available to me to take even my small business global.

There is a consensus among the marketing bloggers that a lot of businesses are destined for failure if their owners or executives don't understand, embrace and leverage new and emerging technology to grow their business. That's why I'm blogging and integrating new tools on my website. I need to integrate new technology into my business so that I am prepared to help my clients integrate that technology into their business marketing mix.

The days of pinning your business card to a bulletin board in the lobby of the local grocery store are over. It's all about online networking and keeping people engaged and returning to your website or blog. It's about providing information to help your clients solve a problem or learn something new that enhances the value of their personal life or business. I invite you to visit often and participate if you'd like. Hopefully, you'll find this blog interesting and informative...and maybe event a little thought-provoking... so that your business can grow and prosper.

Like my son, I'm certain that blogging will only get easier over time. No, I won't be jumping ramps, popping wheelies and riding with no hands. But, I hope to take some risks and open up topics that will elicit responses and open dialogues. I encourage you to join in any time you feel compelled.

If you'd like to discuss how BTK & Associates can help your business stand out in a crowd, visit my website at http://www.btkmarketing.com/.