Latest / Networking Unleashed: Building Profitable Connections / Networking Unleashed: S1E12 An Interview with Erika Giuggio and Michael A Forman

Transcript

Networking Unleashed: S1E12 An Interview with Erika Giuggio and Michael A Forman · Networking Unleashed: Building Profitable Connections

• 0:00
  Hello, and welcome to Networking Unleashed, Building Profitable Connections.
• 0:23
  Welcome on your host, Michael Forman, and you're listening to the podcast where networking
• 0:29
  is more than just an awkward handshake and bad coffee.
• 0:33
  It's an art and talent.
• 0:35
  Yep, even if you're the person hiding in a corner at every event pretending to check
• 0:41
  emails, this is for you.
• 0:44
  Networking isn't just a nice skill to have, it's a game changer.
• 0:49
  When you get good at it, you'll wonder why you didn't start sooner.
• 0:54
  More connections, more opportunities, more profits.
• 0:58
  It's like unlocking a cheat code for the life of the party, or let me just stay in
• 1:03
  the text type.
• 1:04
  Let me just stay home and text type.
• 1:07
  We've got something for you.
• 1:09
  Stick around and let's turn those awkward small talk moments.
• 1:14
  Her name is Erica, and I will say here, let me just say, Erica is a cost reduction expert
• 1:24
  dedicated to helping businesses save on expenses and maximize their bottom line.
• 1:30
  A born entrepreneur, she launched her career at just 21 by developing a patent in the cosmetic
• 1:37
  industry, later building a successful marketing agency.
• 1:43
  Now Erica combines her expertise and innovation and strategy to deliver a real value to her
• 1:50
  clients.
• 1:51
  Hi, Erica.
• 1:52
  How you doing?
• 1:53
  I'm great.
• 1:54
  How are you, Michael?
• 1:56
  Not so bad.
• 1:58
  Did I do okay with your introduction, or you want to add a little bit?
• 2:02
  Absolutely.
• 2:03
  The only thing that I would add is that it's been a world win, and especially for young
• 2:10
  people having to really adapt to a lot of different changes during the pandemic, but
• 2:16
  you got my bio pretty good.
• 2:18
  All right, and it's funny that you mentioned the pandemic because that was really the beginning
• 2:24
  of networking and going back to networking, the way we used to do it 100 years ago, but
• 2:32
  it's the face-to-face networking that we're missing.
• 2:36
  But how would you approach building a genuine connection?
• 2:42
  Okay.
• 2:43
  So, Michael, this is a loaded question, and I want to feed off of in-person as well as
• 2:50
  online.
• 2:51
  So what I typically try to do is first and foremost, try to pick a target audience when
• 2:58
  you're networking, because if you're on LinkedIn and you're trying to connect with people, it's
• 3:05
  going to be a lot easier to connect with people in a niche versus just having a broad topic.
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  So I'd say that's the first and the biggest one that I found to be helpful when trying
• 3:17
  to make connections with people before even becoming genuine.
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  The second piece to that is go in on LinkedIn and start connecting and commenting on people's
• 3:30
  posts.
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  So you'll see a lot of people, they're liking, but they're not commenting.
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  So when you start to create a comment, and you're the first one to create a comment,
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  you create this recall and recognition in people's heads.
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  Now, hey, I know, let's go check out so-and-so, let's look at their profile, let's see what
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  they do.
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  Then the second piece is what I've done to create that genuine connection is I don't
• 3:56
  go spamming people.
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  I don't go right into their messages and say, hey, here's what I do.
• 4:01
  I will look at their posts and try to create something genuine out of it, like, hey, I really
• 4:07
  like this that you posted about today.
• 4:09
  So someone posted about the trades and how parents and schools need to get on board with
• 4:17
  promoting it.
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  And it's, you know, university is not always for everybody.
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  And in the trades, it's another way or another angle to get into the workforce if you don't
• 4:29
  have that intellectual ability to sit and focus and read a textbook from beginning to
• 4:36
  end.
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  Then into the person's DM and I said, hey, you know, I really like this post and now we're
• 4:43
  having a conversation.
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  So you find things that you're building on to get into their direct messages.
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  Then I would also say, and that's just a very broad overview of what you can do on LinkedIn.
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  Now the other piece and the other genuine way I try to stay connected and when I go to
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  events and in person events is I like to look at who first and foremost, who's going to
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  this event.
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  There's been many times from somebody like myself that has gone to women events where
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  their MLMs, their real estate agents, great, that's not my target audience.
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  So what I do is I always look to see who's going, who potentially is going, what kind
• 5:33
  of event it's going to be and I'll actually reach out to them on LinkedIn and say, hey,
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  I'm going to be at this event.
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  Love to meet you in person.
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  That helps get the ball rolling because you're not going to be able to meet everyone all
• 5:46
  at once.
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  You want to be able to connect with let's say 10 to 15 people if it's a two hour window.
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  And if you're lucky that those 10 to 15.
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  So from there, when I get into that networking event, I like to let them do the talking to
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  see if I'm also a fit.
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  And then you try to find what we call distinctive value.
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  So try to find something within that networking event that they like or it's a hobby or something
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  outside of business that you can bring back in that creates that genuine connection.
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  What you're saying resonates so much because what you're saying is exactly what I promote.
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  All right.
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  So when I go up and I meet a person, I think of the word form, F-O-R-M, it's family, occupation,
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  art creation, and a message, anything to get onto the same level as them.
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  So what you're saying truly comes in very handy when you're just walking up to a table,
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  you don't start talking, you listen and you listen for the conversation to see whether
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  or not it's a good fit for you.
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  And if it is, that's great.
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  If not, then you very politely back out and move on.
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  But more importantly, what you said about going and seeing the type of people that attend
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  this event is so important because otherwise you're wasting your time.
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  And your time is so valuable that you can't really do that much.
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  So when you said you're collecting 10 to 15 business cards, that is perfect.
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  I say in a three-hour event, three to four-hour event, you collect 15 to 20 business cards.
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  And that's it.
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  I used to collect a shoebox full of business cards and say, oh, look how great I did until
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  I realized I want to build a relationship more so than just a client.
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  So can you share a specific example of how a strategic networking relationship significantly
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  impacted your business?
• 8:09
  Okay.
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  I would say connecting sometimes with somebody that's not a direct client but could help
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  you in so many other ways.
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  And to me, that's also a strategic partner.
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  So I'll give you an example.
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  I connected with this guy named Jonathan.
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  He was actually one of the first people that got me into the construction space.
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  What makes him strategic and how we help each other out is every single week we have a 15
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  minute call.
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  Hey, how's it going?
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  Who can I refer you to?
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  You know, what's happening here?
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  What's happening there?
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  So we were having a call yesterday.
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  I was at this firm out in Stony Creek and they're looking for grants.
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  I said, hold on.
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  I think I have somebody that can help you.
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  And right this morning, I made an introduction to a person that can help with, it's called
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  the Shred Program here in Canada, which helps manufacturing people that are in the scientific
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  space get grants.
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  So I would also encourage people to look at strategic partners as, hey, they could be
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  direct clients, but he's just one of the examples where because we're always top of mind of
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  each other, I'm always saying, hey, you know what?
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  Let's go talk to Jonathan.
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  Let's go talk to this person.
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  Otherwise, they're going to forget who you are if you don't follow up.
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  And it's not just following up after networking events saying, great to meet you, but does
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  that CPA, does that marketer, does whoever it is that they do come to mind when you're
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  also talking to other people?
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  That's great, but it's great for one or two people.
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  But if you have five or six or 10 strategic partners, I'm using that term loosely, how
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  do you stay in contact with them?
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  Quarterly events.
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  I also do posts about them.
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  It's all about connection and it can happen in different ways.
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  It's sending a text message.
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  It's sending an introduction.
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  It's a Christmas card.
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  A follow-up card on their birthday.
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  It's also what you mentioned earlier and your acronym.
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  What about that distinctive value?
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  Can you relate back to them?
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  So if I call someone and you know what, maybe you might not have a connection in six months
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  from now, but they are a swimmer, send them something about swimming or a competition
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  that's going on.
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  That's great.
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  That's wonderful advice and everybody listening should really pay attention.
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  But now let's switch it around a little bit.
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  People usually have a fear of networking, of getting involved.
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  Now what would you say is the biggest fear that you can think of and how would you overcome
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  it?
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  Okay.
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  So when I first started networking, my biggest fear was that I was too young because a lot
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  of these networking events that I go to, I'm one of the youngest people in the room.
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  And some advice that was given to me, especially if you're an introvert, contact the director
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  or the person that's hosting and say, hey, listen, I'm a little shy.
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  This is what I do for some of the people that I can get in contact with at this event that
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  you think could be a good fit for me to meet.
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  This way, that person, when you get to the event, will direct you to that person.
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  You can have a conversation and then sometimes other people will join in.
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  And by the time you know it, the networking event is already over.
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  You've made so many connections.
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  Right.
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  That's so true.
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  With doing all of this, everybody is bound to make a mistake.
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  And so what's a common mistake that you have seen made or you've made personally and had
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  you overcome?
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  Talking too much.
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  So I mentioned this a little bit earlier.
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  Let them do the talking and figure out if they're the right fit for you.
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  Because sometimes not everyone's going to want what I came from in this space before.
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  Not everyone wants us to talk to a marketer.
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  Not everyone wants to talk to a cost reduction expert.
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  Let them do the talking, see what they're looking for, because it goes also back to
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  your strategic partners.
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  If they might not be a fit for you, they could be a good fit for somebody else.
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  And at least you can say, hey, after the event, you know what?
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  I'm not a good fit for you, but you know what?
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  I know somebody that can do this.
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  Let me get you in contact.
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  So it's kind of like a first date.
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  Just ask the questions or like a sales call.
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  Just ask the questions, let them answer.
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  Then go into what you're trying to achieve.
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  That was great.
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  It's great advice.
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  And I'm sure that everybody listening has gone through something like that.
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  And that's a great way to overcome it.
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  Okay, give me your top three strategies for ensuring networking interaction that leads
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  to actionable results.
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  Okay.
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  So first and foremost, yes, give them their business card, but make sure that every business
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  card that you're getting, you're following up with them within 24 hours, within three
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  months.
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  Make sure you have almost like a schedule because if you don't keep up with them, they
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  don't keep up with you.
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  That card goes right into the garbage.
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  That's something I would say the first thing that is actionable.
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  Second thing that I would say is don't just go to one networking event a month.
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  Try three or four.
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  See what you like.
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  Go to different industries.
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  See what other people are doing.
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  And I would also say it doesn't have to be a B&I meeting.
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  Before this call, I got someone that messaged me to go to a museum out in Kleinberg where
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  I am.
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  Look at different types of networking.
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  Look at Gallas.
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  Look to see what's online.
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  Just get yourself out there and also make a schedule and say, okay, if I'm going to these
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  five events, how many people, like you said earlier, how many people are there?
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  How many people do you want to connect with each hour?
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  And what do you want to get out of it?
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  And I think when you start putting together your CRM and putting tasks, hey, follow up
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  with this person, reconnect with this person, you're on the path to success.
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  And then the third thing that I want to also say is sometimes, and the third piece of this
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  is some people you got to let go.
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  Something is like a needle in the haystack.
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  To find good strategic partners is not easy.
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  And it takes time to build.
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  And some people you got to let go.
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  So another piece of advice someone gave to me is you're going to give a referral.
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  Let's say I give a referral today.
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  You're going to do one next week, maybe one from a month from now, and then let's say
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  two months from now.
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  So you're always staying top of mind.
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  But if that person cannot give you one referral back, they're going into the yellow zone, like
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  proceed with caution.
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  I just gave you four leads.
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  And not only did you not say thank you, but also it's a two-way street here.
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  That's very good.
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  Now, what do you do with that business card?
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  Flip it over, write down the date of the event, the name of the event, and something you spoke
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  about so that when in two weeks, when you look at that business card, you remember, it jogs
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  your memory, oh, you know what?
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  I talked about that with him, and we can talk even further.
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  So that's one.
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  As putting it on your calendar, that is so important.
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  Because one thing I profess is for you to get out there and just start going.
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  Just listen, you're going to be horrible at it.
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  The first one's going to be a mess.
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  Don't want to go.
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  Then go to a second one and a third one.
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  Put it on your calendar for every other week, every three weeks.
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  Doesn't matter.
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  But put it on a calendar.
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  Okay?
• 17:04
  So those are very important strategies, and that's just a little help.
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  Now, I always put a lot of emphasis on the follow-up.
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  Okay?
• 17:17
  What type of follow-up do you have when you meet somebody, let's say that evening, what
• 17:22
  would your follow-up strategy be for that person?
• 17:27
  The first thing that I do is I go on LinkedIn, and I look to see if they're active.
• 17:32
  If they're active, I go and follow them, and I connect the first thing.
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  The second thing that I do is I will send an email just to say, hey, thank you for connecting
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  or I'll send them a message on LinkedIn.
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  And then depending on if I haven't got anything back, then I pick up the phone and call.
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  Okay.
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  So my secret sauce, so to speak, with the follow-up, because I feel that the follow-up
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  is probably either close to just meeting the person or even more important.
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  So when you get back from the event, either your office or home, you send that email and
• 18:14
  say thank you for your time.
• 18:16
  Right?
• 18:17
  Hey, Erica, this is Mike.
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  I met you tonight.
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  Wonderful time.
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  Thank you for your time.
• 18:22
  Mike, that's it.
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  And just leave it as that.
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  The next morning, the very next morning, you write a handwritten thank you note.
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  You write almost the same thing.
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  Hi, Erica.
• 18:34
  This is Mike.
• 18:35
  I met you on such and such date, such and such an event.
• 18:38
  We spoke about your husband, son, brother, whatever.
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  Michael, put your business card in it and send it to them.
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  Now what does that do?
• 18:49
  Could you imagine sitting down and receiving that thank you note?
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  Nobody does that, except for the people, of course, that I coach, but nobody does that.
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  So they picked up that thank you note.
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  So if that doesn't prompt them to send an email, almost nothing will.
• 19:06
  But a thank you note, you write them another email.
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  Hey, Erica, this is Michael.
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  I met you on such and such a week.
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  It's open.
• 19:14
  Do one of those days work for you and sign and send it.
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  Okay?
• 19:20
  So each time, increasing the probability of a response, you have to practice.
• 19:28
  The more you practice, the better you get, the better you get, the more you will enjoy.
• 19:34
  So what are some common challenges that business professionals face and how can they overcome
• 19:43
  them?
• 19:45
  Okay.
• 19:47
  I just want to dive into this question at networking or just in general?
• 19:51
  Networking.
• 19:52
  Okay.
• 19:53
  So I would say one of my common challenges or things that I had to learn is when to cut
• 20:01
  people off and even on a Zoom call.
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  So what I always do is I always say, now, hey, I have a hard stop at three o'clock.
• 20:12
  I have a hard stop at four, 15, or I've also set an agenda so that if I'm having this virtual
• 20:20
  coffee and let's say they go into a straight pitch and they're not building a relationship
• 20:27
  whatsoever, I set that agenda.
• 20:31
  And then if I think it's going out of hand, I ended as well and say, hey, you know, I
• 20:36
  forgot I had this meeting at three o'clock.
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  That would be one thing.
• 20:41
  Second thing that I also find it's hard for business professionals, including myself,
• 20:46
  is let's say you're networking on LinkedIn.
• 20:50
  So it's kind of hard to see right now, but on my piece of paper here, I have for today
• 20:56
  that I need to do 20 comments.
• 20:59
  I need to follow 20 followers, connect to 25 new people, and send 15 messages.
• 21:07
  Having that consistency every single day, especially when you have meeting after meeting
• 21:12
  or you're trying to, you got this networking event and so many other things, it is hard
• 21:16
  to stay consistent.
• 21:18
  But I would also say that that can be challenging for business professionals sometimes.
• 21:22
  But when you are consistent and when you put that goal in and you say, hey, I'm going to
• 21:26
  do this, you're doing the time for the crime that you that you wanted to get out and you
• 21:33
  got it.
• 21:35
  Good.
• 21:36
  Very good.
• 21:37
  Very good.
• 21:38
  Okay.
• 21:39
  Last two questions.
• 21:41
  What's your favorite marketing tactic?
• 21:46
  My favorite marketing tactic.
• 21:49
  So coming from the marketing world, this is a tough question to answer because they all
• 21:56
  work in unison sometimes and you have to be doing different things to create that recall
• 22:05
  and recognition.
• 22:07
  But my favorite marketing tactic has to be organic content.
• 22:14
  When you're putting out a lot of pieces of content and let's say you're shy or you're
• 22:22
  not good at the networking piece, this is also networking because you're building trust
• 22:28
  and creating relationships and you're doing it through pieces of content.
• 22:33
  So if you're consistent with it, you're going to gain traction.
• 22:36
  You're going to gain followers.
• 22:37
  You're going to understand also what works, what doesn't work and people are going to
• 22:42
  come into your funnel and say, hey, you know what, I'd love to sit down and chat because
• 22:47
  of the reach that you're going to get versus the 10 to 20 people that you have intimately
• 22:54
  at a networking event.
• 22:57
  It's also another way to expand that reach.
• 23:01
  Okay.
• 23:02
  Okay.
• 23:03
  Last question.
• 23:05
  Give me one takeaway that my audience can use today.
• 23:11
  I want to go back to what you said earlier about the Hen written notes.
• 23:19
  And being someone that actually received only three of them out of the amount of people
• 23:26
  that I've networked in the past two years, I still remember who sent it to me.
• 23:34
  And it's still top of mind.
• 23:37
  And it's something that even I want to do now and I forgot about to do.
• 23:46
  So that's what I would say.
• 23:49
  What my one piece of advice is, but also yours moving forward.
• 23:54
  It's a great tactic.
• 23:55
  Okay.
• 23:56
  It's true, but it is so powerful.
• 23:57
  And as many people as I coach, as many workshops as I do where I tell them to do this, nobody
• 24:04
  does it outside of the people that I coach, of course, but it becomes so powerful and
• 24:09
  you remain top of mind.
• 24:11
  So that's why it's so important.
• 24:13
  Erica.
• 24:14
  So if anybody wants to get hold of you and enlist your services, how would they do it?
• 24:20
  You can reach me on LinkedIn.
• 24:22
  My last name is a little bit tough, but it's spelled G I U G G I O.
• 24:27
  I'm a phone person.
• 24:28
  I am a millennial, but I promise I will pick up the phone.
• 24:32
  You can call me at 416-605-0193 or you can just shoot me an email at EricaJujo at SchoolieMetal.com.
• 24:41
  Perfect.
• 24:42
  That's perfect.
• 24:43
  Erica, I want to thank you so much for coming on.
• 24:46
  You have it.
• 24:47
  You have, you know what you have to do.
• 24:50
  You're doing it and you're showing results from it.
• 24:53
  So if anybody wants to take note and talk to Erica, please contact her and ask her how
• 25:01
  she's doing it or hire her as a coach.
• 25:04
  I'll talk to you soon.
• 25:07
  Thank you so much, Michael.
• 25:09
  You're welcome.
• 25:12
  Well, that's a wrap, folks.
• 25:19
  A huge thank you to our special guests for sharing such incredible insights today.
• 25:24
  And of course, a big shout out to you, our amazing listeners for tuning in and spending
• 25:30
  your time with us.
• 25:32
  Remember, networking isn't about being perfect.
• 25:36
  It's about being present.
• 25:37
  So take what you've learned today, get out there, and make some meaningful connections.
• 25:43
  If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe, leave us a review, and share
• 25:48
  it with someone who could use a little networking inspiration.
• 25:52
  Let's keep the conversation going.
• 25:54
  You can find me on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or my website, MichaelAForman.com.
• 26:01
  Remember, until next time, keep practicing, keep connecting, and keep building those relationships.
• 26:08
  This is Michael A. Foreman signing off.
• 26:11
  Take care, and happy networking.