|
Expansion Of Network
In 2014, I noticed a fellow author was tweet-recommending my book. His
name was Hal Elrod, who authored the book
The Miracle Morning
. In gratitude,
I thought it would be nice to read his book, especially since mornings and I mix
like water and the Wicked Witch. The book changed my life because it reframed
my hellish perception of the morning. As a result, I recommend it often. While I
can’t put numbers on it, I’m sure my recommendation added thousands of
dollars in sales for Hal. Likewise, his constant recommendation of
TMF
to his
group of influence has done the same for me.
This relationship, one of many, is the final means of propagation, which is
network expansion. Network expansion involves networking and partnering
with others: business development, affiliate marketing, and win-win joint
ventures. While some might call this “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine,”
I don’t.
Network expansion is finding partners who share a similar purpose and
synergizing your effort. It is NOT about compromised principles or being
disingenuous for the sake of making money. Had I not enjoyed Hal’s book, I
would have felt no obligation to recommend it. Without the productocracy,
there is no back-scratching.
I bring this up because, in the book industry, it’s common for authors to
paste glowing reviews on their book covers from “thought leaders” who actually
never read the book. Yes, those rave reviews from best-selling authors urging
“this is a must read” for other best-selling authors are contrived. That's right,
they’re fibbing for the sake of network expansion.
For someone not selling a book, network expansion consists of joint
ventures, affiliate relationships, and business development. For my friend who
owns a box rental company, network expansion is partnering with corporate
relocation firms and real estate agents. When I owned my Internet company,
reach expansion constituted approximately 60 percent of my revenue, while
network expansion constituted about 40 percent. I had affiliate partnerships with
hundreds of websites in the wedding, travel, and nightlife industry. They offered
my service, and whenever one of their users used it, I paid them a juicy
commission. Some of my best affiliates made thousands of dollars; they got an
additional revenue stream and I received a fixed customer-acquisition cost.
“It’s not WHAT you know, but WHO” is partly true but misleading. Having better
WHATs (knowledge and experience) can open the door to better WHOs.
So how do you expand your network if it can grow your business? The same
way you would if you approached a mentor. Focus on value and what you can
offer your potential partner. Take, for instance, this email I received. Its opening
was this: “Hey MJ, I’d like to promote your book to 100,000 subscribers to my
YouTube channel…this is what I’d like to do….”
Think that opening would strike my interest and initiate a new network
contact? How about this opening? “MJ, I’d like to interview you for my new
success podcast I’m launching next month. I don’t have listeners yet, but I plan
on interviewing many successful people and it should be cool. What time works
for you?”
Not sure if you can see the difference, but Email A opens with a GIVE
mentality, while Email B opens with a TAKE mentality. In fact, I’d guess that
nine out of ten emails I receive regarding mentorship open with a TAKE and
ignore the GIVE.
“Hey MJ, do you do any mentoring? I enjoyed your book, and I’d really like
to get rich one day. I really can’t stand my job, and my boss is a total ass. My
girlfriend doesn’t believe in me, probably cuz I don’t have any skills or money,
but I am willing to learn if you could just show me what to do. I love Lambos
too.”
I, I, I, me, me, me. No one cares. Well, I do, but I don’t.
I get it—all of us are selfish. Unfortunately, your selfishness keeps you from
success. If your opening email contains more than two
I
s and
ME
s, there’s no
chance. This simple concept of pushing aside selfishness and GIVING first, while
TAKING later, is why networks don’t expand, let alone why value-vouchers
remain elusive.
Do'stlaringiz bilan baham: |
