Elevate Your Network With Jake Kelfer
Networking is still one of the most powerful ways to grow your business, yet a lot of people go about it the wrong way, or try to skip it altogether. The problem with that is, one person, when it’s the right person, is all it takes to explode your business to the next level.
This week’s guest, Jake Kelfer, has made a wildly successful career working with major brands like Adidas and the Los Angeles Lakers. He’s also helped his clients use networking to achieve the results they want, whether it’s to get booked on more podcasts, bring in experts for a summit, or create partnerships to grow their business to the next level.
In today’s Internet-based world, it’s easier than ever to connect with people. Jake will show you how to use that to your advantage in a way other people appreciate instead of run from.
Tune into this episode to discover exactly why your next level may be less about what’s next, and more about who’s next.
Plus get Jake’s framework for successfully networking with the right people for you and your business.
I Want The Slow Path (Said No One Ever)
Without other people, you cannot have a business. People are who buy your products and services. People are who tell their family, friends, and peers about you. People are also who you learn from. It’s true, you can slowly and tediously make all your own mistakes; or, you can learn from people who’ve already made them, and get where you want to be faster. Networking is another way to avoid the slow path and get where you want to be sooner rather than later.
Turn Your Style Into Opportunity
Successful networking is about connecting with the right people for YOU. Doing that means combining your style with the right intention for reaching out to a specific person. No matter what, you’ll face rejection, but when you combine your style and personality with intention, it saves you a ton of time and energy reaching out to the wrong people. You’ll also dramatically increase the likelihood of connecting with people who are a good fit for you.
Don’t Be Spammy
No one appreciates a total stranger getting in touch only to say, “Hey, here’s what you can do for me!” When reaching out to people for the first time, don’t lead with offers and requests. Instead, play the long game by building the relationship. Care enough to get their name right. Study their profiles and content to find commonalities you can use to relate to them. Everyone wants to feel like they matter, and you can inspire that feeling by taking time to learn about them.
Always Follow Up
Just because someone doesn’t respond to your first contact attempt doesn’t mean they don’t want to connect. It could be they’re busy and they forgot. It could be they aren’t sure if you’re just another spammy drive-by, or if you’re someone who’s actually worth their time and energy. It could be a million other things. Instead of jumping ship if they don’t instantly reply, give them a little time, then follow up. Remember that the point isn’t to be a pest. It’s to open the door so they can take a step through it. Sometimes it takes more than one attempt before they’ll take that first step.
Focus on Quality, Not Quantity
You don’t need a million followers to make a million dollars. You just need the right number of quality followers. It’s the same with networking. You don’t need to connect with everyone on the planet. You just need the right people. One right person will get you further than one hundred people who aren’t right. Sometimes it can take one hundred attempts to find the right people, so it’s important to keep reaching out. Just don’t get hung up on the numbers. Go for quality.
Outline of This Episode
- One new connection can change your world [3:05]
- The reason for our success [8:55]
- Meeting the right people’s not about luck, it’s about this [14:30]
- How to reach out (and how not to) [18:15]
- Once you build the relationship, maintain it [32:45]
- You don’t need quantity when you’ve got quality [38:30]
- You can reach ANYBODY [44:00]
Resources & People Mentioned
- Visit Jake Kelfer’s website: www.JakeKelfer.com
- Connect with Jake Kelfer on Instagram: @jakekelfer
- Jake Kelfer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakekelfer
- Jake Kelfer on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jakekelferjourney
Music for “Just The Tips” is titled, “Happy Happy Game Show” by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
