So it’s like 5am, and I finally got through my copy of The Little Black Book of Connections by Jeffrey Gitomer. I enjoyed the book so much that I even sent Jeffrey an email thanking him for the insight. Just the fact that I was motivated enough to send him an email, confirms the underlying premise of his book. You’ve got to give, before you get. Or stated in a way that I like, push then pull. So let me explain.

For those of you not familiar with Jeffrey Gitomer (as I was) he is a seasoned sales professional, writer, speaker, serial entrepreneur and probably one of the most respected names in sales. Most of his books carry catchy titles, and all are written in a conversational and humorous tone that banish the monotony of the subject; sales. The Little Black Book of Connections is no exception. It is an enjoyable read that not only discusses the karmic principle of helping others succeed before expecting a favor, but also gives actionable advice on how to ‘actually’ do it. Everything from providing leads to others to practicing NetWeaving (as opposed to networking), Jeffrey leaves no stone unturned. The mantra here is to provide something of value to others, free of charge, and before you know it people will be trying to connect with you, and not the other way around. As Jeffrey puts it, “it’s about who knows you, not simply who you know”. So let’s bring it 360.

For the past few weeks since we managed to successfully peel off the work-in-progress sticker on Invizio, I have been working feverishly to grow the business. Given our tight marketing & advertising budget, we are officially using every and any Guerilla Marketing strategy to gain exposure and spread the brand. Chamber of Commerce and business association networking events are some of our primary means. My days at times feel like never ending networking. Starting with a 7AM breakfast, continuing with a mid-day lunch and ending with a 7PM networker, it is not usual for me to meet 30-50 new people in a day. The majority of these people are unlikely to be prospects or hot leads, but how can we turn them into at the very minimum, evangelists for Invizio? Certainly not but asking them to do us a favor. After reading Jeffrey’s book, it’s pretty clear that we have to build meaningful relationships that are not predicated on What’s In It For Me, but rather to help these people succeed in whatever they do. In this way we give before we get, push then pull.

With that said, I think we’ll try to send everyone a weekly tech tip.

Please comment with examples of how you push then pull.