Give a Gift that Doesn’t Cost a Dime but is Absolutely Priceless

During this time of year, many people want to give something to everyone they know… family, friends, clients and hopefully to their network. The challenge is finding the right gift but also the means to do it. Obviously, these economic times affect everyone but there’s always a way to give something, even things without a price tag.

I found this poem and wanted to share it with you because I believe everyone can give a little something special this year. In fact, I challenge you to give something to someone and never tell them about it. The feeling you’ll get from giving will inspire you and others you know in your network.

May you create lifetime memories this Holiday Season! Enjoy!

Darlene

THE ART OF GIVING

We give of ourselves when we give gifts of the heart:

love, kindness, joy, understanding, sympathy, tolerance, forgiveness.

We give of ourselves when we give gifts of the mind:

ideas, dreams, purposes, ideals, principles, plans, inventions, projects, poetry.

We give of ourselves when we give gifts of the spirit:

prayer, vision, beauty, aspiration, peace, faith.

We give of ourselves when we give the gift of words:

encouragement, inspiration, guidance.

Emerson said it well:

"Rings and jewels are not gifts, but apologies for gifts.

The only true gift is a portion of thyself."

FROM THE ART OF LIVING BY WILFERD A. PETERSON

Supporting Your Network

If you are truly interested in building a strong professional network, why not connect with people that are supportive? They attract people to them like a magnet!

Have you ever considered what you can do to help support someone you've met while networking?

Throughout my networking career, I have connected hundreds (if not thousands) of people that needed to know one another. I have an abundance of resources available and give support to professionals, small business owners and entrepreneurs that need help networking or attracting more referrals.

What support can you offer someone? Let's think about that.

If they need a connection, think of who you know. If they need advice, be there to offer your words of wisdom. If they want to learn, be their teacher. If they need help marketing, be their promoter. I'm sure there's some way you can offer support.

In addition, take time to reciprocate the support when it's given to you. Would you endorse someone who doesn't support you? Of course not. If you don't totally believe in the other person enough to refer business to them, you probably won't receive too many referrals from that person, right?

I'll never forget my experience working with a brand new mortgage consultant that was recommended to me from someone in my network. The person who referred me was trying to do a favor for someone he knew (offering support) by helping their son get mortgage business. By the time I realized that I could possibly be his very FIRST mortgage, it was too late. He was unorganized, unprepared and unprofessional throughout the whole process. At the closing, he was playing games on his cell phone and I actually walked out without completing the transaction. If it weren't for the owner of the mortgage company contacting me directly to fix the damage, I would have never given them my business. Get this, on top of it all, the inexperienced mortgage guy still got a commission and had the audacity to ask for more referrals from me! Not only will I not send anyone I know to him or his company, I won't trust any referrals from the original guy that sent me there in the first place!

Get to know who's in your network so you can feel confident sending them business.

Ask yourself these questions...

• Does this person (or company) provide a valuable product or service?
• Will they be dependable?
• Do I trust them?
• Would I give them my business?

If you answered "no" to any of these questions, you need to do business elsewhere. In today's market, we need to find ways of supporting one another. When building your list of reliable resources, try attracting supportive networkers who encourage you to succeed!