Tropins Blog

You can generate a ton of business by networking, whether you belong to a networking organization or just get referrals from existing (satisfied) customers. Whenever you meet a new potential client, it’s important to create the right impression about you and your business straight away. That’s where a 10 second introduction comes in handy - and the more this introduction stands out from the rest, the more likely your new acquaintance is to remember you.

One great way of making your introduction stand out and to really grab the attention of the person you’re introducing yourself to is to put an unexpected twist right at the start. One lady I know starts her introduction: “Hello, I’m Jane Doe, and I want to root through your trash cans.” Now that’s an introduction that nails everybody’s attention - and leaves them wanting more. The lady in question is an environmental consultant and helps companies reduce the amount of waste they produce - hence rooting through the trash.

Spending some time thinking about how you can present your business in a truly unusual light will turn out to be a great investment in the long run. Write down all the things you typically do in your business and see how you can twist them around to make people ask “You can’t really do that for a living?”

But that is only the beginning, of course. Now that you have grabbed their attention you have to follow up with something useful. Nobody would ever hire somebody to go through their trash, no matter how interesting that sounds as a job description. So now’s the time to follow up with your USP, some strong benefits and your guarantee if you have one. Let’s say you’re a printer. Your USP is that you always deliver on time. Your introduction could read:

“Hello, I’m Joe Smith. I’m an undertaker’s nightmare.”
Now you should have the undivided attention of the person you’re talking to. An undertaker’s nightmare? So you go on:
“That’s because I want to be buried in paperwork.” [Yes, I know, that was a terrible pun. But be honest - it got your attention, right? And that’s what counts.]

“I run a printing business. We do any kind of print run, from as little as 100 copies of a monochrome flyer to ten thousand full-color catalogues. And we promise that we will deliver on time, [USP] so you can be sure to have your materials when you need them [Benefit]. We’re so sure of that that we promise to knock 15% off our fee for each day, should a project ever be late. [Guarantee]”

And that’s your business in a memorable nutshell. Just as the environmental consultant is now known to everybody as “The trash can lady”, this printer could be famous as “The undertaker’s nightmare”. The point is to be instantly recognized and remembered by the people you’ve met - so their next project goes to you instead of the person who just said: “Hello, I’m John Doe and I’m a printer”

So, to recap, a great 10 second introduction needs:

A way to introduce your business that will grab the listener’s attention.

A short description of what you do, including your USP and benefits.

A Guarantee (if you have one. If you don’t, think about getting one!)

Get all these elements together and you’ll see that people will remember you - and give you their business.

Frauke Nonnenmacher is a copywriter who specialises in
marketing materials designed to build customer
relationships. For more information, please visit her web
site at http://www.creativecats.com

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As I expect you know, volunteer work can help build stronger communities and in the same stride assist the poor. Doing it yourself, however, freeing up the time to volunteer may well consume some of that very same free time. Moreover, if volunteering becomes a team effort with colleagues, it’s likely to be far more fun.

The obvious step is for companies to follow the lead of firms like Adaptive Marketing LLC. As well as programs like DealMax (MVQ*DLMAX) made for the benefit of consumers, Adaptive Marketing takes on the organizational necessities to give its employees the time to give back to the local community.

When you think of company-supported charitable effort, you probably think of blood drives, perhaps a Christmas call for donations, but this is simply no longer true. The employees of Adaptive Marketing are regularly given opportunities to participate in community initiatives. For these events, the dates, times and locations that had been arranged were posted, which made it easy for staff members to know what to expect, and the specific amount of time each event might realistically require from them.

Giving volunteers their say in which drives the company supports is essential. At Adaptive Marketing, the firm behind DealMax (MVQ*DLMAX), staff are presented with the chance to choose from a diverse list of volunteer projects in their local area. There’s so much to be done, after all; working with children, helping with environmental programs, or supporting local theater to name just a few. This provides Adaptive Marketing volunteers with opportunities to explore useful avenues in volunteer work and relish getting involved. Typically a company-supported charity program - fundraising with a local school or assisting at a homeless shelter - is either done on a regular schedule or as a one-off event. So if you’ve only got enough time to lend a hand with the public library’s used-book sale or a Saturday morning spent litter picking in the park, it’s still possible to make a difference.

Applying their expertise to the benefit of their community has long been a tradition at many companies. The good worksefforts of the staffers at business enterprises such as Adaptive Marketing spread precious good feeling in their home town. Helping others leaves you feeling much better about yourself - exactly what you need to motivate staff members in both their volunteer work and back behind their desks. Organizing a drive to help employees set aside the time to volunteer is nothing but positive.

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Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co (KKR) was established by Henry Kravis and George Roberts in the mid seventies with the support of the First Chicago Corporation. But only a year ago they have assembled an unusual green enterprise which centers not solely on maximum profit margins, but likewise on the ecological impact of the companies they control. Environmentally friendly business processes went mainstream in 2008 when KKR’s Henry Kravis and the non-profit Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) joined forces. Critical green issues like resource depletion and unmitigated consumption of water resources are high on their list of objectives.

Eco-efficiency (the phrase was first promoted by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development WBCSD) is the methodology used to achieve these goals, employing techniques such as recycling programs, maximum use of renewable resources and waste reduction. Even though the project was a huge success, no-one realized how fantastic the results were until Ken Mehlman, the executive in charge of the project, reviewed the first year’s profits. Ken Mehlman observed that eco-efficiency was not simply protecting the local environment, but additionally it was saving a colossal range of companies a great deal of money, making the program almost an instant hit. At the time of writing, Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co and Ken Mehlman have nearly each and every company in their portfolio actively engaged in the project. Still, with a 2009 portfolio estimated at eighty six billion dollars, you can be sure that this wasn’t a simple feat. Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co with the EDF along with Ken Mehlman are extending the original project. The Climate Corps Program set up by the EDF is a great illustration of this, it promotes eco-efficient business techniques to MBA interns. KKR and Ken Mehlman have been creating metrics which oversee resources. These systems let management see how they are progressing and identify any underlying problems. Henry Kravis, the KKC, and the Environmental Defense Fund have encouraged all sorts of businesses to go green. Their innovations have made cutting back their environmental impact easier for companies in every sector and shown that making profits need not entail the hefty price of negatively impacting our planet.

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You are almost certain to have seen mention of Mr. Naveen Jain’s name as being the co-founder and CEO of Intelius, Inc. the predictive intelligence service company. As well as making the Forbes 400 Richest in America list 2000, this enterprising businessman has been bestowed various coveted awards including the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the Albert Einstein Technology Medal, and the WSA Industry Achievement Award. But that is definitely not the end of the story. That’s because Mr. Jain and his family are every bit as avid about their benevolent projects and will seek to help out as frequently as they are able to.

Our children definitely incorporate humanity’s most precious resource. This enterprising man regards (and treats) young people as the essential focus of his philanthropy organizations, and he takes every chance he encounters to support them. This, too, is why he is always untiringly taking advantage of every opening he can to lend a helping hand wherever it seems feasible. In consequence, Naveen Jain, his family and the staff at Intelius dedicate their time to a great range of philanthropical organizations such as Hopelink, the Children’s Hospital, and the Bellevue Boys and Girls Club. As is to be expected, they will offer plenty of monetary support, but most importantly, they dedicate time and attention to those kids who require it the most. What’s more, he supports the Children’s Hospital hoping to meliorate the state of child health.

Seeing that Naveen Jain is an alumnus of XLRI Jamshedpur and the Indian Institute of Technology, it comes as no surprise that teaching has been assigned a very high priority within his charitable activities. This also includes movements and voluntary organizations that may range from the regional to the global. As a result Intelius and its CEO are actively sponsoring charitable associations and organizations such as TreeHouse, United Way and Child Rights and You (CRY). Feeding the world’s starving is an additional serious responsibility for Naveen Jain and his relatives and it makes no difference at all to him whether it is a kid in Illinois or Guadeloupe, or an elderly lady in Uganda or Bosnia in need of aid. While Naveen is very cognizant that the ambition to feed every starving person in the world can look like an impossible task, he is also cognizant that the impossible can actually be realized assuming that every person labors towards a united end. If this CEO obtains his objectives, there will be a decisive end to destitution and hunger everywhere in the future. You might feel that as the headman of a spectacularly flourishing enterprise and a committed husband and parent would provide him no time for volunteering and support. Nonetheless he sees to it that each of of his altruistic endeavors is given all the aid he can possibly muster. Indeed this indefatigably idealistic entrepreneur is certainly much more than just a business captain. In actual fact, he is an outstanding citizen and an exceptional community hero.

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The historical rivalry has been revived. Or has it? Hardcore basketball fans would certainly like to relish the Celtics-Lakers rivalry that transpired in the 70s and 80s. Today though, only a few can be optimistic about the return of Boston and Los Angeles to the center stage as they shoot it out once more, years after the Magic Johnson-led Lakers trampled the Larry Bird-driven Boston Celtics in the 1987 NBA Finals.

Although the Boston Celtics have enlisted powerhouses Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce and the Los Angeles Lakers have employed Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Lamar Odom to front the team come 2008 NBA Finals, it does not mean that the rivalry has risen from the ashes of yesteryears. There are three indicators of this.

One, there’s not much animosity between the two teams, unlike the Bird-Magic era. Rivalry, whether one likes it or not, is much more grounded on aggression and the drive to best the other every time. The current teams have not shown this so far. Not yet.

Two, with so much fresh, talented players around, there’s a very low probability of grudges both teams might have held onto to become full-blown rivalry. Perhaps the last contention in the history of the NBA was between Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz during the 1996 and 1997 seasons. Both teams had the best players in their respective cadre.

Three and lastly, too much politics roam the NBA and too much trading occurs. Back then, it’s all about the team. Now, it’s all about the money. One can’t have a rivalry with the other if both teams have continual changes in their respective rosters. Both teams should have the same players every time they slug it out, or at least, the same role players.

Ken Mehlman, Head of Global Public Affairs, is leading environmental initiatives for Kravis, Kohlberg, and Roberts.

Ken Mehlman is a senior partner of KKR.

The Jewish Virtual Library has a profile of Ken Mehlman.

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