You never know who will be your next million-dollar contact – so the trick to being prepared is to treat everyone whom you associate with as if they already were your million-dollar client, buyer and/or associate. Your ability to be respected and liked by a multitude of personalities is pivotal to your success in any aspect of professional or even your personal life.
I heard this quote from C.S. Lewis a few years ago and it has resonated with me. He stated, “Surely what a man does when he is taken off his guard is the best evidence for what sort of man he is? Surely what pops out before the man has time to put on a disguise is the truth? If there are rats in a cellar you are most likely to see them if you go in very suddenly. But the suddenness does not create the rats: it only prevents them from hiding. In the same way the suddenness of the provocation does not make me an ill-tempered man; it only shows what an ill-tempered man I am. The rats are always in the cellar, but if you go in shouting and noisily they will have taken cover before you switch on the light.”
What I have learned from this is that my true character is always the foundation of who I am and affects how I treat everyone I come in contact with. Some people believe that humans cannot change; that who you are and how you act is and will always be set in stone. I also know from personal experience that is NOT true. For I have seen my own and others character transform authentically when consciously worked upon – where eventually it become subconscious. Life is a gift that if we seize the opportunity to learn and grow and change its beauty will flourish and the wealth we experience will grow in all aspects of our lives.
You can become a magnet to others through, consciously deciding to do so.
How do you treat those whom you meet as if they were a million-dollar contact? Let’s begin with a few steps:
1. Smile at everyone you meet. Now in some parts of the country or even the world this may go against your culture, your personality or even your nature. But let me put it to you this way, how do you feel when a newborn smiles at you? Does that simple gesture infuse you with warmth? Does it bring a smile to your face? Smiling is the key to your ability to succeed.
2. Make eye contact. The window to everyone’s soul is through his or her eyes. When you make eye contact you are acknowledging their existence and you are exuding confidence and imparting the feeling of trust.
3. Logging the individual’s first name to memory. This personally has been a hard thing for me to do, but as I traveled and spoke in countries around the world, I made it a game to tie the individual’s first name to a hobby or interest of theirs.
4. Ask questions. Asking questions is a great way to connect and show interest in everyone you deal with. It is through questions that synergistic opportunities are created.
5. Being responsive. After you have met the new contact and established an opportunity to follow-up be sure to make it a priority. Especially if you have made promises. It surprises me when people are surprised that I am responsive. This habit has served me well throughout my life.
You never know when you are meeting and networking with others what opportunities lie in the future, either through the first degree contact or even the seventh. By making small changes to how you interact with others, you can bring million dollar returns today and tomorrow.
As I look back over my life, I can tie every positive thing that has happened to me because of the individuals whose path I had the opportunity to cross. I know when I consciously make an effort to treat everyone I meet with as if they were a million-dollar contact I have experienced happiness and peace within myself. At the end of the day we all are incredible to degrees we can’t physically or emotionally comprehend. May you realize your potential through these simple steps.
