Connect In Business.... Fast!

Author Nicholas Boothman presents some fascinating techniques for getting to know other people in his new book, "How To Connect In Business In 90 Seconds Or Less." Whether you are in business, or in sales, or just want to strike up a conversation at the next office party, this book is for you.

I downloaded this book in audio format from Audible, and played it while driving to work on my iPod. Mr. Boothman has an engaging voice and a great way with words. He soon had me captivated with some basic ideas that work miracles.

One of the simplest ideas in the book is to look other people in the eye when you greet them. For some reason, I've always had trouble doing this. Maybe it's because I was shy as a kid, but I always tend to look down when meeting others. His simple technique... When greeting people, make a mental note of the other person's eye color.

This simple step forces you to look the other person in the eye at least for a few seconds. It really works. After listening to the book, I tried this technique at a Toastmasters meeting. I was giving a speech to an audience of 20 people. As I scanned the audience while speaking, I started to make a note of eye color. This forced me to pause on each person in the first two rows.

Instead of my usual impersonal scan of the audience, I found myself connecting better with everyone. After the meeting was over I made a commitment to greet everyone and make a note of everyone's eye color. I found that this soon became a habit and I noticed something else... people were suddenly more talkative.

This is where I applied Nick's second technique of smiling at everyone as I greeted them. To create a smile, I would say the word "Great" under my breath a few times as I approached. This simple procedure works because the word is positive and it’s “ay” sounding middle syllable causes you to bare your top teeth.

This simple combination of smiling and making eye contact has really made a discernible difference. It's a subtle thing, but when you smile, other people can't help but smile back.

Mr. Boothman is also a great storyteller and explains his simple mantra on life.

• Know what you want
• Find out what you are getting
• Change what you do until you get what you want.

It's as simple as KFC!

This mantra is easy to remember and can make a profound difference in your life. Nick has so many great business tips, from what to wear in the office, to how to create a mission statement that actually motivates, you're sure to find a few that you can use immediately.

I would suggest picking up the Audio version as Nick brings the stories to life with his great storytelling and personable voice. You'll soon find yourself connecting better with everyone you meet.

Be sure to check out the free e-books available on his website.

---

Post Author:

John Richardson is the author of the personal development blog, Success Begins Today . He also reviews many different audio books on his MBA on the Run site.

Comments

[Rosa Say]

Since you introduced the MBA on the Run concept to us John, I’ve been trying out more books on audio – and Greg has got me started on Audible.com! However I still find that I need to choose carefully, going for “lighter fare,” meaning those that I’m not feeling I’d prefer to annotate and take notes on. Boothman’s book sounds to be one of those good listening candidates; thank you for this review!

[John Richardson]

Rosa,

This is as good as it gets on Audio. Simple concepts and a great narrative voice make this a pleasure to listen to.

John

[Bren]

Excellent, John! Just what I needed. I've been working on my networking skills (witness latest post on Slacker Manager) and this looks like it'll help me fill some gaps. Thanks for the review!

[Steve Sherlock]

John, I like the simpleness of the concept. I am going to try it. Thanks for sharing

[Chris Owen]

The Networking Queen likes the sound of these "mother's little helpers" to get any of us over some of the scary hurdles to networking and connecting with others.
Well done. Sigh!!! The list of books I need to buy!!!!