Guest Commentary: Vince Runza On Forging Productive, Healthy Joint Venture Partnerships In Internet Marketing
Sunday, July 8, 2007
EDITOR'S NOTE: PatrickPretty.com creates space for other marketers to share insights and thoughts from time to time. This is a guest column on forging JV partnerships by Vince Runza.Several recent [Warrior Forum] posts highlight all the wrong ways to connect with other IM pros. Chief among them is being a pain in the [butt]:
- If you're a high-maintenance drama queen, why would anybody want you around?
- So what if you're sucking massive cash into your bank account?
- Who cares if you have a list of about a gazillion obedient buyers who convert at 99.99999%, no matter what you throw at them?
- Why should I get excited that you've produced the latest hot widget, script or software?
Making a real, trustworthy connection with people is something you cannot "manufacture." I know this from experience. I can use all kinds of sneaky, NLP/Cialdini/covert methods to lure you into paying attention to a message I might be crafting. Unless I'm actually trustworthy, I'll never earn your trust, in the long run.
The positive result from a networking connection needs to be measurable. It may be emotionally satisfying to exchange emails, quips and clever conversation. If that connection doesn't have a measurable benefit, you'd better not think it's part of your business networking efforts. If you're spending all your "networking" time chatting, and never offer any real value, suggestions or help, you're not going to achieve any kind of useful results with your correspondents.
Here's another thought: don't be a boot-licking, butt kissing doormat. Nobody really likes that. You probably don't fall for that kind of behavior from other people, do you? Why inflict it on others? You can be "real" with successful people, just like they were real people!
In my own experience, some of the strongest ties I've formed with other people began by knocking heads. There's nothing like a healthy disagreement, followed by a deeper understanding and appreciation of each other, to forge a link between people. Just make sure your disagreements are about ideas, not about personalities! Ad hominem attacks, where you criticize the person and not the message, do not win friends, influence people or lengthen your life here on this forum.
A sense of humor won't kill you, either. If you're all "businesslike" in your communication, how can anyone warm up to you? Why would anyone bother? A bit of amiable banter can make a big difference -- unless you're a humorless, miserable, chef-hat-wearing yodeler like that Kevin Riley guy!
To sum up: avoid making your ego your USP. Sure, it's okay to appear to be bigger than life. Just keep in mind, there's no such thing as bigger than life! Just ask me! I never lie, I'm always right and I have a lot to be arrogant about!
Vince Runza
posted by Patrick Pretty @ 11:43 AM,
1 Comments:
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At June 24, 2008 12:28 PM,
Vince Runza said...
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I actually forgot about these words until recently. I got a JV offer from somebody out of the blue because I was doing all the things I suggest here out of habit!
