Many of us are taught as children that we should refrain from bragging about our successes. But there’s a caveat to those rules that our parents usually didn’t teach us: The rules apply to our individual, personal lives–not our businesses.
Success stories about businesses and entrepreneurs are vital for those of us dedicated to learning all we can in order to make our own enterprises as successful as possible. What’s more, having your own success stories heard could bring you opportunities to network your business far beyond the playing field of the typical networking arena.
Here are four approaches to capturing your success stories:
1. Ask for written testimonials: Get satisfied customers or colleagues to write letters on their own letterhead to spotlight their positive experience with you and your business.
2. Write down two success stories: Highlight your successes to help your network understand who best represents your preferred client. These stories should clearly emphasize what you do better than anyone else.
3. Write a personal introduction: Provide your network with material they can use 
when talking about you and your business with people who fit your preferred client profile. You don’t want your sales force making stuff up about you, right? This simplifies their task and ensures accuracy.
4. Toot your own horn: Tell people about the good things your business does. This isn’t about crowing over your amazing golf handicap or complimenting your own fine taste in silk ties. It’s about spotlighting your business’s strengths, as well as its legitimate good works in the community.
This entry was posted on Monday, November 17th, 2008 at 12:47 pm and is filed under Business, Collaboration, Entrepreneur, Introducing Yourself, Networking. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.6 Responses to “Capture Your Success Stories”
Leave a Reply
November 17th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Excellent Post Ivan. I have noticed that Women are more likely to not brag or self promote. Often when I am teaching the GAINS Profile, the hardest part for the women to get is the Accomplishments…..they don’t think of the things they do as any big deal. We often have to brainstorm about the things they have done. I coach women to list their accomplishments and let others know. When I know what you have accomplished I can carry that information and build your credibility.
November 18th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Hi Ivan,
good tips as usual
I would like to add a number 1.2: nowadays many people are member of an online business network where people can also write testimonials for each other. This is easy to do and has a low treshold. That’s why I nominate it as an extra tip
Have a great networking day !
Jan
Jan Vermeiren, Founder of Networking Coach (http://www.networking-coach.com)
November 19th, 2008 at 7:18 am
When you start to tell about how much fun you had working on a successful project and it’s outcome you move past the bragging and into helping your listeners enjoy a little of a good life story. We are all open to good news. Sharing fun is a good thing.
November 19th, 2008 at 8:49 am
Thanks for the suggestion. I will have this ready for my chapter before our next meeting.
November 20th, 2008 at 2:43 am
I simply love the idea of using story telling to educate your network and your marketing force.
Anne Barber and Lynne Waymon is their book “Make Your Contacts Count” show how you can develop success stories to educate your network. I have been using their formula with great success!
In my workshops, some people are concerned that success story telling may sound like bragging. Dr Misner’s article is a great source to help people to deal with such concerns.
Karl Smith
South Africa’s Business Networking & Referral Coach
November 20th, 2008 at 2:48 am
I simply love the idea of using story telling to educate your network and your marketing force.
Anne Barber and Lynne Waymon in their book “Make Your Contacts Count” show how you can develop success stories to educate your network. I have been using their formula with great success!
In my workshops, some people are concerned that success story telling may sound like bragging. Dr Misner’s article is a great source to help people to deal with such concerns.
Karl Smith
South Africa’s Business Networking & Referral Coach