The Networking & Personal Branding Toolkit - October 2019

DeSocial Connector on the Bob Cargill Marketing Show

I have been on many podcasts and interviews over the course of my career but it was an honor to be interviewed by Bob Cargill, the President of the American Marketing Association in Boston, who runs his own podcast, the Bob Cargill Marketing Show.

We conducted the podcast at the very site of my first ever business networking event at the Alumni Center on the campus of Northeastern University in Boston back in 2007. Since then I have started a company, AIMC Business Solutions, a business networking group, Mass Professional Networking and even had my own podcast, DeSocial Strategies, where i had guests from all types of businesses chatting about social media strategies.

Fast forward to 2019, I am back in the podcast world and had fun chatting with Bob on his show.

Bob and I discussed the state of digital marketing, health/wellness (one of my other ventures), music and more!

Here is the link to the podcast on the Bob Cargill's Marketing Show -

http://ow.ly/l3fZ50wEDm9

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4 Ways to Shake Up Your Fall Fitness

When it comes to getting serious about fitness + healthy goals, most people think of January 1^st as the only window you have to hit “reset” on your habits + routine, but why wait? The truth is, Fall is a great time to recommit to fitness goals or finally break that plateau with a set of exciting new exercises. As the weather changes, let the cool, crisp air breathe some new life into your usual routine with these 4 ways to shake up your Fall fitness!

Autumn is the transition from the busyness of summer to a more focused “back-to-school” vibe that you can still harness to refocus your energy and get back to you. This is a unique opportunity to set a routine that’ll carry you through the indulgent holidays and into the new year ahead of the curve! Since late fall gives us plenty of tempting reasons to stay inside—shorter, darker days and treats galore—getting your momentum before the holidays are in full swing is crucial! If you’re ready to tackle fall fitness like a pro, we’re here to help.

1. Take Advantage of the Outdoors

Without the heat and humidity that made summer workouts hard to stick to, outdoor workouts become much more comfortable as Fall rolls in. Especially after a hectic summer + back-to-school season, many of us are ready to get back to some sort of routine and Fall weather brings us some of the some of the best opportunities to take that long, awful treadmill session outside in the beautiful scenery!

Bonus: did you know that taking your Fall fitness outdoors actually has a number of benefits over sticking to your gym schedule? Whether you’re hitting the long trail or choosing to make exercise productive by taking on yard work, there are numerous benefits including:

• Logging a harder workout: According to the American Council on Exercise, when you’re active outdoors your body is encountering a constantly changing environment. Keeping up requires your body to adapt need to all of the small changes in your surroundings like slight inclines, wind, or obstacles which means you work harder than if you were running on a treadmill!
• No Membership Fees: With the holiday season right around the corner, wouldn’t it be great if Fall fitness didn’t add to the financial stress? With outdoor workouts, all you need is you!
• Cleaner Air: While gyms (at least the good ones!) have decent ventilation systems that keep the air moving, those indoor systems still can’t provide the same clean air as the great outdoors! According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor spaces can be more polluted than outside. This is especially true in larger cities, which only adds to the list of pros.

2. Change When You #FindYourFit

Summer heat and early sunlight pushed many of us to earlier morning workouts, but this is more difficult when it comes to Fall fitness. Since the sun gets to wait until closer to 8 a.m. to wake up, it might be a good time for you to do the same! Working out at different times, whether it be over your lunch break or after work, will help to not only give you a much-needed break from super early mornings but can also help in getting your body out of its normal routine. Just make sure you’ve got your Isotonix ®Turn Down to help you slip into a restful sleep afterward! Switching it up has been shown to help break the mental and physical plateaus that hold us back, and seeing those results can be a great motivator.

3. Hop on the Treadmill (or Off of It!)

If you’re a cardio junkie (guilty!) then it’s time to take a brief hiatus from the treadmill, stair climber, or elliptical that’s been holding you hostage. Incorporating resistance or strength training will do wonders for shaking up your Fall fitness. Plus, the burn you get from strength training lasts much longer than the one from your LSS cardio session and you’ll see improvements in your overall body composition. Hello, little black holiday dress!

Don’t think that just because you hate cardio to begin with that you’re off the hook!  Shaking up Fall fitness means this also applies to people whos idea of cardio is running from the treadmill.  Taking a step back from the barbell to work in one or two days of cardio might be just what you need to trick your adapted body + brain into stepping it up!

4. Get Creative with Circuits

Between HIIT, tabatas, and circuit training, there are endless ways to turn your slow + methodical routine into a fast-paced + exciting heart-pounder!  Mixing different speeds + lengths of cardio with isolated and compound strength training transforms a long workout session from a simple walk into a full-body workout. Not sure where to start? Try some of the ideas below:

Outdoor Trail Circuit:

• Warm Up: Walk 10 minutes
• Easy Jog: 2-3 minutes
• Run: 2-3 minutes
• Sprint: 30-45 seconds
• Recover: Walk or jog until your breathing returns to normal.
• Strength Move: 60-90 seconds, complete as many of one of the following:
  • Push-ups
  • Triceps dips
  • One-legged squats
  • Split Squats
  • Burpees
  • Plank Hip Dips
  • Jump Squats
  • Side-to-Side Skater

This makes up one cycle! Do 4 to 6 cycles total. Be sure you’re mixing up the strength moves throughout your workout to make the most of your time!

Indoor Bodyweight Circuit: 

• Warm Up: Jump-rope 10 minutes
• Tuck Jumps: 12-15 reps
• Push-Ups: 12-15 reps
• Jumping Jacks: 45 seconds
• Rest: 30 seconds
• Air Squat: 12-15 reps
• Mountain Climbers: 12-15 reps
• High Knees: 45 seconds
• Rest 30 seconds
• Tricep Dips: 12-5 reps
• Glute Bridges: 12-15 reps
• Burpees: 45 seconds
• Rest: 30 seconds

Repeat this 3-4 times with 1 minute of rest in-between + you’ll feel the burn!

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How to Network at Business Conferences - Some Tips to Get Your Company Started

We are about to embark on the peak conference season here in Boston with Inbound 2019, MarTech AI World, and various technology conferences invading our amazing city this fall.    Between all of the conferences and with the thousands of college students coming into town, Boston will be bustling!

So far, when we have provided business networking tips in our recent blogs, we have focused mostly on the attendees at networking events such as our own Mass Professional Networking events.  The way attendees go about networking at events versus companies networking at large conferences are similar but there are some differences.  The reason is at some conferences, your company may be netowrking a future client or business partner, but instead be networking with your competition.    From a 1-on-1 networking perspective, always remember that even if the person you are talking to may be your competitor, it is all about their connections, or in other words, the 2nd level connection.  Be open to discussion, be honest and up front, since you never know what the future may bring.

What I like to do now, is provide some tips for companies & sales personnel in particular on how to network at larger conferences.   The key is to engage in deep, meaningful discussions with executives from target accounts that lead to bonafide sales opportunities.

1)  Leverage Introductions from the Conference Hosts

Conference organizers maintain lists of attendees and speakers, however not all conference organizers share this information.   A way around this is to get on a sponsor list since the conference marketing personnel can introduce sponsors with attendees and you will have an easier time build your warm market and building your prospect's trust.

2)  Come Prepared - Bring the Right Stuff

Large conference offer companies in particular sponsors an opportunity to demonstrate their wares and how they can help attendees when intermingling at the networking event within the conference.   If you have access to any of your company's white papers, case studies or blogs, be ready to share with people you meet.    Don't wait to send that follow-up email.  Learn how to share information right from your device to someone on the spot.  It can open up discussion immediately.

3) Use All Networking Opportunities at the Conference

Do not retreat back to the hotel or some coffee shop to check emails during breaks or at the end of the conference day.   Depending on how the conference is organized, there are typically multiple opportunities for meeting and speaking with potential clients.  Some example of events are pre-event breakfasts, conference breaks, after conference mixers.  Some quick advice at the after conference mixer, go easy on the wine and beer, since you are setting an example of your company.

4) Utilize the Event's Mobile Application to Connect with Attendees

Most event organizers provide mobile apps for all sponsors and attendees to use to track the agenda, rate sessions, follow registered attendees on Linkedin and to see who is actively checked into the event.  This provides companies, in particularly sponsors another avenue to connect with and promote their brand to attendees and potential target accounts.

5)  Get Involved and Engage on the Keynote and Panel Topics

One of the best ways to break the ice with conference attendees and target accounts is by talking about aspects of keynote addresses or panel discussions given during the event.  It is a terrific way to make instant connections with attendees.   If you have a blog about the event or a particular session, promote it to the people you met at the event and offer your insight.  It builds trust with your new connection.

Finally, a bonus tip.  Smile and be friendly and put your phone down and be social.  That email can wait.   Networking is the #1 most effective sales tool today, so when you are at a conference, be visible, be helpful and most of all, have fun.