35 Years after his death, Elvis Presley is still alive.
He lives in the hearts and memories of many who have been part of his era. For them Elvis will always be the King of Rock and Roll!
For many of us today, Elvis is just a name, a musician and music idol of the 1950’s. But what fascinates me is that Forbes Magazine still rated Elvis as the second highest Top Earning Dead Celebrity with an income of $55mil dollars in 2011.
How did he create a fan base that is still fanatical about him and his work, 35 years after he’s been gone?
Well, I don’t really know. 🙂
But what I do know is that apart from the fact the Elvis was a brilliant musician and had a pure love for music, many people loved him for who he was – a people’s person and excellent networker. He was true to himself and the people he knew, warm and interactive with his friends and admirers and extremely generous.
To understand a tiny bit of who he was and what made him such an icon, here are 4 traits about Elvis that we can apply in our business and especially in the way we network and interact with people as well.
Elvis mingled with the right crowd:
When he first started out, he was often seen in the company of news agents and music producers while at parties. He also enjoyed socializing with his fans. These were all people that could help him advance his career.
It is not just Elvis, but many successful people are often seen in the company of other successful and influential people. So, it really goes without saying that mingling with the right crowd is very important – especially when you just start out.
It is an opportunity to meet the “right” people: people who has some influence and can help you to progress faster with your business, or people who are in your target audience and can eventually become your clients, or people who can become strategic alliances and/or great connectors and put you in front of the audiences you are looking for.
Thus, for networking to become a powerful marketing and business building strategy, it is important to mingle, (like Elvis) with the “right” people and in the right places.
Elvis was distinctive:
His trademark flashy clothes and magnetic personality made him stand out in a crowd.
Perhaps you feel you can’t wear flashy clothes with flair or you don’t have an outgoing personality like Elvis. That’s okay. You can still be distinctive in your own way.
You can cultivate your own uniqueness with how you greet and interact with people; or with your elevator speech; or even just the way you make people feel special by “listening” to them instead of shoving a business card at them.
You can become distinctive, by being interested in forming genuine relationships with the people you meet at events and by following up with them the very next day.
To be distinct, doesn’t mean you need to have three eyes or purple hair. You can just be yourself and have something that make you stand out and have people remember you.
Elvis was a giver:
Much of his generosity was unknown to the general public. However, behind closed doors he supported everyone from friends and family to total strangers. He paid people’s hospital bills, bought wheelchairs for those in need, and paid off others debts. He even bought Cadillac’s and flashy diamond jewelry for some of his friends.
Being a giver during networking doesn’t necessary mean that you have to give money or expensive gifts to people. You can become a giver by giving referrals. Master networkers provide LOTS of referrals. They make it their business to connect people. And not surprisingly, this always comes back to them.
You can also become a giver by delivering the same ‘high-value’ information during networking interactions that you do with your clients or in your articles, emails and on your website. When your connections feel you add value to their lives, they will be attracted to you and can eventually become clients or refer you to someone else.
Bottom line: When you create value for others, you are creating value for yourself.
Elvis was fully present:
He was a good listener; he liked to treat everybody he met and made them feel special. He also took a genuine interest in the welfare of his friends and family. He didn’t wear a mask and was true to himself and the people around him.
To be fully present during networking, means to show genuine interest in the person you’re talking to. Stop selling and start listening to the people you meet, but don’t wear a “mask” of being falsely interested. I am sure you have experienced a person who, while you’re talking to him, keeps his eyes roving around the room seeking his next victim. He’s nodding his head as if his listening, but you know he didn’t hear a word. How did it make you feel? Not very good I suppose and in future, you will avoid speaking to that person again, isn’t it.
So, instead of falling in that trap, be fully present and be interested. Take part in the discussion and ask questions. People enjoy talking about themselves and when you are truly interested in what the other person has to say, you might just pick up on something important. Thomas Power says: “I find that the most powerful knowledge comes from listening to people.”
In my eyes, a networking event is not a time to see how many business cards you can dish out. It is a time to develop valuable relationships that have potential. It is a time to ensure that you (like Elvis), build a fan base that will love and remember you and honor your memory long after you’ve being gone.
Share with us below which of these 4 traits of Elvis you can identify with the best and also which one you will apply next time you attend a networking event.
As always, thanks for reading and if you enjoyed this post, feel free to share it using the buttons below.
Love and Success
