Peanut Butter and Jelly, Yin and Yang, Golf and Business

By: Richard C Myers
Submitted: 2007-01-17 12:18:16
Print this article | Tell a friend | For publisher | Social Bookmarking
Rating:
 

This successful pairing of work and sport is likely one of the draws for people who enjoy golf. More than one salesman or lawyer has taken up the sport simply so he or she doesn’t get left out of important business discussions.

Experts say that while the golf course is in excellent place to do business, there are certain rules to follow. These are unwritten rules, to be sure, but if you inadvertently violate one of them, your golfing partners will notice.

First, remember why you’re there. Don’t think of the business golf outing as an opportunity to make a deal, think of it as an opportunity to make contacts that might make you a deal. Golf is an excellent way to make contacts when you compare it to a staid business lunch where there might be uncomfortable silences. You can take a swing, step back, and have a chat. And repeat. Making contacts never looked so easy.

Second, make good pairings. If you’re trying to cozy up to a new client, pair that person with the person from your firm who would be facilitating a deal. Bring along a current and happy client, and maybe even a longtime client who you’ve established good rapport with. This confluence of ideas and expertise is sure to benefit these new connections.

Third, use your observation skills to everyone’s advantage. Let the client or senior person take the lead. If they seem to not want to talk business very much, resist the urge to bring the conversation around to business again. If it seems they are quite focused on getting some business done, then by all means follow that lead.

Finally, remember golf is just a game. If you are someone normally prone to on-the-course frustrations, this is the time to let the sleeping beast lie. Save the temper tantrums for a game with friends, not the game with your boss or important clients. Similarly, if you notice the business guest getting frustrated and angry at his or her game, taper off the business conversation and take a more casual approach. Trying to conduct a deal with a frustrated golfer could be career suicide.

Richard Myers is a keen golfer and his web site http://www.thinkandreachpar.com and http://www.golfforleftys.com contains many free tips, great golfing advice and training videos/DVDs to help you to improve your swing and lower your score.

Article source: Expert Articles

Most Recent Articles in Networking category

  • The Magnetic Sponsoring System: Does It Really Work? - By: William Cook
    The Magnetic Sponsoring System is a prospecting system that allows network marketers to qualify their leads and to make a profit from leads who don't join their business opportunity.
  • Business Networking: It's Not Just What You Know, But Who You Know - By: Bian Salins
    Spreading the word is important to business success and business networking online allows you to develop your personal and business reputation as well as learning about others and how they can be of assistance to you and your peers.
  • The Power of Networking - By: Clement Sadjere
    The secrets to business success is the ability to network with relevant people to help drive traffic to your product, services or business
  • Less the Right Way vs More the Wrong Way - By: Jonathan Daniel
    Many people join a work marketing opportunity with expectations planted deep within them by their sponsors to be millionaires in a very short period of time. While this is the approach so many sponsors make the mistake of taking, it usually results in disappointments and giving up. One reason is that this approach has the tendency to attract unfit prospects. These prospects are the ones who want it all right now. What they don't realize, is that it will take a good four to six months to really see impressive results. The "3 Foot" and "When in Doubt, Blurt it Out" rules are likely to attract prospects who are not ideal candidates for your opportunity. Don't waste your time like this.
  • Business Networking in the Internet Era - By: Bian Salins
    The Internet has changed how business relationships are formed. Thanks to social networking technology, communication between companies and clients is now faster and more cost-effective than it's ever been before, meaning anyone can now go global.
  • It's Business as Usual for Social Networkers - By: Bian Salins
    By bringing together the principals and technologies of the social networking and ecommerce worlds, it's now possible to create a far richer and more engaging Internet business community, bringing the virtual and physical worlds closer together.
  • How To Make Money From Social Networking - By: Charlie Wildish
    Millions of peope do social networking every day. Now they can be paid for doing what they were doing anyway.
  • The Insider's Guide To Business Networking - By: Nazeer Daud
    Business networking should not be underestimated in how important it can be for the success of the business you're running at the moment, and any business that you would choose to run in the future.
  • Wholesalers, who are they and why buy from a wholesaler? - By: Joel Mclaughlin
    Ok, so chances are that you are some what new to understanding much about wholesalers and what a wholesaler does. You probably have an understanding of the term, but maybe you want to know a little more. Then this article is for you!
  • How to become an entrepreneur through free business networking - By: Michiel Van Kets
    Many people dream of becoming an entrepreneur, but do not know how and where to start and where to find business partners. Through avenues such as free business networking internet sites like ThinkBowl, one can search for business partners and join like-minded communities to find good corporate links.