Franklin Taggart's Unconventional Life Blog

It feels like the level of burnout around webinars, summits, courses, workshops, funnels, and many other popular marketing tactics is only increasing. Now the workshops are all coming with titles like, A Workshop for People Who Hate Workshops. In this Coffee Break, Franklin Taggart makes the suggestion that there may be room for a return to more informal gatherings in which conversations can go deep, sharing is encouraged, and the emphasis is on being together before anything else. Instead of putting hundreds of hours into organizing a summit or a workshop where attendance isn't guaranteed, why don't we just invite some people over for dinner and share what we're up to. Get to know each other on a deep and meaningful human level before we start making pitches. My experience is that these gatherings actually create the circumstances in which these pitches are more likely to appeal. Informal gatherings will be central to my intention for 2023. #networking #gathering #tribes 

One of the recent books I've read with my book pal is The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, by Priya Parker. This beautifully written book guides the reader through some insights and suggestions for elevating our common custom of gathering together to the level of art. I'm adding it to my list of recommended reading. https://amzn.to/3Uzn5sG (affiliate link) I also wanted to mention a few online networking mixers I enjoy: The Generous Entrepreneurs in Media mixers hosted by Jason Van Orden and Michael Roderick - http://generousentrepreneursinmedia.com/ The Lead Boss Mixer hosted by Cat Stancik - https://leadbossmixer.com And all the resources offered by Robbie Samuels - https://robbiesamuels.com/videos I hope to see you there! #networking #mixer #onlinenetworking 

There is a place for networking with peers and colleagues. It's a great way to learn new skills and develop capabilities. It's a good place to find mentors. And for some, it may be a good place to find clients, but for most of us, the group of people we need to reach will be somewhere else. In Nashville, I went to a songwriter's open mic almost every night. The writers I met there were mostly at the same level in their careers as I was, just getting started in the professional realm. The writers who were successful were rarely seen at events like this. They still had their peer circles, but they were smaller and less publicly visible. In coaching, I don't see the top eschelon of coaches hanging out in the 20k member Facebook coaching group. That group is facilitated by a coach who coaches coaches. He's building his client list, and he limits every other member from trying to do the same in the group. A big part of success is finding the places where our people congr...

My business is almost completely driven by personal referrals. I'm being introduced or making introductions almost daily. Today, I remember when I was introduced, and I wasn't ready for it, resulting in blown opportunities, embarrassment, and a tarnished professional reputation. So the other reason for this topic...I've made introductions and had people come back to me asking me why in the world I thought that would be a good connection. The person who had asked me for the introduction was not ready to meet the person I introduced them to. Embarrassed and tarnished yet again. Your success depends on relationships. Professional relationships depend on things like clarity, intent, and preparedness. I've had people get mad when they ask me to make an intro, and I ask them to do their homework first. I'm just not willing to risk my rep by introducing someone to an esteemed colleague and having them show up unready. Preparedness suggestions within... #introductions #refe...

In the couple of days since I released the Elevator Pitches That Don't Suck Course, I've had a few messages from people who talked about the difficulty they experience knowing what to say when they're asked to talk about themselves, even in a simple introduction. I know how that feels. In this Coffee Break, I have some reflections and insights to share and a couple of suggestions that people in this situation may find helpful. Just know that it is a common problem, and even people who appear to talk about themselves easily sometimes have had a hard road getting to that point. I think the best news in relation to your elevator pitch is that you are probably the last thing you should be talking about when you're meeting new people. The story they're really interested in is theirs! This is the last time I'll be mentioning the Boost Your Business Bundle, and it's only available until tomorrow, so take this last chance and at least sign up for the free Standard B...

▼▼▼Watch and Listen Bel;ow▼▼▼ It’s amazing to meet people who feel one hundred percent calm and confident on stage, but who feel timid and uncertain in smaller, unstructured settings. Johanna Walker is a speaking and storytelling coach in Boulder, Colorado. Listen to how she describes her work and the beliefs that drive it:  “I crack open opportunities for people to experience pure, raw truth, then watch them nail their presentations and watch their careers and their lives soar.  I believe everyone has a story that can make a difference in someone's life.  I believe that no matter what message you're trying to convey, you won't get anywhere till you truly connect with your audience.  I believe in the power of bringing your whole body & voice & breath & heart into the room, and speaking from there without apology, even when the idea of it scares the bejeezus out of you.  I believe when you walk right up to your fear and shake its h...