Being a "Connector" in Business is One of the Most Valuable Traits to Have

[Sales Lessons Summarized at End of this Post] A few years ago while traveling on business, I reached out to meet a woman named Jo Packham. It was not likely I would have met Jo without sending a cold email (warmed up with what I knew about her and her publications) to see if I could get a bit of her time when I came to Utah. She is one of the most creative and talented people I'd heard of - creating three incredible magazines you may have seen or women in your family may subscribe to: Where Women Create, Where Women Cook, and Where Women Create Business. These magazines whisk me away from deal negotiation, sales team building, and corporate growth into a world of creativity, visual eye-candy, and artistry. Jo has been involved in magazine creation for 30+ years. Her new non-magazine venture is an amazing destination venue in Ogden, Utah called Urban Studio.

When I met Jo, she was telling me about how she fills her magazine (different strategy than most) and that she is always on the lookout for artists' small business stories as well as tips for helping support small business owners grow. Naturally with my background in sales I imagined a cool column I might be able to develop over time allowing me to dip my toe near the glorious Makers in this country, and help them build their artistic businesses more profitably. We both agreed that the "artist" gene and the "seller" gene often do not inhabit the same creative mind. Instead of promoting myself though, I told Jo I knew a woman I HAD to connect her to - my friend Sue B. Zimmerman.

I HAD to connect Sue to Jo because they are kindred spirits - wrapped up in artistic beauty and order - creative souls - but more than that, I KNEW that Sue could help Jo and Jo could help Sue.

My friend Sue is the Instagram Expert - she has a worldwide audience and is one of the top Instagram business experts around. Just Google her, and check her out on Instagram. Jo's magazine at that time had little about social strategies but her audience needed more of these skills. Sue has been building her base of worldwide raving fans and always appreciates a new visibility opportunity. I also knew that, unlike some connections of mine, Sue would follow up once connected, and make the most of the opportunity - bringing more ideas Jo's way.

I made the connection. Some time passed. Then one day... on a cold afternoon...

.....at the bookstore (yea, I visit Barnes & Noble about once a year), I saw a NEW issue of Where Women Create Business. It was Winter, 2016. Sue was on the cover! I had heard Sue talking on social media because they had a contest for the cover and Sue was asking everyone to vote her cover up. Sue won - due to her huge focus on things like this, and her gigantic virtual audience - an audience which was now exposed to a magazine due to Sue's world of loyal followers. Sue was featured in the magazine and gained more fans and clients.

Yesterday I bought the Spring 2017 issue of Where Women Create Business. (I know, I really should buy a subscription) Imagine my joy when I saw yet another article - with Sue's tips for making the most of Instagram. She now has a column.

Sales Lessons:

By connecting these two, Sue Zimmerman (#InstagramExpert) has another platform for growing her audience while sharing valuable content and fun images about her business. She also gets to promote her team, which is a great morale builder to include your team in an internationally known magazine. Big win for Sue.

Jo Packham has a go-to expert she can count on who "gets" her audience and adds value to that audience due to her expertise. Countless readers benefit with Sue's tips and suggestions. Huge win for Jo.

As the connector, I have created currency with Sue and with Jo that is more valuable than money - because I understood what each person and their business could use and found a way to connect the two. Connections don't always work, but often they do. When they work THIS well, it is fantastic for everyone involved. Great win for me! Sue has told me numerous times how much she's appreciated this connection and asks me how she can help me. Jo feels the same way.

If you can do this as a salesperson or a sales leader, you will build amazing value. Find people who ADD value in and around your company and industry.

Just the other day, Scott MacGregor, Founder and CEO of Something New (and his social team) featured me as part of their series they do called, "People We Love". It is a pure act of promotion of others - and it shows your current and future clients that you are "other focused" not solely interested in the bottom line. Thanks, Scott!

Speaking of "other focused", this is also what Meg Kopka, Sr. VP at Something New is all about, helping run the Boston Enterprise Sales Forum created by another person who focuses on others, Mark Birch. Mark created a world-wide group of Enterprise Sales Forums. Two others who are key in the success of our Boston Enterprise Sales Forum are Nadia Stoyanova and Cee Bunevich.

Someone once introduced this mindset to me as the F.O.O.F. Factor - "Focus on OTHERS First." It's as Zig Ziglar said years ago - "You can have everything in life you want, if you just focus on helping others get what they want."

Do you have people surrounding you who are successfully building business yet are other-focused? If you do, please "like" this and post who they are so we can give them some LinkedIn love.

Lori Richardson helps mid-sized companies grow revenues by solving key issues in their sales department - like recruiting issues, retention issues, diversity hiring, process, pipeline and leadership. She speaks at CEO groups on topics of sales growth and as President of WOMEN Sales Pros talks to leaders about real ways to identify, hire and retain great women sellers. This year, Lori's book, "She Sells, She Leads" will be available in August. Learn more at Score More Sales or WOMEN Sales Pros. Connect and join the community on Twitter at WOMENSalesPros.