Panel Provides Tips For Building Relationships

AURORA, Ill. December 1, 2006 - Schmoozing. It’s critical to success in business and other endeavors.
So said Michael “Mick” Carroll, associate professor of business and dean of Aurora University’s School of Professional Studies recently. He was among four panelists in “The Art of Schmoozing,” a Nov. 17 roundtable by AU’s Dunham School of Business at Dunham Hall.

Rochelle Santopoalo, visiting assistant professor of business, moderated the panel. In addition to Carroll, panelists were Mike Hensley, vice president of sales, NetScout Systems, Lisle, Ill.; Tom Carroll, Orland Park, Ill. independent floor broker/options specialist; and Ed Wabick, partner, Paine/Wetzel, Chicago-based international commercial-industrial brokerage firm.

After brief individual presentations, panelists answered questions and then waded into the audience to talk with small groups.

Mick Carroll said, “Today’s business world requires a set of skills that extend beyond traditional business-school courses. To give our business students a competitive edge, and enhance the value of a business degree from Aurora University, we offered this unique program to our students.”

Carroll defines schmoozing as discovering what you can do for someone else. “Great schmoozers want to know what they can do for someone, not what someone can do for them,” Carroll said. “The key is to establish a relationship before you need it.”

He distributed guidelines for schmoozing from Guy Kawasaki’s new book, The Theory of Schmoozing.
Guidelines are:

1. Get out. Schmoozing is a contact sport. You can't do it alone from your office on the phone or via a computer. Force yourself to go to tradeshows, conventions, and seminars. Get out there and press flesh.

2. Ask questions/listen. Good schmoozers are good listeners, not good talkers. Ask softball questions like, “What do you do?” “Where are you from?” “What brings you to this event?” Then listen. You'll be remembered as an interesting person.

3. Unveil your passions. Business-talk only is boring. Good schmoozers unveil their passions after they get to know you. Great schmoozers lead off with their passions. Your passions make you an interesting person--you'll impress because you're the only person not talking about 802.11 chipsets at the wireless conference.

4. Read voraciously. To be a good schmoozer, you need to read--and not just the EE Times, PC Magazine, and the Wall Street Journal. A broad base of knowledge provides a vast array of information for conversations. Be a well-read person who discuss varied topics.

5. Follow up. Great schmoozers follow up on business cards in 24 hours--a short email will do: “Nice to meet you. I hope we can do something together. Hope your blog is doing well. Include at least one thing to show the recipient that he's getting a personalized email.

6. Make it easy to get in touch. Great schmoozers make it easy to get in touch with them. To enable old, rich, famous, and powerful people to call or email, use a business card with 12-point type.

7. Give favors. Schmoozers help people. There's a big Karmic scoreboard in the sky. God is keeping track of the good that you do, and He is particularly pleased when you give favors without the expectation of return from the recipient. The scoreboard always pays back. And return favors for people who help you.

8. Ask for return of favors. Great schmoozers ask for the return of favors. Keeping someone indebted to you puts pressure on your relationship. By asking for, and receiving a return favor, you clear the decks, relieve the pressure, and set up for a whole new round of give and take. After a few such rounds, you're best friends, and you have mastered the art of schmoozing.

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