A fellow salesman recommended Keith Ferrazzi’s Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time to me several years back.  We both attended a lead sharing group and he couldn’t help but recommend it to the rest of us.

Ferrazzi vividly describes how his father enabled him to break with his blue collar background by networking throughout his community. It led to Ferrazzi:

•  attending a prep school well beyond his parents means,
• gaining the benefits that come by knowing the well off parents of his peers (he became a caddy) and
• attending Yale with the connections and opportunities it opened up for him.

I was in sales when I first read the book and thought the very practical ideas and tactics Keith presents could work for me. I eagerly put them into practice, in both my business and personal dealings, and have developed strong relationships.  I’ve nourished those ties over the years and attribute my ability to connect strongly with people to much of what Ferrazzi proposes in Never Eat Alone.

For those of you who may not feel comfortable “getting out there,” consider reading this book. The objective according to him is to take a win-win attitude making sure all parties benefit from the relationship. He covers repeatedly how people will see right through hypocracy and points out that insincerity will backfire.

He’s showing us how to develop life skills for improving our ability to:

• connect with people,
• gain their trust and
• improve our ability to influence and lead them.

The book has advice on how to:

• work a networking event,
•  how to leave a more lasting impression on people and
• how to effectively follow up with people so they remember you and the messge your shared with them.

The book is appropriate for anyone from the shy and socially awkward to the naturally outgoing and charismatic. No matter if you are job hunting or pursuing a successful career in your professional of choice, you need to make the best use of your circle of contacts. Never Eat Alone delivers what you need to leverage your contacts and enlist them in achieving your goals.

Hope this helps.