I put myself through college working for the YMCA. In that four years, I experienced every part-time job in the organization.
After graduation, this experience opened the doors to a career with the YMCA. I was immediately hired for the first job I applied for.
My background gave me a huge head start and in four short years I was an Executive Director with the YMCA, running a large suburban operation. This made me one of the youngest YMCA Executive Directors in the country at that time.
Being semi-autonomous, I had a boss to report to. Looking back, this was a very good thing.
At the time I struggled, as I wanted more independence. My entrepreneurial interests would have to wait for a while.
My boss’s first assignment for me was to go out in the community and meet people, specifically business and community leaders. I just wanted to stay in my operation and get things going in a better direction.
With a heavy heart, I did what I had to do and followed his advice. Out in the community I went on my (his?) mission to meet business and community leaders.
As I soon learned, meeting business and community leaders was one of the best uses of my time.
Being known in and around those people proved incredibly valuable.
Those relationships gave me, and the business, yes, the YMCA is a business, a lot of credibility.
When challenges came up, I knew who to go to and I already had a relationship with them which always got our conversations off on a good start.
I was invited to significant community events and introduced as a friend by my hosts, again giving me tremendous credibility.
In time I became a sought-out expert and the community leaders would seek out my advice and opinions.
The local town government had a Christmas party for Town employees. I and a few other leaders were invited guests at the party. During the banquet, a pale-faced frantic town employee suddenly appeared and told me the Town Supervisor wanted to see me in his office immediately.
When I got to his office, I saw a blue, and non-responsive man on the floor. A choking victim. Desks and chairs flew as created a work space and revived the man. Because I was the fitness guy in town, the Supervisor assumed, correctly, that I knew CPR.
He wanted me at all his parties after than incident.
The list goes on and on with significant and noteworthy serendipities. None of which would have happened if I had not gone out of my way to meet people and get to know the community and let them get to know me.
After I left the YMCA, I have continued this process of meeting community leaders in every role I have had. It always pays off.
I expect the VIP clients I mentor to do the same. None of them are comfortable with it, just like me when I started.
Here are a couple of simple steps to follow:
First, get on the phone and make a call requesting a meeting. Be prepared to explain why you want to meet and know that you may need to make more than one call.
Second, have an agenda and make sure you have a short meeting planned.
Third, be prepared to articulate what you do (Unique Value Proposition – UVP) in such a way that you are not just another fitness business.
By virtue of requesting the meeting you are already separating yourself from the competition. You will close out the competition completely with a great UVP.
Fourth, always ask how you can help them, their agenda, and/or the community.
Fifth, always, always, always follow up with a short, hand-written, snail mail thank you note.
Standing out from the crowd and knowing the community leaders will pay dividends for years to come.
