I’ve had this book on my reading list for quite some time now and I’m glad I finally got around to reading it. While the average reader of this blog may be tempted to dismiss what they read in this book as a crazy "L.A. lifestyle" (Ferrazi admits his style is not for everyone), this guide to building and maintaining value-added relationships has some great tips for connecting with people who can help you realize your dreams.
Of course, I like what Ferrazi has to say because he talks in terms of creating a system for building and nurturing your network, starting with goals (written down of course!).
On page 128, the book discusses "the strength of weak ties" which I found interesting because I believe it runs counter to what most people think about networking. The idea is that since you hang out in the same world as your friends, you all know pretty much the same information. But when you are hanging out with people in different worlds (weak ties) they give you access to a whole new set of knowledge and information.
Here are some of my other favorite notes that I jotted down while reading the book:
Good personal brand do three significant things for your network:
- Provide a credible, distinct, trustworthy identity
- Project a compelling message
- Attract people to you and your cause
To become a brand, you’ve got to be relentlessly focused on the value that you add.
You will learn as much from mentees as you will teach them
Overall, I think this book contains some great information along with plenty of examples of how Ferrazzi applied what he preaches in his own career. I definitely recommend this book. I picked up my copy at my local library – remember libraries?
