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"The Situation," Mike Sorrentino from MTV’s Jersey Shore, will evidently earn roughly $5 million this year, according to a flurry of recent news reports. He’s positioned to be a tanned King of All Media with a spot on Dancing with the Stars, a handful of endorsement deals, workout DVD, clothing line, autobiography, and rap song. Stay tuned…I’m sure there’s more to come.
What’s attributed to his overwhelming success? He’s not movie-star handsome, a gifted intellectual or brilliantly talented. He’s among the growing group who drew a chance to appear on one of the many countless reality shows, but The Situation has something that is getting him the contacts, attention, deals and paychecks while others crawl back into obscurity.
Not all of us are as fortunate as "The Sitch," as I like to call him, to have that rippling 8-pack, but we all have something. Maybe what you have is not quite as washboard-y, but there’s something that makes each of us unique, memorable, special. Whatever it is, you want people to positively remember it long after the networking event, meeting or reality show is over.
Here are three things you can do to leave a positive, lasting impression:
- Be a connector:
Build up your mental database of contacts so you can be a valued resource to others. Not only does it feel good to help someone else, but it also creates a reason to stay in touch, thereby strengthening the initial contact. And if you said you would make an introduction, send information or forward an email address, make sure you do it in a timely manner. Not following up will also make an impression – a negative one.
- Pay attention:
This may seem like a no-brainer, but in a world where phones buzz like a swarm of bees and flat screen TVs hang like wallpaper, maintaining eye contact is a lost art. Make people feel like you’re really listening, and you’ll be more popular than the lone electrical outlet at a business conference.
- Speak like you’re Googling:
Use the keywords in your conversation that you want others to associate with your name, and leave out the jargon and technical-ese. If you have an elevator pitch prepared, make sure it doesn’t sound scripted. Be conversational, engaging and focus on what you do – not who you think you are.
Whether you think Jersey Shore is a cultural barometer or a waste of time, Sorrentino is a loser or a marketing genius, the bottom line is that people are talking and companies are paying.
His popularity may melt more quickly than gelato on the boardwalk, or he may parlay his 15 minutes into something more long-lasting. Whatever the case, he’s memorable, and that’s what you want to be too.
Bottom Line
It’s only when you’re remembered that you can be referred. And those referrals lead to new connections and new opportunities…without you having to show off any body parts.
© Copyright, 2010, ExecuNet. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
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About This Author:
Robyn Greenspan is the editor-in-chief at ExecuNet, the private membership that helps executives shift their careers and daily business lives forward. Robyn also brings daily insight to ExecuNet’s public blog, Executive Insider, which enables senior-level professionals to make better career, business and leadership decisions. Catch Robyn's contributions on the HuffingtonPost. And follow @ExecuNet on Twitter for information on executive market and hiring trends and follow @RobynGreenspan on Twitter.
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