The 29% Solution: 52 Weekly Networking Success Strategies

by Ivan R. Misner

Learn to be one of the 29% of people who successfully connect with people through the power and potential of networking. You've heard the theory that we're all connected by only six degrees of separation. There was a real-world study where people were told to get certain material to someone who might know someone who would know the individual to whom the material was to be delivered. This process formed a chain of connections linking the people together. In the most successful study, 217 chains were started and 64 were completed-a success rate of only 29%. That means that 71% were not connected at all By reading The 29% Solution, businesspeople can develop their networking skills, increase their connections, and become part of the roughly 29% of people that are, in fact, separated from the rest of the world by only six degrees or less The 52 proactive strategies in this book will help readers focus their efforts and begin to reap the benefits of effective business networking.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Management

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Dr. Ivan Misner is the Founder & Chairman of BNI, the world's largest business networking organization. BNI was founded in 1985. The organization has over 5,800 chapters throughout every populated continent of the world. Last year alone, BNI generated 6.5 million referrals resulting in $2.8 billion dollars worth of business for its members.

Dr. Misner's Ph.D. is from the University of Southern California. He is a New York Times Bestselling author who has written twelve books including his latest #1 bestseller, "Networking Like a Pro".

He is a monthly columnist for Entrepreneur.com and is the Senior Partner for the Referral Institute - a referral training company with trainers around the world. In addition, he has taught business management and social capital courses at several universities throughout the United States.

Called the "Father of Modern Networking" by CNN and the "Networking Guru" by Entrepreneur magazine, Dr. Misner is considered one of the world's leading experts on business networking and has been a keynote speaker for major corporations and associations throughout the world. He has been featured in the L.A. Times, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times, as well as numerous TV and radio shows including CNN, CNBC, and the BBC in London.

Dr. Misner is on the Board of Trustees for the University of La Verne. He is also the Founder of the BNI-Misner Foundation and was recently named "Humanitarian of the Year" by a Southern California newspaper. He is married and lives with his wife Elisabeth and their three children in Claremont, CA. In his spare time!!! he is also an amateur magician and a black belt in karate.

Reviews

[Gary Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Years ago when I first started to realize how important it was to be connected I just went at it willy nilly – trying to meet everyone. Now I see that there is much more to it than that. You should set out to do networking with a plan. You should know not just the why, but the how to go about it and realize how to focus on getting people into your circle who can help you to move forward.

Ivan Misner and Michelle Donovan should almost call this book Networking 101, but I would imagine that this title has been taken already. Instead they named it The 29% Solution: 52 Weekly Networking Success Strategies after the successful participant of the famous Six Degrees of Separation experiment many years ago. Ivan Misner is world famous for being the founder if the global business networking group Business Networking International, or BNI as it is commonly known. He also has a doctorate and has been a professor of Business Administration in southern California for a number of years, so he writes from authority. And although this is her first book, Michelle Donovan is known in business circles as “The Referability Expert” and has been in the networking business for some time in the western Pennsylvania area so she is no stranger to the networking game herself.

My first comment of the review has to do with the fact that Misner and Donovan start from the premise that the reader knows absolutely zilch about business networking so they set out to give the reader the advice and tools that will be needed to get off the ground and get within the 29% networking group. For instance they made sure that you know there is a very big distinction between a contact and a connection and why this distinction should be meaningful to you. In this sense of taking the beginner by the hand I believe the book really does a great job. For some of us who have been at the networking game for some time lots of the material could be second nature, but there was still some advantage to going through this. The authors offer more than advice but they also offer their vast experience. All of the information I saw that they put out is very practical and would be the same kind of information that I would offer myself to wall flowers who need help.

On top of this there were tips in there that many of us more experienced networkers could use and incorporate into our own business practices – so that alone would be worth the price of the book for the non-beginners. The book had a very holistic view of the nature of constantly working at expanding one’s circles and I can’t see anything wrong with that.

Before I finish with this I will say that I did appreciate that the authors did not take this subject as a one way street. In order to properly network, they assert, you need to put in to the network as well, otherwise it is like trying to drive a car with no gas. There was a great example in the book about periodically just letting people know that you can help them with other contacts even when this had no relation to you. They showed in one case how this really turned the flow on for one networker with inquiries starting to flood inbound as well. Now that’s what I like to see! Why, because the authors were very correct in this assessment: This is how networking really works!

[Thomas III · Rating 3 out of 5]

I consider myself a decent networker after I found the value in it many years ago, but I’m always looking for ways to improve. I appreciate the discussion in the beginning about the myths of networking and the emphasis that we need to all continue to build our own to find greater success. However, I felt throughout the book that network was seen as an event, as opposed to a process. There were several strategies geared toward getting with large groups of people/preferred clients. I felt that this is too many people vying for some attention. I’ve found that much success in networking is built at the individual level with deeper dialog versus pushing through crowds saying look at me. There was some good information, such as diversifying your networking basket, but there were some points that I adamantly disagree with. For example, I don’t agree with the law of reciprocity. This creates selfish motivation and moves us away from doing it for the right reasons. When underlying tones are created, we’re adding a new layer of mistrust or frustration if the reciprocity doesn’t happen or it’s not equal to our expectations. The edition I was reading was from 2008, so it’s also hard for me to expect a lot of information on social networking, but it has become a significant dynamic in building businesses. I may not have been the right target audience for this book since it seems 100% of the message is about growing your own business. I appreciate the sentiments for those who truly need this type of networking, but from the introductory chapter, I was looking for something that showed the value of networking beyond making more money. – Thomas B. Dowd III, author of “The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World”

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still one of my favorite books! I use it every couple years to tweak my consulting and recommend it all the time. The weekly format is easy to use, and the lessons apply to everyone: job seekers, entrepreneurs, communications and biz dev, grassroots organizers and activists, influencers... I recommend keeping a copy for reference and inspiration.

[Phuongvu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kết nối mạng với hiệu quả hoàn toàn đồng nghĩa với hành động xây dựng các mối quan hệ bằng cách giúp đỡ những người khác một cách chân thành.

Biết ơn thầy @Le Minh Tuan tặng em quyển sách siêu hay của ngài Ivan Misner. Em nghe thiên hạ đồn quyển sách này đã không còn tái bản. Thành của quý hiếm rồi😝

52 Chiến lược dành cho 52 tuần.
Trả bài cho @Bùi Thị Thuỳ Linh nha✌️

[Brian Bundesen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been one of the Bibles for my local networking group. I love the writing style and have adopted it for a lot of my business communication. 52 short, powerful, and useful strategies that get results.

[Zita Gudauskienė · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ryšių plėtra yra labai svarbi, nebūk urviniu žmogumi. Pateiktos užduotys ir atlikimo kryptys 52 savaitėm. Knyga kurioje galima atrasti ilgai ieškotų kelių sprendimams priimti.

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

A savvy guide on how to network

How can you develop new clients and new business? The four most time-tested techniques are “cold calls, advertising, public relations and networking.” Cold calls are more enjoyable than sticking yourself with red-hot needles – but not much. Advertising costs big bucks. Public relations can backfire if you don’t know exactly what you are doing. That leaves networking. Networking is not demeaning like cold calls. In fact, it can be fun. It doesn’t cost an arm and leg like advertising. And you won’t inadvertently end up in some crusading reporter’s crosshairs. Ivan R. Misner and Michelle R. Donovan’s book teaches you the best networking techniques. They explain, “It’s not net-sit or net-eat. It’s net-work.” You must “work the networking process.” getAbstract thinks this savvy book does a good job of showing you how.

[Garland Vance · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew that I would struggle with a book at had 52 weeks of chapters and exercises. While I think tHat the premise of the book is beneficial (spend a year focusing on growth in the area of networking), I found that many of the chapters were unnecessary, and it focused so much on the business side of relational development that I grew tired of the book. I finished about 30 weeks then skimmed the remainder for good chapters.
Give it a try if you are really interested in networking. I find it more practical the Keith Ferrazzi's Never Eat Alone, but I enjoyed Ferrazzi more.

[Sandra]

Excellent guide to incorporating simple, do-able networking strategies into your business. Nicely organized to work on one per week. What an excellent resource in what some say is a "down" economy. With Dr. Misner's book, I am confidently creating my personal UP economy.

[Brian Bundesen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I consider this to be a " must read" for anyone who wants to use networking as a business or personal growth strategy. The 52 networking strategies are well thought out, and the book provides specific tactics to use to implement these strategies. I refer to this book every week in by business.

[ChaChanna Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a phenomenal book on networking that gives stellar advice to anyone, not just business owners, on how to network. It's broken down into quick and simple 52 weekly strategies that makes sense. If you are new to networking or don't know how to start. Pick up this book.

[David Driscoll · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you do the networking scene then read this book the author started BNI Business Network International. It covers all you need to know about business networking. Stories of success and tails of how to move forward.

[Buz Howland · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've ever been duped into believe that there are only "6 degrees of separation" between you and anyone on the planet, read this book.

[dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am now a grownup reading books on business and marketing. I've found Misner's books to be very informative and approachable.

[Stephen Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book especially for an education co-ordinator in BNI

[Jim]

Excellent QUIZ, excerpted from this book... made me want to get the book (have read it yet).

[Shawnna]

Six degrees of separation isn't true, it has grown from a kernel of truth. 29% of people are in fact separated from the rest of the world by just six degrees.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

helping me do better at my little business

[Will Jeffries · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think you have to possess a Business Management degree to understand this stuff. Definitely geared toward the business-savvy folks.

Enjoy.

[Darlene Hull · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book on the art of networking. I would hope that much of it is common sense, but there are gems hidden in here, too

[Tom · Rating 2 out of 5]

It will take me a year to read this book because it's one networking idea for each week of the year. So far I'm finding it very helpful and have recommended it to several others.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the weekly coaching with assignment format. It really helps to consider development of my skills in networking in smaller, one week, blocks.

[Marianne Mullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great practical tips, easy to read chapters, not just about networking but also smart ideas for running any business.

[Kristen Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for the novice networker.