Please enjoy this guest post.

Hate it when you can’t get through to someone you really want to connect with in business?

They don’t return your phone calls, your emails go unanswered?

“Here’s a trick that I learned from my kids about communicating with even the busiest people,” says Ivan Misner Ph.D., a leading networking expert who’s been called ‘The Father of Modern Networking’ by CNN.

Dr. Misner holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and as the Co-Founder of the BNI Charitable Foundation he was recently named “Humanitarian of the Year” by the Red Cross.

“No one is harder to reach than a teenager who just moved out of their parents’ house,” jokes Ivan, who is the author of the just-released second edition of Networking Like A Pro (Entrepreneur Press). “To get through to them I had to get a little crafty. This same technique applies in business too. Here’s how it works . . .”

Here’s What My Kids Taught Me About Getting Through To The Busiest People In Business . . .

• “After my three kids moved out of the house, I quickly realized that our avenues of communication were no longer working. My eldest daughter did not respond to emails and phone calls, but when I texted her, immediate response. My second daughter wouldn’t use email, never used the phone, and thought texting was old school. Instead, she communicated via whatsapp. I downloaded the app, immediate response.

• “Now, my son didn’t use email, or phone, didn’t text and refused to use whatsapp – but I knew he was big into online gaming and communicated with his friends via a gaming platform called STEAM. As crazy as it sounds, I downloaded the app, purchased a game, and sent him messages through the platform. Boom. Immediate response."

The business networking lesson? “Rather than try to get people to move to your preferred communication platform, go to theirs!” explains Ivan Misner, Founder of BNI.com, the world’s largest networking organization.

• “When you meet a valuable connection in business, ask them how they prefer to be communicated with and use it,” says Ivan. “This will help you get through to the important and powerful people that can move your business forward. Don’t be afraid of using new and unfamiliar apps – just go wherever they are.”