Archive for the ‘Networking Tips’ Category

The DARE Networking Luncheon is this week!  Linda Holt of New Light Redesign and Susan Seifer from MadPatter Art Designs will share with us “3 Different Design and Color Trends for 2011″.  Don’t miss this event!

BIO For Linda Holt

New Light Redesign transforms spaces through the use of color and what the client already owns . Owner Linda Holt has had a life long passion for art and design. For 26 years she was a professional  photographer and the owner of Linda Holt Photography in Boston. Throughout her photography career she maintained an active interest in Interior Design decorating her own home and those of her friends. In 2006 she closed her photography studio and enrolled in  North Shore Community College Interior Design program. She is also a graduate of The School of Redesign and Home Staging as well as having earned 2 different Color Consulting Certifications.  In 2008 she opened New Light Redesign to be an affordable alternative to traditional Interior Design. She works with Home Owners and Realtors from North of Boston to Southern NH.   Linda’s  passion is creating  warm and welcoming spaces that you’ll  love coming home to.

BIO For Susan Siefer

MadPatter ArtDesign develops and produces innovative artisan decorative finish surfaces on walls, ceilings and canvas.  Owner Susan Siefer is an established decorative surface designer creating beautiful environments in residential homes and commercial establishments throughout the New England area. With a formal education in fine arts and design, Susan stays current with new decorative finishing products and techniques through workshops, contacts and collaboration with other designers. When not working on site, Susan works out of a beautifully renovated mill building in Lawrence, MA.

The Holiday Extravaganza is happening again!

Networking, Shopping, Gift Bags, Raffles and More!

December 7, 2010
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Salvatore’s Restaurant • Lawrence, MA

Hope you are marking your calendar for Tuesday, December 7th so you won’t miss the Holiday Extravaganza of the year!

2009 DARE To Be Phenomenal’s Holiday Extravaganza SOLD OUT!  With over 400+ men and women in attendance and 67 businesses in represented it was a great time.

Here’s what last year’s attendees had to say:

“It was phenomenal. Great people! Very receptive to my business and obtained new clients.” ~ Susan Caldwell

“Wonderful and exciting. Good that people from outside the group were allowed to attend to increase exposure of member businesses. Thank you for all of your hard work, Maureen.” ~ Kerry Wiley

“Loved perusing the vendor tables. I bought some nice holiday gifts, too!” ~ Elizabeth Covino

“The event was wonderful; a lot of different people took part in the event. I made a lot of connections with new prospects and business women. Maureen did a fabulous job coordinating this event. Thanks, Mo, for all your hard work. I can’t wait for next year.” ~Connie Doto

“Maureen, you did an incredible job with this event…..you thought of every detail to make it enjoyable for vendors and guest alike! Hope you take a well deserved bow and the REST!” ~ Karen Kallie

“What a great turnout! I was able to get some Christmas shopping done as the event offered a wonderful variety of gifts! I enjoyed it very much.” ~ Mary Honan

“It was fantastic! The room was buzzing! As a vendor, I felt the shoppers were genuinely interested in our products. I can’t wait to do it again, next year!” ~ Maria Murphy

“Had a fantastic time. Thanks so much, Maureen, for putting together such a great event. Your hard work and dedication is amazing! ~ Trudy Lawler

“Great time! Nice way to kick off the Holidays!” ~ Karen Kaloustian

Do you have your table yet?  We are 80% SOLD OUT and tables are getting snatched up pretty fast. So, contact me today if you want a table at this great holiday event.

I attended a networking event last night and wanted to write a quick blog post about the importance of being  personable when networking.

It doesn’t serve you well if while out networking you treat others coldly or with some degree of disdain.  Whatever you do watch your facial expressions and don’t look up and down at people as if they are aliens.

Now some of you are probably reading this thinking, “No kidding Maureen, we know better than that!”, and I am sure you do.  However, this evening I witnessed a whole host of women behaving just like that.

This type of behavior reflects so poorly on you as a business owner and I am quite certain if I noticed this type of behavior others did as well. Never mind the poor person on the receiving end and how this made them feel.

One of the points of networking is to meet new people that you possibly could establish a relationship with and someday do business.  If you are not interested in meeting new people or are going to judge others with your facial expressions and disrespectful looks – well, I have one piece of advice for you – stay home!

Anyone who is member of my DARE To Be Phenomenal Fan Page knows that every Friday I encourage my fans to shamelessly promote themselves and their business.  Sometimes I ask them to promote something very specific, like a link to their website or blog and other times I ask them to promote someone else.

What I love about this idea is that people really step up to the plate and promote themselves; proudly describing the value behind what they have to offer to their potential clients.  But what I am stunned by is why more people don’t take the opportunity get themselves out there and promote away.

If you are uncomfortable with the idea of promoting yourself, then you’ll enjoy my post today which will give you three tips on how to promote yourself with greater ease.

1.  Promote Yourself with Articles

It doesn’t matter what you do, almost anyone can write an article that engages the reader and provides valuable content that will make you memorable.  Once the article is written it can be promoted through several venues: on a blog, in the newspaper, on your website under an “Free Article” section, in a local publication and on article submission sites.

2.  Promote Yourself by Speaking

There is almost no better way to promote yourself than through speaking engagements. Look for opportunities in your local area to speak at clubs and organizations.  You can find these opportunities by doing a Google search.  I usually devote a portion of my week to looking for speaking opportunities where I can promote myself to the audience.  And even if you are asked not to do a hard sell, which frankly I hate too, your energy, enthusiasm and your great content will have people wanting to work with you.

3.  Promote Yourself When Asked

If you are prompted to promote yourself will you be ready to tell the world what value you provide to your clients?  Remember, it’s not about telling people what you do.  It is about telling people how you can solve their most difficult problems.  It’s about being the solution.

So if you haven’t figured out the best way to express how you are the solution,  get cracking on coming up with a great pitch so that people understand how you can really help them.

Ultimately, that is all they really care about.

In the end, if you don’t promote yourself no one else will.

I attend a lot of networking events each month and I often have the opportunity to watch the interactions between the participants.  There is something very different that happens when you put men and women in the same room together, unleash them and have them network versus when I watch what occurs at women only events like the DARE To Be Phenomenal’s Networking Events.

Typically at a Chamber event I see something strange happen to the women.  They suddenly forget how to connect.  They aimlessly go around shaking hands and exchanging business cards without “connecting” to the people they are meeting.  Fast forward to one of the women only events I attend and you see something almost magical transpire – true connections being made.

So how to you stay true to you when networking?  Follow these simple tips to make your next networking event more authentic for you.

Remember  Your Heart

In a nut shell, be yourself! Real connections come from the heart.  They are heart-felt, honest interactions between two or more people.  No one is phony, inauthentic, or out solely for their own benefit.  The difference is dropping that phony business persona you have created and instead interacting with people as if they were your friends.  Now this doesn’t mean being unprofessional, but it does mean allowing people to see the real you.  Others want to connect with like-minded quality people and will be more apt to introduce you to friends and associates if they like you.

What are the keys to business success?  Honesty, curiosity and vulnerability coupled with intimate connections are the foundation of a successful and satisfied business and life.  So stop thinking you have to be something you are not and start being yourself!

Have the Right Mindset

If you come from a place of service first and not from a mindset of what’s in it for me you will be more likely to make the kinds of true connections that you are looking for.  Use your intuition to help you discern who would be a good connection for you and who would not and let this be your guide as you navigate your way.  Not every person you meet will be someone you want to do business with.  Always trust your gut, it will never steer you wrong.

Have Clarity

Be clear on what you want to accomplish at each event.  Taking the time to meet with two or three people at an event where you can share some quality time learning about them and their business is better than running around collecting business cards of people you will never remember and who probably won’t remember you.

Networking is a great tool to build your business but it’s in the relationship building and follow up where true business connections are made.  Be yourself, have the right mindset and be clear on your goals and networking success will be yours.

The new year is already 8 days old and I was looking at my calendar of networking activities for January amazed that I didn’t have more in my date book.  So I got to wondering if it was the threat of bad weather or the fact that January feels like one of the longest months of the year as to why their wasn’t more networking opportunities available in January.

Now I keep track of three different Chamber’s list of events, the Friends of Kevin Networking group, several women’s organizations and some others and I can’t even think of right now.

I will admit that I hate to travel into Boston to network.  It is always such a hassle to find a parking space or if you have to take the train walk in the snow and ice.  I much prefer networking locally and I know that I am not alone in my thinking on this one.

Anyway, the point of this rambling is to ask my readers if they feel there is less networking opportunities available in January or if I am mistaken.  Let me know if you know of any great networking meetings coming up over the month.  I would love to hear about them and possibly venture out and attend.

Sometimes I get so tired of the hype that marketers use to sell their products or services.  These marketers are sometimes the exact people who preach about being authentic and using the highest degree of integrity when marketing.  Here are some of my pet peeves and how to avoid them:

1. The Automatic Sign Up

This just happened to me last week at my local Chamber meeting.  I gave this person my business card and before I got home I had her most recent ezine in my in box!  Did she ask me if she could send it to me?  No, she didn’t, but I got it anyway.  And the icing on the cake…she told me if I put a link up on my website to her website she would do the same for me!  Now this may be appealing to some but I wasn’t falling for it!  Don’t do it!

2. Going, Going, Gone

Marketers who say stuff like, “We have 15 spots left, no I mean 17, no I mean 19.” Or the other version is, “Offer ends Monday, no I mean Tuesday, oops I mean Friday.”  Give me a break!  No matter if the game is played with numbers or time, the bottom line is it is still a game; and one that is insulting to potential clients.  Again, don’t do it!

3. Direct Messages

It seems like every day I get a new direct message from some yahoo  telling me how I must  check out this link so that they can sell me their stuff!  No thanks…and then I block them.  You heard me right.  When I get pitched to immediately I block them.  I don’t need to be sold too all day long and this is what some of these people on twitter are doing and frankly I won’t stand for it.  Don’t do this one either!

4. All Promo, All The Time

Some marketers send one promotion after another and it gets tiring.  Usually their ezine is full of useless information and when you check out their website they offer nothing free.  You guessed it, don’t do it!

5. Bad Twitterfeed

I like Twitterfeed,  but I really don’t need to get every feed, post, and link about everything.  Twitter is used best when used as a marketing tool; one that has been given careful consideration and is in line with your marketing plan.  There is no need to post every single thought, action or food you consumed because bottom line -  nobody cares.

6. Immediate Action Required

You all know what I am talking about!  You must act NOW.  Everything is urgent and it’s urgent all the time.  Give me a break…reading these emails and sales letter exhausts me.  I mean really do they think we have nothing better to do then stop what we are doing and attend to ANOTHER urgent message.  Now that is not to say that sometimes you get a notice and it is urgent but you will quickly learn if this is an ongoing case of the “emergencies” or if it out of the ordinary for this person.  If it’s all the time just hit the unsubscribe button.  And remember just don’t do it yourself!

Are you guilty of any of these mistakes?  If so, you know what to do…don’t do them again!

As a business owner our time is valuable so if you come across people who present their products and information in a manner that sends up the red flag then move on.

Yesterday, the Success Minded Women’s Business Network reached a new milestone when the 300th member joined the organization!

This group was formed in March and we had our first event in April.  Since that time the group has grown consistently over the 7 months at an average rate of 1.4 members joining each day.

If you live in the Greater Boston, Southern New Hampshire area and want to be part of an inspiring group of women dedicated to supporting each other grow their business and have a phenomenal life then I would love for you to join us!

Often times when I am working with a client or answering question at a presentation the topic of online networking comes up.  In effort to answer some of the most common questions about which online networking sites to participate in, and to help you figure out how to use online social networking most effectively read on.

1. Facebook

Ok I can hear what you are saying already.  Facebook?  Do I have too?  Well if you are in business and you are trying to get connected online the answer is yes!  Here are some statistics to help encourage you to get a Facebook account:  there are over 200 million active users on Facebook;  more than 50% are over 35; and Facebook users have more degrees and their median income is above average.  Some of the best features to use if you are trying to attract clients and build your brand is the fan page.  It acts similarly to your personal profile page and therefore allows for the highest degree of interaction.  To see what a fan page looks like and how to use it effectively visit: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/Maureen.Campaiola.DAREToBePhenomenal?ref=ts

2. Twitter

Twitter is a micro blogging platform that allows you to post mini updates to your network of followers.  You are only allowed 140 characters per post and that includes any links. I have been using twitter for over a year and I must admit that it takes some getting used to. At first you may think, as I did, what’s the point? But just like any networking method, twitter takes time to build relationships with the people that you connect with; so don’t expect instant results.

3. You Tube

I am just getting started with using video, but right away I saw the awesome power of using video to build my brand and my business. You get to connect with your customers and potential customers in a more intimate and personal way. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but video is even more potent because they get to see and hear the real you.

4. Friend Feed

Friend Feed is a site is similar to twitter but instead of giving people updates about “what you are doing” it aggregates all of your online activity. This tool gives you a more in depth view about the people in your network and what they are up to. You are able to link up all of your “social media accounts” together at the site; this is set it and forget it technology.  Useful for all of us that are super busy and don’t want to go to several sites to update information.

5. Your Blog

Don’t have a blog?  Not every business needs a blog, but quite honestly I don’t know too many who can’t benefit from one.  If you are a Real Estate Professional you can write a blog on a variety of topics like the 8K tax credit or information for first time home buyers.  If you own a house cleaning company you can posts tips on keeping your home clean.  You see how it can be utilized in ways that you may never have thought of?

6.  LinkedIn

When I think of LinkedIn I think of it as Facebook for professionals.  It acts like an online resume with information about where you went to school and the jobs and positions that you have held.  If you blog you can even connect you blog posts directly to your  LinkedIn account.   You build your contact base much in the same way you build it on other sites but it also allows you to ask and give recommendations and to see the contact sphere of your connections.  If you are looking for a contact the search tool helps you hone in on who you are looking for.  LinkedIn is a must for professionals!

These are just a few of the many online networking tools you can use to gain exposure and build connections.  Try them all or just a few and see if helps you achieve the results you are looking for.

Many of us are deeply entrenched in the viral networking world these days.  We are connected on Facebook and Twitter, LinkedIn and Plaxo.  There are so many sites available to us that often times we forget that there is one very handy networking tool at our disposal that is very effective; the business card.

As many of you know I am the founder of DARE To Be Phenomenal Success Minded Women’s Business Network.  These events are designed to connect savvy business women with others who are looking to engage in business building and joint ventures.  Since the group is so large and you are sure to meet someone new at each event, it amazes me when I hear someone say they “forgot” their business card or worse yet that they don’t have a business card!  This is one of the most cost effective ways to market yourself and your business.  Rule # 1:  If you don’t have a business card get one; they are not obsolete.  And make sure you take them with you everywhere you go!

Ok, so you have your business card and made sure that you took them with you when you left your home or office; now what?  I remember when I first started out in business and got my first set of business cards.  I handed them out to everyone; and I’m not kidding even the waitress at the local coffee shop!  But as I got more sophisticated with my networking and business skill set I learned that everyone doesn’t need my business card and that it should only be given to those who ask for it.  Rule # 2:  Never, never force your business card on someone; ask them for their card first.  Most people will reciprocate and ask you for yours.  Even if they don’t, remember you have their contact information anyway.

When working with my clients I am often asked “How can I make my business card stand out from all the rest?”  Great question isn’t it?  There is a ton of debate on what to put on your card but obviously the basic information should be included.  A lot of business owners are moving away from including their addresses since so much is being done virtually, but if you have a business that people need to find by all means continue to include it.  I am in the process of redoing my card and plan on including my URL’s for my Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter accounts.  If Facebook and Twitter are not something you use for your business that is fine to exclude them.  But, all professional business people should have a profile on LinkedIn and that SHOULD be included on your business card.  Rule # 3:  Thinks outside the box and include URL’s to other sites where people can connect with you.  If you don’t have a LinkedIn account get one!

The next tip continues to address the question “How can I make my business card stand out from all the rest?”  Most business owners never use the back of the business card.  Using the back is a great way to add additional and thought provoking information about you and your business.  The back of my card is a call to action for people to visit my web site.  Parts of my updates include changing the back of the card to ask people to go to my web site to sign up for my FREE report.  This change is subtle but important in that I am asking them to do something very specific.  Rule #4:  The back of your business card is “valuable real estate”.  Use it effectively with a call to action to visit your website, sign up for your free report or other action related to your business.

When I had my business cards made the last time I made the mistake of having them printed on glossy card stock.  Although they looked great and are extremely eye catching they are literally impossible to write on.  And that my friends is NOT good!  Lesson learned for me.  Don’t make this mistake.  Have cards printed on high quality, non-glossy card stock to make note taking easier.  Rule #5:  Print cards on high quality flat card stock for easy note taking.

Business cards are one of your best marketing tools available in your marketing tool box. But you must remember to use them to have the greatest impact!  Just like everything else you do to promote your business they will help you to spread the word about you and your business.