Posts Tagged ‘networking’

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.

Everywhere you go you hear people talking about the recession, job losses and the rising unemployment rate.  Some of my friends have been laid off, some of them are trying to figure out creative ways to draw more revenue into their business and sadly some are giving up.

As more and more people are experience these hardships there are a group of people who are not just doing well but are thriving…finding the right job, increasing sales and finding innovative solutions to their business challenges.

Wondering who these people are? They are the people who are highly connected to their network! They are the people who understood way before the recession hit the importance of establishing, building and cultivating quality relationships.  They have their insurance policy and it’s in the form of their network!

Sadly, most people I know, despite the fact that they go to countless networking events and belong to a ton of organizations were just not prepared for these economic conditions and where caught with their panties (or pants) down.  So instead of sitting, wishing  and waiting for the economy to do a 180, do these five things right now so that you can turn your business around, get a new job or find the opportunities that are waiting for you.

1. Call Everyone You Know

Get on the phone and start calling your network and ask them how  you can help them.  I am a strong believer that giving always comes back to you ten fold but you must put yourself in the giving position first to end up being the receiver in the end.  Plus, it just feels great to be of service to someone else.

I know you know plenty of people that may be going through something similar and would love it if someone reached out to them to lend a hand or help them make a contact.  In the end, this gesture will be remembered and will open opportunities up for you down the road.

2. Strengthen Your On Line Presence

It never ceases to amaze me how many business owners are not taking advantage of the online sites that can help them increase their visibility and exposure.  As a business coach I teach my clients the on line sites that best suit their business and objectives so that they can be more visible and attract the types of joint venture opportunities that could catapult them to success.

I have met some wonderful people through Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter and as a result are currently working on two lucrative projects.  Find a way to increase your presence on line and look for creative ways that you can leverage your time and talents to increase sales and get the clients you are looking for.

3. Get Out There

I hate to tell you but you must put yourself out there and make new connections all the time.  Business is not going to fall from the sky into your lap just because you are wishing and praying for more business.

How many networking events do you attend weekly?  On average I attend at least 2 events each week and often times many more.  Get out there and pound the pavement! Meet new people and find opportunities to work together.  I challenge you today to find a networking opportunity in your area and go to it!  Stop wishing and hoping for new business and make the connections you need to grow your business.

4. Make New Connections

Is there someone you would really like to be introduced to?  Do you have a strategy of how you are going to meet this person?  If the answer to the questions are “yes” and “no”, listen up.

Sit down and make a list of the people you would like to meet.  Are you on LinkedIn?  If not, get on it NOW.  This is one of the most useful online tools for getting introduced to people.  But the good old fashioned way of picking up the phone and asking for an introduction is just as fabulous.  Who are you going to ask for help in making the introduction?

No matter how you get introduced, whether you do it on your own or ask assistance from a business associate make sure that you are warm, friendly and personal as you reach out to this new person.

5. Relax and Enjoy

These are stressful times and we don’t need more stress in our lives.  Go out and have fun.  One of the things I enjoy seeing is how much fun the women have who attend my monthly networking events. They are making friends, building new relationships and forging ahead working together to make their businesses stronger.  So don’t be afraid to have fun in the process.

Your network can be vast, strong and powerful if expanded and cultivated appropriately.  Never take your network for granted and do everything you can to strengthen your existing relationships and to build new ones.  In the end your will have the best insurance policy money can’t buy.

Tonight I am hosting my seventh networking event at the Boxwood Grill in Methuen, MA.

As of this writing we have over 260 member from the Greater Boston Area and Southern New Hampshire.  We even have women travel from the Maine area from time to time.  Tonight’s event has 92 women registered for the event.  Just yesterday I told my friend I can’t wait until there are 100 women in the room!

If you live in the area and have never come to one of the meetings, please consider joining this group.  Most meetings are FREE to the members.  You can order off a limited menu and we have a cash bar.  The women are truly phenomenal and I know you won’t be disappointed.

So if you are in the area come on down tonight, September 29th, 7PM at the Boxwood Grill, 260 Howe St, Methuen, MA.  I would love to meet you and introduce you to the premier networking event in the Greater Boston Area!

The rest of the month has a ton of great networking opportunities coming up.  My post today is a compilation of events from today through the end of the month in an effort to help you figure out what’s out there!   See if one, or maybe two or three is right for you.

• New Media Marketing Event will premier this Friday, September 18^th from 3-5 PM at Centro Restaurant.  (www.imperial-image.com/VPevent). A panel of experts will be speaking on a variety of topics that will help you build brand.
• MVCC Mixer Event on Tuesday, September 22nd from 6-8 PM at MNTW Community Credit Union.  Call the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce for more information.
• Septebmer 23rd at the Wyndham in Andover check out Wyndham on Wednesday’s from 5 -9 PM offers a free networking event followed by Main Event Trivia!
• Also on September 23rd check out E Women Network’s Monthly Event with special Key Note Speaker Hank Phillipi Ryan from Channel 7 in Boston.  Open networking begins at 5:30 PM with dinner and accelerated networking.  Go to ewomen.com for more information.
• September 24th at Riverwalk Village in Methuen another MVCC Mixer Event! Event runs from 5 -7:30 PM.
• September 29th join us for DARE To Be Phenomenal Success Minded Women’s Business Network evening networking event.  7 – 9 PM at the Boxwood Grill, Methuen, MA.  Register here http://www.meetup.com/Dare-To-Be-Phenomenal-North-of-Boston-Chapter-Meetup/
• Septebmer 30th at the Wyndham in Andover check out Wyndham on Wednesday’s from 5 -9 PM offers a free networking event followed by Main Event Trivia!

Do you  know of any other events?  Post them in the reply section so everyone knows what’s going on for the rest of the month!  Happy networking.  Will I see you there?

Networking is more than just showing up.  It’s a combination of skill, confidence and clarity that make some people successful at it and others not.

In order to be an effective and successful networker you need to understand:

• How to introduce yourself
• What kinds of questions to ask to engage others
• How to successfully follow up

For some, these three basic skills come as easy as pie and for others it’s like trying to take candy from a toddler.  No matter what your skill level,  follow these simple tips to be a more effective networker.

How To Introduce Yourself

• Remember to state your full name.  Now some of you may be thinking “come on, forgetting your name?”  But it’s true that people often forget to state their name.  And make sure you state your full name. Don’t just say, “Hi, my name is Maureen”.   Try looking up “Maureen” in the phone book.

• People will often omit their company name when introducing themselves.  Your company name is just as important as your name.  You want the two to be joined together so that when people think of you, they automatically think of your company.

• Don’t forget a pithy elevator speech that grabs the attention of the person you are meeting and clearly states the value you offer your clients.

Questions You Should Ask

• When at a business networking event the easiest way to get the ball rolling is by talking about something you have in common – the event you are attending.  For example, if you are at a Chamber event you can ask if they have every attended a Chamber event, etc.  Once the ice has been broken and the small talk is done you can go on to other topics.

• I love to ask people who they hope to meet at the event.  This gives me the opportunity to get to know the person and their business better.  If I can be of assistance  immediately, great.    If I don’t know someone at the event that can help them I make of a note of it on the back of their business card for future reference.  Either way I am remembered as a great resource.

• Ask your new connection if can send them an invite to connect on LinkedIn.  Don’t assume that everyone you meet wants to connect with you just because you are meeting them at a networking event. If they say yes don’t send the generic, “I want to add you to my professional network”  which translates too,  ” I could care less if you remember who I am “.  Send them a brief note that reinforces the conversation you had with them. Be memorable!

Following Up

OK, you have gone to the meeting, exchanged business cards, asked some great questions and were even able to connect some people together.  What’s next?  The follow up!  Networking is more that just showing up and it goes on long after the event is over.

• On average, each week I meet with at least two people that I have met through my networking efforts.  As I write this post I just came back from coffee with one colleague and lunch with another.

• If you meet someone knew at an event and they call you return their call promptly.  Failure to do so is business suicide.

• Be proactive and schedule time to get to know new business contacts by scheduling opportunities to  meet and learn more about their business and how you can help them achieve their goals.

These small gestures go a long way in being remembered.  It’s all about building quality relationships and these tips are just some tools in your business toolbox to achieve great networking results!

We have been examining the seven beliefs that many entrepreneurs struggle with.  In belief #3 we examine how to get started.  Read on to find out how to get started with marketing your business.

Belief #3  I don’t know how to get started

There is many ways to market yourself; there is no one “right” way.  One of the most common ways to get started is by joining networking groups like BNI, your local Chamber of Commerce, or targeted networking groups like women’s only groups.  No matter what group or organization that you join remember it’s about building relationships.  So if you do go to an event and meet some great people make sure that you follow up.  Make a time to meet for coffee to learn more about their business.  I can tell you that I have developed wonderful relationships this way and now do business regularly with the people I have taken the time to form a solid business relationship.

By focusing on networking instead of marketing you are shifting away from what you perceive as uncomfortable and move instead into an activity where you can authentically be yourself.

So go out and attend some networking events see if the shift from marketing to networking takes some of the pressure off.

When you think of marketing what immediately comes to mind?  Do you recoil in disgust at the thought of having to put yourself “out there”?  Do you immediately think cheesy, phony, pushy or inauthentic?  Well you are not alone.  Many business owners, particularly women feel uncomfortable with marketing. How do you get past these feelings so that marketing your business becomes fun, easy and authentic?

You’re in the Business of Marketing Your Business

Did you know you were in the business of marketing your business?  When you ask most people, “What business are you in?” they respond with what they do – I am a lawyer, a photographer, a graphic designer, etc.  But the truth is we are in the business of selling ourselves.

There are several ways you can market yourself; not all activities need to be done by you.  In fact I like to outsource many of my marketing activities to my Assistant; this frees me up to work on other aspects of my business.  However, no matter who actual engages in the marketing activities you must know enough to decide how and when to implement your marketing plan.  No matter how good of a coach, massage therapist, photographer or wellness expert you are, you will fail in your business if you don’t market yourself.  You must embrace marketing as another tool to help you spread the word about your knowledge and expertise so you can create the thriving business you dream of.

Your inner beliefs and thoughts influence everything about the who, what, when, where and why about marketing your business.  These thoughts and beliefs will either positively or negatively affect your business.  If you are one of the many women who feel uncomfortable about marketing you need to look at why that is.

Over the next several days I am going to review some common marketing mindset issues and give you some tips so you can love marketing!

Belief #1: I don’t know how to network effectively

I write, teach and train about effective networking strategies all the time.  I could be a millionaire ten times over if I had a dollar every time I heard someone say they don’t know how to network effectively.  And I hear it more from women than men.

Does this surprise you?  Well it did me.  Why? Because women by their very nature are relationship builders and effective marketing is about building relationships.

In order to build an effective business relationship, you need to build a strong network of trusted business professionals from a variety of industries so that you can give and receive quality referrals.  I have blogged extensively about effective networking and you can read my blog posts at by searching under “networking”.

The bottom line is this:  Networking is a great marketing tool, one of several in your business toolbox, but it won’t bring you immediate business.  I’m sure this is NOT what you want to hear, but it’s true.  The flip side of this is:  Through effective, targeted networking you can build a list of respected colleagues and business professionals with whom you can do the following:  engage in joint ventures, conduct business, share clients, build your list, and send quality referrals.

So how do you network effectively? Be genuine and authentic.  Listen for how you might be able to help the other person. Extending yourself goes a long way in building long lasting business relationships.  Did you notice something?  Nowhere in that description did I mention collecting business cards, being phony or trying to immediately pitch your product or service.   Which by the is a real turn off.  Instead the focus is on helping others solve their problems.  Do this and you will build your credibility very quickly and people will see you as the go to gal.  Next networking event go with the intention that you are going to help two people with their business and see what happens.

Many of you who read my blog regularly know that DARE To Be Phenomenal runs a Women’s Only Networking Event once a month.  We have a new location and are now meeting at Boxwood Grill in Methuen, MA from 7 pm -9 pm. This new location should solve some of our space problems.  Not only do we have a private room with private bathrooms but we have our own bar and bartender along with a gorgeous private balcony with plenty of seating.   This month we are meeting on July 29th!

Today we have over 150 members  and we are growing everyday.  In the last month alone we added almost 50 new members.  Is that phenomenal or what?  What is really spectacular about this group is how much the women spread the word and tell their friends.  This has really helped the group grow.  So if you know any women that would benefit from this group please let them know that we are meeting next week.

You know what else is phenomenal?  How many women are dedicated to coming out and helping other success minded women grow their business.  We have a little tribe here…well actually, a big tribe and our tribe is growing all the time.  So if you are looking for a group of like minded women who are dedicated to supporting one another as they strive to have the most phenomenal business and life, join us next week on June 29th.  We would love you to join us.

Daring you to success…….

Three months ago I decided to start my own women’s only networking events. I had long had this desire but had put if off for a variety of reason. In March I told myself “no more excuses, just do it” and I did.

The growth of the group has been nothing short of phenomenal. In three months we have 130 members and have strong regular attendance by the membership. Due to all the success of this group many people have asked me to start another group closer to the Boston area. You asked and I am listening…over the next couple of weeks I will be looking for a spot to host this event. So if you live close to Boston and know a great restaurant or other venue that would love to host a large group of women once a month, please let me know.

As soon as all the details have been worked out I will be posting this new event here.   Watch for the details.

When you meet a new prospect or potential client at a networking event or other business affair do you remember to follow up? When was the last time you met a business colleague for coffee or lunch?

If you can’t remember the last time you did either then you need to start putting follow up activities on your to-do-list!  Busy professionals fail at this step consistently and regularly.  But if you are interested in growing your business you  need to ensure you do the following:

1.  After meeting a new contact send an email, card or letter telling them how much you enjoyed meeting them. Nothing helps to keep you in the front of someone’s mind than a personal note.

2.  Try to schedule lunch or coffee with a new business contact on a regular basis. This allows for you to get to know the other person more intimately and allows you the opportunity to share your knowledge and expertise.

3.  Remember to be of service to the people you  meet. If you meet people who can do business with one another extend the invitation to connect.  LinkedIn and Facebook are great tools to help you accomplish the introduction.

Remember,  consistent follow up and  you and your brand remain front of mind.