Wednesday, December 31, 2008

How to be successful in Networking

Many people make resolutions for the year ahead at this time. Often these resolutions are forgotten quickly as they are all about an outcome rather than the specific things that will produce the outcome.

For example you could resolve to get more referrals, but without some actions you will not achieve this. A better resolution would be to arrange follow up meetings with someone from the groups you belong to every week and to introduce each of those people to at least one opportunity. That will get you more referrals.

These words from Aristotle help me when thinking about how to be successful;

"Understand that You can achieve Success.
Define what Success represents, for You.
Organise you life around its Achievement."

If you are making any resolutions then make them about the specific actions you can take to organise yourself around your success. Your successful resolutions will create new habits. To quote Aristotle again:

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

New Video for Baby Boomer Entrepreneurs



Baby Boomer business owners and Baby Boomers wanting to start businesses, we have a new video for you. It shares some of the key things you must consider to avoid the treacherous water with hidden dangers for new businesses. Topics include:
  • Are you looking to join the alternative retirement trend?
  • Are you starting a business to remain active?
  • Do you want to establish a new work/life balance?
  • What you need to build into the design of your business to make it work for you.
  • Why you must slow down to get it done faster.
  • Some things your life experiences will not prepare you to do.
  • Where do you look to find the right tools?
I hope you enjoy it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzSVLQUTxYs

Shallie Bey

Monday, December 15, 2008

A perfect referral

A couple of weeks ago I was at a meeting when Andy Lopata was one of the other attendees. To start the session each of the attendees was invited to share something significant from their business over the last month.

Andy shared that the previous week he had delivered a paid for keynote speech to 1200 people. The feedback had been enthusiastic and was likely to lead to more similar engagements. He went on to thank me for the referral that had lead to this opportunity.

It was not the result of a chance happening, but a great illustration of how you can generate excellent referrals when you work at your networking.

Andy and I have known each other for about four years and have built a business friendship. We know, like and trust each other and have a formal process for sharing referrals to ensure the relationship is also a profitable one. Early last year I invited Andy along to one of the Referral Institute's Pipeline training sessions and following on from that we meet regularly with the specific purpose of sharing referrals.

Andy has identified exactly the companies he is looking for introductions to. In one of our meetings I recognised someone in my network who was well placed to introduce Andy to one of the companies he had identified.

Andy made the introduction easy for me by explaining exactly why the company would benefit from being introduced to him. My contact already knew of Andy from a seminar that he had delivered at one of our NRG groups. Her confidence together with the trust I already had in Andy made it easy for her to refer him for the speaking opportunity he was seeking.

Andy subsequently followed up with my contact at length and in good time as expected. He also kept me in the loop so that my existing relationship was also strengthened.

The end result - a perfect referral!

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Baby Boomer Entrepreneurs, You Must Do More Than Just Buy Yourself A Job

Baby Boomers, the generation born between 1946 and 1964, are starting businesses at amazing levels. Though Global Entrepreneurship Week and similar efforts are focused upon getting young people to explore entrepreneurship, it is the Baby Boomer business owners who are answering the call at unprecedented levels. And if they don’t start right, they will experience failure at unprecedented levels. That is why you, as a Baby Boomer Entrepreneur, want to start smarter.

One of the key factors driving this trend is a change in the way people in this age group seem to view retirement. A recent USA Today/Gallop poll says that 63% of non-retired adults in the United States plan to work into retirement. These polls were taken during sound financial times and most people say they made the choice for non-financial reasons. Most say they get enjoyment from work. They just want to work for themselves rather than their current boss.

The vast majority of people who start businesses do so because they want to work for themselves rather than for someone else. This practice, often referred to as “Buying a Job”, is probably the underlying cause for most small business failure.

They jump into a business where they do the same type of work they were doing for someone else. So cooks open restaurants. Auto mechanics open repair shops. Pharmacists open pharmacies. And technically trained people become consultants. The problem is that knowing how to do the work in a business, knowing how to manage the work of that business, and knowing how to own that type of business are three different roles. If you are not working on all three roles, the odds of success are small.

People who do the work of the business, often open the doors thinking that people will beat a path to their door because they are the best at what they do. But the problem is that though you may be the best, people have to know you are out there before they can do business with you.

Excited that a few people stumble upon them, business owners often sell the service or product at attractive pricing, usually close to the amount you would have gotten paid when you were working for your old boss. But you now have overhead that your boss had to cover that was above a beyond what he paid you. You have telephones, electricity, and perhaps even some help that you never had to consider before. So how do you price what you are doing to make sure your can make money at this business?

And if you get lots of customers because word does get out that you do a good job, how do you avoid working longer hours than you worked before to serve your customers and make enough money to enjoy your “semi-retirement”. After all, that was the plan wasn’t it? You just wanted to do a little something to keep your mind alert while enjoying this new form of retirement, right?

With proper planning, these and other problems that tend to cause business failure can be overcome. And yes, they can be overcome much more easily than you expect. We hear about the high rates of business failures, but the failures are not 100% of businesses started. You want to know what the successful people are doing differently.

Three Tips For Getting Started At Something Bigger Than Buying Yourself A Job

First – There are many resources available online for free that will help you get the lay of the land. In response to the Baby Boomer Entrepreneurship trend, the US Small Business Administration has created a special web site to support Baby Boomer Entrepreneurs. Do a web search on Baby Boomer Entrepreneurs and you should find this site and other free resources.

Second – Get a good grasp of why businesses fail and what to do about it. Probably the best resource on this is the work of the author Michael E. Gerber. His book, The E-Myth Revisited: Why Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It, is probably the best reference around. It is an easy reading book that will get you pointed in the right direction. A search under Michael Gerber’s name or for the book will give you a number of free resources including information from the book and interviews of Michael about how to work smarter rather than harder.

Finally – If you want to get going faster and to improve your odds of success, get some personal coaching from someone to help you apply the principles specifically. This can help you get off to a good start in understanding the entrepreneurial mindset, the ways you have to think differently to be successful as a business owner.

If you follow these principles you can experience the success that is being sought by Baby Boomer Entrepreneurs. You can have a profitable business that continues to fund your lifestyle. You can have a lifestyle with proper work/life balance instead of a life consumed by your business. You can join the successful Baby Boomer Entrepreneurs.

For more free resources on Baby Boomer Entrepreneurship, go to:

http://www.squidoo.com/Baby-Boomer-Entrepreneurs

Shallie Bey

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Following up is very hard to do

There was some excellent advice on follow up in Jeffrey Gitomer's Sales Caffeine Ezine this week. I have written extensively about the importance of follow up in this blog previously. It is in the following up and 1-2-1 meetings that you really build the mutually beneficial business relationships that drive your networking success. Many people find follow up very difficult. As Jeffrey put it;

"Is there a secret to follow-up? No.
Is there a best way to follow-up? No.
Why do people quit too soon? Big question.
Why do you quit too soon? Bigger question.
Have you ever read Think and Grow Rich? Biggest question.

Reason? Think and Grow Rich (written by Napoleon Hill 70 years ago) has an entire chapter on persistence that provides real insight as to the characteristics of what makes some stick at it until they win, while others stop either just after they start, or stop just before they are about to taste victory.
"

You can see most of Think and Grow Rich online at Google Books. Chapter 9 is the one on persistence.

If you struggle with following up then some of what Napolean Hill had to say on How to Develop Persistence may help.

"There are four simple steps which lead to the habit of persistence, They call for no great amount of intelligence, no particular amount of education, and but little time or effort. The necessary steps are:

1. A definite purpose backed by burning desire for its fulfillment.
2. A definite plan, expressed in continuous action.
3. A mind closed tightly against all negative and discouraging influences, including negative suggestions of relatives, friends and acquaintances.
4. A friendly alliance with one or more persons who will encourage one to follow through with both plan and purpose.
"

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Am I doing something wrong?

I spoke to someone yesterday that I met at a recent networking event. I asked him what he felt about the event. He said he had enjoyed it, but said,

"I haven't got any business from it though. I have been to a couple of other groups too and it was the same. I must be doing something wrong!"

I asked how many times he had been to each group.

The reply, "Once".

I asked if he really expected to get business from one meeting.

As I said in my recent post, sell through the room not to the room:

If you are looking for business today from the people you meet, that is selling. Successful networking builds your business for tomorrow through the relationships you build with the people you meet.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Friday, December 5, 2008

Do you know what you want from your networking?

Do you have a clear idea of your business networking objectives?

I saw the following from 'Alice in Wonderland' in the excellent ezine from Marieke Hensel of Branding Personality this week.

Alice:“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?
The Cat: “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to
Alice: “I don't much care where.”
The Cat: “Then it doesn't much matter which way you go.”
Alice: “…so long as I get somewhere.”
The Cat: “Oh, you're sure to do that, if only you walk long enough.”

Marieke was sharing how to avoid the top 6 mistakes you can make on Linkedin. Mistake number 1 is not setting goals. The same is true for Business Networking in general. You must be clear about your objectives to start with.

If, for example, you are networking to generate new business then invest some time to work out your strategy & set yourself some targets. Calculate how many referrals you will need to achieve your target and that will give you a rough number for the referrals you need to give.

Work out where you can regularly meet the business people you can form relationships with and give referrals to. They are the ones most likely to be able to refer you too. You can then plan for the groups you need to join and commit to the activity you need to undertake.

Over time this investment will pay dividends over and over again.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Joining a networking group can be like joining a Gym

A couple of people have asked me recently, "What will I get if I join one of your networking groups?". My answer is that we concentrate on recruiting quality people and facilitating quality networking. What you get will be a direct result of how you follow up and the effort you put in. Consider the analogy of joining a gym or fitness club.

We are approaching the time of year when many people join a gym with the aim of getting fitter or losing some weight. However, we all know that paying the money is not enough. You only get results if you put the effort into training, and often you need a personal trainer to really get going. The same is true of networking and you have to put the effort into getting to know people and investing in relationships first. Understanding how networking works is a good start. As Bob Burg said:

"All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to
those people they know, like and trust.
"

Business Networking is about finding other business people who operate in similar markets to you, and building relationships to earn that trust. Once you understand and commit yourself to making it work you can actively do the things that will make your networking effective and productive.

Over the next few posts I will revisit some of these things for you:

http://business-networking.blogspot.com/2008/12/do-you-know-what-you-want-from-your.html
* Have you got a System?
* Who do you know already?
* What is your Target Market?
* Is your Proposition clear?
* Who is in your Inner Network?
* How do your grow your Advocates?


Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Baby Boomer Entrepreneurs - What's It All About?

Baby boomer entrepreneurs are starting businesses at unprecedented levels. Is this a new breakthrough in gracefully aging and making contributions to society, a new form of work life balance? Or is this another fad like the hula hoop that marks the progress of Baby Boomers into a new set of distractions?

Many of the comments from surveys suggest that Baby Boomers enjoy their work but simply don’t like the place where they work. So the solution is to start a business.

This sounds remarkably like what the sage of why most small businesses don’t work and what to do about it, Michael Gerber, calls the Entrepreneurial Seizure. Is it about not having a boss? Is it about finally being the boss? Is it about being free from the limitations of working for somebody else? If it is, get the baby aspirin before the full seizure comes on. You are about to create “a business” with a mind of it’s own and that plans to enslave you.

If all you do is to start a business so you can create a place to work, will your dreams of work life balance come true, Baby Boomer Entrepreneur? Will you find happiness or yourself working for a new slave driver?

As the sub title to Michael Gerber’s great book, The E-Myth Revisited suggests, we know why most small businesses don’t work and what to do about it. A good place for you to start will be the free directories I have compiled for you on Michael Gerber’s work and on issues relating to Baby Boomer Entrepreneurship.

Join the Baby Boomer Entrepreneurs
http://www.squidoo.com/Baby-Boomer-Entrepreneurs


Michael Gerber and the Book The E-Myth Revisited
http://www.squidoo.com/Entrepreneurship_The_E_Myth_Revisited

Baby Boomer Entrepreneur, my fellow Baby Boomer, if you are going to do this, and I hope you will, make sure you know what it’s all about.

Shallie Bey

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Sell through the room not to the room

I had an email from a Professional in a large firm a couple of days ago about the experience of one of his colleagues networking at NRG-networks. He said it was one of the more productive groups for his firm and generated useful referrals leading to chargeable work.

He shared that his approach is on a 'sell through' the room rather than 'sell to the room' basis. He is absolutely spot on with that.

If you are looking for business today from the people you meet, that is selling. Successful networking builds your business for tomorrow through the relationships you build with the people you meet.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

How to identify your typical customer

Over the last couple of weeks I have run a couple of effective business networking seminars and spoken on the subject at a conference for business consultants.

On each occasion people have struggled with the subject of their target market. When networking (as in marketing generally) it is essential to focus on a specific market segment. If you have more than one type of client then the most effective thing is to pick the client type most relevant to the people you are with. So, if you are with other owners of other service businesses, think about who their clients are likely to be. Talk about your typical clients in the markets they operate in.

During one session an accountant helped explain the point by sharing how he always focused on one specialism, International Tax. His firm can do other work, but that is his primary focus and he gets great results. Over time that is the expertise that he has become renowned for. He also knows where to invest his time and effort in finding referrals for the people that can refer him.

You can hear some more on this subject of target market in a recent NRG Podcast, 'Your target market – Who is your right person?'

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Friday, November 14, 2008

Seth Godin on the Number One Secret of the Great Blogs

Seth Godin wrote a very interesting blog post this morning. He says that the number one secret of the great blogs is that every one of them leads a tribe. The function of the blog, he says, is to be the standard bearer, the north star that tribe members can point to as a place to meet or for ideas to circle around. The blog isn’t about the writer, it’s about the readers.

Since reading Seth’s new book, Tribes, I have been trying to define in my mind the specific tribe for which the Smarter Small Business Blog is written. Of course, it is written for owners of businesses or people who want to become owners of businesses. Yet, it is not written for just any owner, but those who are or want to be true entrepreneurs. Even among true entrepreneurs, there are people who want to do things the hard way and those who want to be smart about what they are doing so that they can have a better work – life balance. I believe that is the tribe to which this blog is directed. It is written for the Baby Boomer Entrepreneurs who are forming new businesses at a rate that exceeds every other age group. It is also written for the young people who are responding to the challenge of Global Entrepreneurship Week to explore entrepreneurship as their way of making a mark on the future.

I guess that to lead this Tribe of Entrepreneurs, this blog must be about helping entrepreneurs find the Tribe that they will lead in the marketplace. We shall focus upon this in upcoming posts.

For now, if you would like to know more about this concept of Tribes, please see the Squidoo lens I have prepared for you. And if you want to see Seth’s direct comments on The Number one secret of great blogs, go see him at
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/11/the-number-one.html

Good luck at finding your Tribe. And if you are a member of that tribe of smart entrepreneurs who especially want a proper work – life balance, I hope you have found a home.

Shallie Bey

Track Back: http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/2123/35710502

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Networking produces results that grow exponentially

In a recent post, 'Networking saves Time and Money', I wrote about how your cost of doing business reduces over time with networking.

It was great to see in my inbox today the latest mailing from the IoD (Institute of Directors). They agree on the cost effective nature of networking and are urging their members to pursue more networking opportunities:

"If you’re tightening your company spend over the unsettling months ahead, networking is an effective resource to leverage your contacts and generate new business.

Aggressively pursue your networking opportunities over the turbulent months ahead; be seen and be heard while your competitors hibernate. Networking produces results that grow exponentially; people do business with people they know.
"

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Monday, November 3, 2008

Join a networking group and save 2 years

A number of NRG-networks members shared some experiences recently on how long it took them to get results from networking. Each of them owned a specialist consulting business operating with Corporate Customers. Typically it had taken them a couple of years to work out the importance of being structured and targeted with their networking.

At the end one of them said the reason that he liked our NRG groups so much was that they were structured so he could identify and build his Inner Network much more quickly than in other groups he had tried and in a lot of random activity. In fact it had taken him 2 months to achieve what had taken him 2 years elsewhere.

If your networking seems to be going nowhere take some time to work out what the right groups are for you and your business. A good question to start with is "Where do the owners of other businesses with similar markets to you network?"

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Friday, October 31, 2008

Networking saves time and money

I was involved in a meeting with owners of small businesses last week. One of the topics was the importance of networking in a recession. The consensus of each of the owners was that, for them, networking is the most cost effective way of building a route to market. Once trusted relationships are in place opportunities are consistently uncovered and shared. You do not have to keep hunting for that one off elusive piece of business.

Your return on investment keeps multiplying as you maintain the relationships.

Another benefit of networking that is little appreciated is this:
Over time your costs actually decrease!
Once you find the right networking groups and your inner network you spend more time with fewer people.

Compare that to the costs involved in other marketing.
You only continue to get results by continuing to spend more.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Network like no tomorrow

There is a great quote from James Caplin in this article, Network like no tomorrow, by FT Columnist, Stefan Stern:

“Good networkers form mutually beneficial relationships with other people,” Mr Caplin says. “It’s all about being reciprocal – being of value to someone else who is in turn valuable to you. Effective networking is really ‘a way of being’ – knowing what you have to offer and being prepared to offer it – rather than a sudden burst of counter-productive activity during a break at a conference.”

According to the article James Caplin is working on a book on networking provisionally entitled 'I hate networking'. I look forward to reading it.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

How staying in touch brings rewards

I was having a drink with a friend recently who was coming to the end of a contract. He was considering a change of business as he had nothing to move to. During our conversation it became clear that he was only considering something different because that appeared to be somehow easier.

I asked if he knew anyone that could help and he said he couldn't think of anyone. Over the next hour or so I got him to identify 6 Companies that were likely to need his expertise. I then got him to tell me about the people he had worked with & for in the last couple of years. We identified 6 of those that he would phone the next day & arrange to meet for a coffee or drink.

During one of the telephone calls he was asked if he was available for a new project in a couple of weeks!

He is now committed to keeping in contact with these people on a regular basis.

I don't suppose that you know people that you should stay in touch with? What about the people you have worked with & rate highly. People that you can help & advocate, because if you can do that for them they just may be able to do it for you.

I spoke more about the people you know in a recent NRG Podcast, 'How to start building your network'

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Repetition, Reputation & Results

I attended a marketing presentation for the owners of small businesses last week.

During one of the discussions people shared the number of different marketing activities they undertook. The average was about 4 or 5 with only a couple including advertising.

The general view was 'advertising doesn't work'. Most of the people who said that had tried it once. Usually with something like Yellow Pages, a local version or an equivalent online directory.

The people who were successful in advertising did it consistently & persistently.
They used media which was read, listened to or watched by their target market.
For them it was not a one off or occasional activity.

This reminded me of people who say 'networking doesn't work'.

It doesn't if you generally meet people once or twice and expect something first.
It does when you get to know people over time & help them with advice, support and introductions. That is where Repetition, Reputation and Results comes in.
Think of them as the 3Rs of Networking.

You get to know people by repeated activity and meeting regularly.
This means joining a group then consistently attending, and contributing to that group.

You build your reputation by what you give to others. The knowledge you share, the support you provide and the introductions you make.

This motivates others to give back to you and deliver you the results you deserve.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Successful people tend to be helpful people

I found this useful article on networking by Nigel Temple, the UK based marketing consultant, trainer, speaker and author.

Towards the end of the article Nigel suggests that you adopt a giving attitude in your networking & writes,

"Successful people tend to be helpful people. One of the reasons for this is that many people have helped them to get where they are today. They tend to be happy to give information, advice and (when you get to know them), introductions.

I suggest that you do what they do: give without expectation of return.

It's impossible to give in this life, without getting something of equal or greater value back in return
"

To read the full article go to nigeltemple.com/articles_networking.htm

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Baby Boomer Entrepreneurs

Baby Boomers, the generation born between 1946 and 1964 are participating in Baby Boomer entrepreneurship at amazing levels. Though Global Entrepreneurship Week and similar efforts are focusing upon getting young people to explore entrepreneurship, it is the Baby Boomers who are answering the call at unprecedented levels.

In recognition that Americans aged 55 to 64 start small businesses at a higher rate than any other age group, the U.S. Small Business Administration has decided to focus upon making resources available to this sector. A new site, http://www.sba.gov/50plusentrepreneur offers help to explore the benefits of business ownership at this age. The site seeks to offer helpful information to make choices about business ownership.

One of the key factors driving this development is a change in the way people in this age group seem to view retirement. A recent USA Today/Gallup poll says that 63% of non-retired adults in the United States plan to work into retirement. Most interesting is that this poll was before the current economic collapse and that people were making this decision for non-financial reasons. Most were saying they made the choice for the enjoyment they get from work. Most certainly, with the impact of the drop in the financial market, this group will swell due to people having financial concerns.

One smart entrepreneurial idea may be helping Baby Boomers who want to become entrepreneurs. The SBA site includes an Experience Corps comment that the number of Americans age 55 and older will almost double between 2007 and 2030 - from 60 million to 107.6 million. That certainly sounds like a niche market opportunity.

This is not a new trend. Nearly half the country's self employed workers - 7.4 million - are so Baby Boomers according to the U.S. Department of Labor. And a recent AARP study conducted by RAND Corporation discovered that one in three self-employed workers age 51 to 69 made the transition to self-employment at or after age 50. See the SBA site for more facts. Also see our directory on Entrepreneurship for New Entrepreneurs.

Shallie Bey

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Books for Entrepreneurs - The Back of the Napkin


When Dan Roam wrote The Back of the Napkin, he probably never thought he was writing a book for entrepreneurs. But that is exactly what he did. The book is about discovering ideas, developing ideas, and selling ideas. That is the entrepreneurship process. That is the way to develop entrepreneurial ideas and the foundation of the entrepreneurial mindset.

When Dan Roam wrote this book, he did have in mind presenting you with a set of visual thinking tools to help you learn how to tackle problems by looking better, seeing sharper, and imagining further. He does a marvelous job of accomplishing this task.

I have developed for my readers a Squidoo lens (Internet Directory) that takes you on a tour of the Internet on the topic of The Back of the Napkin. This site has excerpts from the book, YouTube presentations by the author and practical examples of how entrepreneurs have used this method to implement their entrepreneurial ideas. This is a great place to start if you are a young entrepreneur seeking to participate in Global Entrepreneurship Week.

Here is a quick sample of one of the videos you will find there.

Shallie Bey



Friday, October 10, 2008

Normal rules apply

Building Relationships over time is central to Networking.

I spoke to someone earlier this week who I had met previously at his first networking event. I asked him how it had been and he said he didn't think it was for him as nothing had come of it. I meet many people who seem to think that a single appearance or one off appearances in different groups is enough. The phone will ring continually, your inbox will be full of orders and you can sit back and relax. Yeah, right!

The normal rules of building relationships apply. Think of it like making friends. It takes time. Often being in the same place without even talking for the first few occasions. Good networking groups will shorten the time that it takes to get to know the other members, but it takes commitment to the group & not just one or two visits. The purpose of your first couple of visits should be to assess whether the group is right for you and your business and whether you are right for the group.

Once you find groups that are right for your business commit your time to attend regularly and build those relationships.

- Make contact with other members
- Find things in common
- Get to know people and follow up
- As they get comfortable with you they will be ready to meet 121
- When you meet 121 find out how you can help
- Educate people about you, your business and your needs
- Do things to help
- Make introductions
- Build your reputation & personal brand
- Go out of your way to advocate others

Then guess what? Good stuff happens to you too.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Why networking can be a waste of time

I presented to a group recently on how to get results from networking. The first part of the session was all about the things to consider first. These first steps are discussed in a recent NRG podcast, why are you networking and are you prepared?.

During the session one person said that he attended at least 3 networking meetings a week, but was struggling to generate any results. In fact, one of the other attendees shared that this person had developed a reputation for himself as someone who never followed up!

We dug a little deeper and he said he had never asked himself why he was networking. That meant he had never identified where he should network and what he was actually networking for. He simply thought it was something he ought to do and so he attended everything he could. Where possible he avoided any commitment to joining and his idea of a good event was one where all the people were new. This meant he was spending all his spare time on attending meetings and no time on following up and building profitable business relationships. He was wasting a lot of time.

Once he worked out why he was networking he worked out where to concentrate his efforts. He now invests his time productively in the groups that are right for him and his business and he is saving himself a lot of time and effort too.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

business networking | business networking events | business networking podcast

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Getting to know you

I have written and spoken before about people referring business to people they know, like and trust. Maybe this is in the wrong order and it should be like, know & trust. Many of us make an immediate judgment about liking someone or thinking they like us! The knowing and trusting bit takes longer, but sometimes it is assumed quickly and disappointment follows.

Many people seem to think that attending one meeting with people is enough. You do not generally get results after one networking meeting, but after a series of interactions when you really get to know someone.

You get to know someone by meeting them regularly & by engaging in conversation with them. Regular attendance at a networking group is a great way of building up a good number of relationships where people get to know each other. At the appropriate time it becomes natural to take some of these a little further. Then you can find and agree things that build the trust you need for a long lasting and mutually beneficial business relationship.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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Monday, September 29, 2008

Global Entrepreneurship Week Is Almost Here

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Is Global Entrepreneurship Week making you curious about how good an entrepreneur you can be? Well, the time to test yourself is coming closer and closer.

In November of 2008, during the week before Thanksgiving, the first ever Global Entrepreneurship Week will occur. It will encourage young people from around the world to explore entrepreneurship as a way of resolving many of the great challenges of the world.

In an effort to support Global Entrepreneurship Week I have scoured the Internet to collect some of the best advice on entrepreneurship that I could find. It is all organized on a Squidoo Directory to get you started.

This directory, called a lens by Squidoo, will 1) monitor the events leading up to Global Entrepreneurship Week, 2) Share insights on entrepreneurship, and 3) follow the progress once the event occurs.

Shallie Bey

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Friday, September 26, 2008

Can you do all your networking online?

With the explosion of Social Networking Websites you could be forgiven for thinking that you didn't need to go out any more.

The truth is that whilst these sites are essential parts of the overall mix they are no substitute for actually meeting people and building solid business relationships based on trust.

In a previous entry I mentioned Keller Fay research concluding that 72% of all Word of Mouth interaction takes place face to face. The report includes "... in their rush to jump on the online bandwagon, marketers have ignored one crucial fact: The real power of Word Of Mouth is offline, where most conversations still occur."

This mirrored our own findings into how networking works. Networking results follow from building trusted relationships first. Most of this trust building takes place to start with in regular attendance at face to face Group meetings and subsequently in follow up and 121 meetings.

Once you meet 121 there will, very likely, be a number of steps to take before you can advocate each other, but put the effort in and the rewards are there.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

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Thursday, September 25, 2008

Waterproofs for the Economic Storm

We had a great seminar last week with this title from 2 NRG members, Sally Rainbow-Ockwell of Action Coach and Nigel Morgan of Morgan PR.

They spoke about the importance of existing clients and demonstrated some really practical steps that you can take to convert them into Raving Fans. In fact how you could halve your marketing spend and double your turnover!

Your Network is also something that can help shelter you from the downturn. Many people do not make the most of the people they already know or have met. At this time you may want to consolidate and spend less time looking for new connections. Do you really know all the people in your existing Groups and network in general?

Now is the time to make sure you really, really get to know those other members. Do the follow up with those people you have been meaning to. Arrange those 121s that are vital in building your business relationships.

Be more proactive as the storm clouds gather.

The amount of overall business is still growing!

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Getting in front of the right person

Most owners of small businesses will tell you they don't have a problem with selling once they get in front of the right person, but they hate cold calling.

They will also tell you that most of their business comes via Word of Mouth.

So why not just wait for referrals from satisfied existing clients?

The problem is that they don't have a big enough client base to survive on this alone. So they need to generate this Word of Mouth from other sources. That's where Business Networking comes in. By creating strong business relationships with other Business Owners you can generate that vital Word of Mouth to get in front of more of the right people.

The more help you can provide to your network in defining the right people the better. Defining your right people will also help you find the right Networking Groups for you. Those where at least some of the members are connected to them!

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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Tuesday, September 23, 2008

A mixture of Networking and Pro Bono

I was talking with a lawyer friend in London last week from a small firm with 2 partners. Although small their client list is very impressive. People with the money to pay well when faced with the type of legal problem my friend is a specialist in. I asked how he had built his practice and he said "a mixture of Networking and Pro Bono work".

He went on to say that he does a lot of networking with other trusted advisers to his potential and existing clients. He also said there are other people very well connected with his clients that do a lot of unpaid voluntary and charitable work. He does as much Pro Bono work as he can for these people and their organisations. His clients, their advisers and these 'volunteers' keep him very busy in well paying, profitable work for others they recommend him to.

Do your potential clients have advisers and other contacts that you should be networking and sharing your expertise with?

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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Tuesday, September 16, 2008

How do you get business when nobody is buying?

I met someone recently who said "The trouble with networking groups is everyone is selling, but nobody is buying". We discussed this a little further and he had been attending 'networking' meetings that were billed as 'the opportunity to find your next client'. Promotion for the meetings described typical attendees as 'decision makers'. In that context he was right as the wrong expectation had been set for people like him. Everyone was trying to sell to each other!

A couple of other people had joined the conversation by this stage. One said "I get all of my business from networking, but I don't sell. Nobody likes being sold to so I build trusted relationships with people that can refer me to their contacts".

She was right and had highlighted the big difference between selling and networking.

Selling is when you are engaged in direct activity with your target market.

Networking is when you are building relationships with others who can introduce & refer you into your target market.

So if you are looking for business directly from the people you meet that is selling. Successful networking builds regular business for the future.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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Monday, September 15, 2008

Entrepreneurship In A Word: Part 3 – Advisers


No matter how experienced you are as an entrepreneur, you depend upon growing by having good advisers. The challenge is making sure that your advisers are supporting your goals and dreams and not just selling you their own.

Joan Magretta, strategy editor of the Harvard Business Review during the 1990s and author of the delightful book, What Management Is: How It Works and Why It's Everyone's Business, has an interesting insight. She calls it “advice without context”.

She observed that the number of books and major articles on management has grown to over two thousand per year. Most of these focus upon a single idea in isolation and often out of context. But the practical reader wants ideas they can quickly use, so most literature is full of lessons learned and concrete to-do lists – the ten things you can do today to be effective or savvy.

The problem is that 10 things from each of 2000 sources suddenly turns into an overwhelming twenty thousand suggestions to you each year. This doesn’t even include the advice from friends, relatives, business consultants, customers, other successful entrepreneurs, and in today’s age the Internet. This is the problem of advice without context. Every piece of advice must be placed in the context of your personal goals and your business plan. This is the reason that you design your business plan to be your tool for designing your business. You must know not only what to do but why the advice supports your goals. So, as an entrepreneur, make sure you understand the motives of your advisers.


Thursday, September 4, 2008

When the going gets tough

There is an old saying "When the going gets tough the tough get going". I think it would probably be more accurate to say "When the going gets tough the tough keep going". If you are already proactive then you will be ready.

I was talking with a couple of NRG-networks members after a networking lunch earlier this week. You will no doubt have heard the words 'credit crunch' bandied around and we were talking about the domestic property market. This week the UK Government scrapped Stamp Duty on some properties to try and stimulate movement amongst first time buyers in particular. One of the members mentioned two similar sized and neighbouring estate agency firms. In the previous month one had sold four properties and the other over 30! Both operate from similar High Street properties. Both have a similar web presence. Both have similar local advertising. What are they doing differently? He had seen activity reports from both.

The one who sold four was pretty much waiting for business to walk in as it obviously did during the boom years. They are sending out property details, but they are not following up. They are busy filing, keeping the desks tidy, having another coffee, making sure the computers and phones are clean. All important, but not likely to produce business without other productive activity.

The other is doing all these and also proactively building relationships with more potential buyers. They are actively networking in local groups. They are keeping in regular contact with their existing network, people on their database, old clients etc. As they receive new instructions they are also sending out details. They are also contacting prospective buyers by phone, email, letter, newsletters, etc. They are actively arranging meetings and trying new activities. They are keeping up and even increasing their productive activity. They have captured nearly all of the local market.

Are you concentrating on keeping busy or on your productive activity especially the following up?

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Do you have any good stories?

My previous 2 posts shared some experiences during a recent seminar I gave on "How to avoid the 3 common mistakes in Getting your Message Across". During the seminar we helped 3 volunteers work on these things.

The 3rd mistake often made is not using examples. Using stories to illustrate what you do.

One of our volunteers had to think a bit & then had a really great story.
With some real time feedback we were able to turn it into something that highlighted real business benefit together with something to differentiate them. There was also a really topical feel to it in the present economic climate.

His company develops software systems for companies that have reached the stage where they need bespoke development, but cannot really afford an in house team. A recent client is an Estate Agency firm where they have helped reduce operating costs to a fifth of what they were. They have testimonials that the client really thinks of them as their in house team such is their understanding of his business. This means their client is not only surviving the current property downturn, but taking advantage of new opportunities & increasing market share.

What stories do you have where you can quickly illustrate the problems you fix?

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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Sunday, August 24, 2008

Does your network understand what you do?

In my previous post I mentioned the NRG seminar I presented on "How to avoid the 3 common mistakes in Getting your Message Across" before. During the seminar we helped 3 volunteers work on these 3 things.

The 2nd mistake often made is not expressing your proposition in a way that is readily understood. What you really do for your customers.

Our 3 volunteers received a lot of hard questioning on this one. One of them was having a hard job explaining how he helped companies make more money from their existing customers with better use of their data.

Someone said "Do you mean so they can use it like Amazon or Tesco?"

Our volunteer said "Yes, exactly!"

The feedback was unanimous. Use that to illustrate your message.

Is there anything you could use that would be more meaningful to your audience?

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Does your network know who to refer you to?

I presented a seminar on "How to avoid the 3 common mistakes in Getting your Message Across" before an NRG lunch last week. During the seminar we helped 3 volunteers work on these 3 things.

The 1st mistake often made is not being clear about your target market. Who do you want as customers?

In a couple of cases our "guinea pigs" had data on exactly the customers they wanted. However, they were not sharing this & were talking in very general terms.
If you know who you want to talk to then share this information. Real company names mean much more then talking about types & sizes of business. Much more powerful then talking about types & sizes of business which can often mean very different things to different people.

Is there any work you could do on naming the organisations that you would like to do business with?

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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Sunday, August 17, 2008

How to get more referrals

I was speaking with a member of NRG in a 121 meeting last week.
He asked how he could get more referrals.
I shared a story about someone else in my network.

This person had spent a lot of time networking and in follow up meetings.
The results were disappointing from the time invested.
He had set himself a target for getting referrals and was not achieving this.
Then he changed his focus and set himself a target for giving referrals.
As he stretched himself & exceeded this target he began to receive many more.

So the the answer to getting more referrals - give more!

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
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Saturday, August 16, 2008

Entrepreneurship In A Word: Part 2 – Discipline


Entrepreneurs, regardless of what industry they are in, tend to follow similar patterns as they establish and grow their businesses. If you want to be successful faster than normal or at a greater scale than normal, you will do well to understand the patterns that lead to problems and the patterns that lead to success.

 

Discipline…control gained by obedience and training…is the key to putting the knowledge of patterns into play. After all, successful development of your business depends first upon having a good strategy and then upon good implementation.

 

Many business owners approach starting a new business as though it is an instinctive skill. They think that if they know how to cook chicken, they are fully equipped to open a chicken restaurant. It is this pattern of following your instincts, flying by the seat of your pants, that causes so many people to run into the same problems.

 

The discipline of starting a business begins with the fundamental three planning questions:

 

  1. Where are you now? This is about getting oriented to your current situation. If you have never owned a business before, you have a bigger learning curve ahead of you than the person who is opening their third business. If you have vast financial resources, you face a different starting point than the person who is already in debt.

  2. Where are you going? This is where you define your objective? Do you want a solo opportunity that will grant you a few hundred dollars extra income or are you looking to be at the top of the INC 500 in five years? What is it that you want to build?

  3. How are you going to get there? You might think of this as the bridge that you must build to cross the chasm between where you are now and where you want to be. You might call this your strategy.

Slow down to act with discipline. Begin by answering these three questions. You are likely to accelerate your overall success.

 

No one embodies the concept of discipline more than Marines. Look at how their discipline inspires us to think of them as super humans.

 

Talk with a drill sergeant. Ask them about recruits getting off the bus on day 1 of Boot Camp. Do you think they achieve becoming…one of the few…one of the proud…flying by the seat of their pants? Are you ready to begin your training? Will you inspire the people who must do business with you… your employees, your vendors, your lenders, your customers?

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Monday, August 11, 2008

Entrepreneurship In A Word -- Identity

Entrepreneurial success begins with knowing who you ARE. Unfortunately, many of the success formulas that will be dangled before you will be based upon HAVE/DO/BE.

These advisors tell you that you must HAVE stuff to be able to DO the right things. And if you DO the right things, you will BE a success.

The true formula works exactly in reverse: BE/DO/HAVE. If you will BE who you are in a genuine way, you will DO the right things. If you DO the right things, you will HAVE genuine results.

The best advisors to entrepreneurs focus upon having you plan your life before planning your business.

Michael Gerber, famed author of The E-Myth Revisited, calls this finding your Primary Aim. He puts it this way:

"I doubt that by now you’d be surprised to find out that I don’t believe your
business to be the first order of business on your agenda.

You are.

Nor will you be surprised to hear that I don’t believe your business is your life, though it can play a significantly important role in your life.

But before you can determine what that role will be, you must ask these questions:

· What do I value most?

· What kind of life do I want?

· What do I want my life to look like?

· Who do I wish to be?

Your Primary Aim is the answer to all these questions."


Startup Nation has the same message: “Plan your life, then your business.”

See their excellent discussion of how to make this plan at:

http://www.startupnation.com/steps/55/
3751/1/1/create-life-plan.htm

Look for the download templates of the sample life plan and the template to create your own life plan.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Follow Up, Follow Up, Follow Up!

A few days ago I mentioned a Radio Interview about what happens after the networking meeting, the follow up. Following up is the way to build those business relationships that networking is all about.

I found a great quote from Joy Weaver that sums it up perfectly:

"Follow up! Follow up! Follow up!
This is the key to building relationships with others"


Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

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Tuesday, August 5, 2008

A Symphony In Four Parts...The Art of Starting A New Business

Every business idea has to begin with a thought. That thought has to be developed. Regardless of the type business, there are certain universal principles that apply.

The 30 Day Challenge is designed to help an entrepreneur focus upon those principles to test the potential of a new idea. Ed Dale, the face of the 30 Day Challenge, shares the key concepts that he describes as a symphony. Like a symphony, it depends upon blending the right parts, in the right amount, in the right order, with the right timing.

Ed introduces the 30 Day Challenge and describes the four parts of the symphony:
1. Market Research
2. Traffic
3. Conversion
4. Product

A conservative estimate is that 95% of mistakes are made in the MARKET RESEARCH stage. This is because most people don't do the MARKET RESEARCH.

Following this universal pattern can't guarantee a success every time. The beauty is that it will help eliminate the stuff that will not work.

Whether you are doing a traditional business or an Internet business, the MARKET RESEARCH capability of the Internet opens new roads to success in starting a new business or growing an established business.



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Saturday, August 2, 2008

Ed Dale's Free 30 Day Challenge In Marketing Training

The past 24 hours have been amazing to me as a lifelong learner. I have added a tremendous amount of marketing wisdom due to an absolutely free resource.

Ed Dale is a marketing leader who specializes in the Internet. He is offering his 4th 30 Day Challenge. This is a way of using Internet resources to market a business that is either online or bricks and mortar. It assumes that your total level of computer skill is to be able to open a browser and to use e-mail.

As a business coach, I spend a lot of time researching marketing issues and helping my clients. In the past 24 hours, what I have learned has at least doubled my efficiency.

Though the program began officially on August 1, you can still join. There are an amazing number of resources, particularly videos, to make it easy for you to catch up and work at your pace.

To get more information, follow this link:

http://www.ThirtyDayChallenge.com/challenge/25809


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Friday, August 1, 2008

Audio Clip - What happens after the networking meeting?

I was interviewed on the radio recently by Chantal Cooke of Passion for the Planet.
The main topic was what happens after you meet someone at an event.
The follow up!

You can listen at the following link:

Dave Clarke interviewed by Chantal Cooke of Passion for the Planet

To hear more Inspiring Good Business interviews from Chantal go to PassionforthePlanet.com & look for Passion Select.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

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Thursday, July 31, 2008

Quality or Quantity?

Last week I was interviewed for a research project on Networking.
One of the questions asked was whether I favoured a quantity or quality approach. My view is that the 2 are not incompatible although there is confusion.

If you start from the premise that networking is about building relationships then over time you will develop a number of quality relationships. You have a finite resource of time and so your capacity for these relationships is a limited number. As you build trust these 'advocates' will help spread your reputation far and wide. You will not get to like or trust everyone you meet so you need to meet a larger number of people in order to develop these 'quality' relationships. The quality is therefore an outcome of quantity. The right networking groups are an efficient way of filtering & building these 'quality' relationships.

Where I see confusion is amongst those people who seem to think that networking is about meeting lots of people once. People who attend different events with different people all of the time. That type of activity does not build relationships & misses the point of networking entirely.

Good Networking!
Dave Clarke
Get 7 networking secrets for business success

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Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Sir Richard Branson Knows Joe Polish…Joe Knows…

Early this week, I received a surprise gift box from Amazon.com containing a DVD and a note:

Enjoy the DVD!
Best, Joe Polish

Some advice givers say, “It’s not what you know, but who you know!”

Others say, “It’s not who you know, but who knows you!”

Still others say, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care”.

Regardless of which advice rings true for you, you need to know what Joe knows. Joe is one of the world’s leading advocates of relationship marketing: the concept that people like to do business with people they know, like, and trust. And Joe proves the principle by investing in relationships, often by giving gifts like the DVD about the life of a famous man that he thought I would find inspiring.

Joe is one of the kindest, most generous people that I have ever met. Over the past three years that I have known him, he has expanded my horizons significantly.

Through such generosity in the form of charitable contributions, he came to know Sir Richard Branson. Not only personally benefiting from that association, Joe has opened doors for friends and clients of his company, Piranha Marketing, to gain access to that wisdom. He even recently arranged for a group to spend a week on Necker Island, Branson’s private island, to meet and talk with Sir Richard.

If you doubt how valuable an opportunity that can be, you need to know of the book, Millionaire Upgrade, by Richard Parkes Cordock. The book is inspired by the true story of an eight-hour flight with Sir Richard Branson. It describes the principles of success that a frustrated employee learned about becoming an entrepreneur when he was upgraded on a long haul flight and finds himself sitting next to a self-made billionaire.

The book shares eight principles and a “magic ingredient” that ties the principles together. Though I won’t share the details of the “magic ingredient”, I will share one portion of it:

“Never think you can do it alone – you can’t”

That is why I am thankful that Joe knows me!

Thanks Joe!

For more information on Joe Polish and to see him interview Sir Richard Branson, go to
http://www.joepolish.com/.