Wednesday, February 17, 2010

SHOULD I JOIN A LEADS GROUP


In the course of my networking journey, I go to a ton of meetings. One of the first regular networking groups that I joined was a local “leads” group. It was a free-standing group, without affiliation to either a chamber of commerce or a national leads group. I enjoyed the camaraderie of the group, and even though I was acknowledged as giving more referrals than any other member, it did not lead to an expansion of my business. So after well over a year, I decided to move on.


Although this is not meant to be a total list, some of the more common groups you may have heard of are Business Networking International (BNI), LeTip International, and a new group in my area, TEAM Networking groups. In your area, there may also be groups that are strictly local, such as my first networking group, and it is worthwhile sorting them out.


Before joining such a group, there are things to consider.


What constitutes a Leads Group?


  1. Meetings are held regularly, as often as weekly.
  2. Only one representative of a category is allowed, e.g. only one realtor, or financial planner, or mortgage broker, or electrician, or computer specialist, or, whatever.
  3. Most such groups would prefer that you only belong to their group, because how can you give referrals to multiple realtors, or mortgage brokers, or etc.?

Advantages of a Leads Group:

  1. Meeting every week allows you to get to know the other members.
  2. When members get to know you, they will feel comfortable using your service.
  3. When they get to know you, they will give you referrals.
  4. Depending on the leads group, members may have been screened before they are invited to join the group.
  5. You may be mentored in the group so that your networking skills improve.
  6. The group may offer training programs, especially if your group is part of a larger organization.

Disadvantages of a Leads Group:

  1. The initial fee may be as pricey as joining a chamber of commerce or a national organization.
  2. There may be a renewal fee.
  3. There are monthly dues, whether you are able to attend a meeting or not.
  4. You may be penalized if you miss a number of meetings.
  5. They may expect you to find a replacement for you if you need to be absent.
  6. There may be penalties if you do not supply other members with referrals.
  7. The members may not be people you choose to do business with, or feel comfortable giving referrals to.

Be sure you visit the group as many times as they allow, before you are obliged to make a decision. Find out what you get for the initiation fee, and will it help you. If there is mentoring within the group, take advantage of it. If there are training workshops, be sure to attend. Make your membership work for you. And finally, if you have the chance to take a more active role in the group, offer to be the greeter at the meetings. This way you get to meet everyone who comes to the group as a visitor. Those folks may also be good candidates for your business or service.


Happy Networking


Kaaren

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

BEING PREPARED FOR NETWORKING












What Do You Take With You Every Day?

When I leave the house, I have a sign on the door leading to the garage with a list of all the things I must take with me:

1. Business cards: how many do I need for the event? Which cards (if I have more than one style that I use) am I taking? Do I have my business card holder in my purse? Do I have a table top holder filled with cards?

2. Flyers: do I have information sheets that I can hand to someone if they have a question about an event I have mentioned, or a benefit of my product, or how to contact me?

3. Samples: do I have samples or examples of my product that I can give to someone who asks? Or do I have examples of the product I am marketing, so people can actually see what they can expect to get?

4. Calendar: I always carry my calendar, so that I can make appointments to follow up with people I meet. If you have your appointment calendar in your phone or PDA, make sure you update it, or sync it with the calendar on your computer daily so it is always up to date.

5. Phone: Yes, I have actually gone off to an appointment without my cell phone. So, be sure to check that off your list before you leave the house.

6. Directions: do you have the address of the appointment you are going to? Have you a map, or directions, or a GPS unit that can help make sure you get to where you are going? Be sure to double check with the person you are meeting to see if there are any snags with getting there. One of the meetings I went to last fall was at someone's home, and both the online directions and GPS unit did not acomodate a closed-off street that made it really tricky to find. Unfortunately my hostess did not alert me to this possibility, and I didn't think to ask.

7. Food/Snacks: if you will be out all day, or past a mealtime, do you need to take some snacks with you? This ends up being an issue for me sometimes, so I usually pack a lunch if I am going to be gone from the house for an extended period.

8. Computer and Computer Accessories: Have you ever left the house with your laptop in its case, and when you got to your appointment realized you didn't have the cords you needed? That can put a real damper on a presentation.

9. Outfitting Your Car: One way to make sure you have what you need is to always carry a portable file or roll-around file in your car that has your materials and/or products. And be sure to put any portable display in the car before you leave for your appointment (see pictures).

When you are this organized your days and appointments will go smoother, but be sure at least once a week to go through your file and restock what you have given away.

Happy Networking.

Kaaren


Monday, February 8, 2010

Check out my latest blog post: http://tinyurl.com/ydyytdf

PROSPECTING SYSTEMS





Meeting with some colleagues today getting ready for a workshop we are doing, and I mentioned the concept of "Prospecting." One of my friends laughed. She had never heard anyone use that phrase before. But isn't it just totally apt? We are prospecting for gold all the time. We are looking for new customers, new business partners, and the 20% who do decide to join us in our business that will help us take it to the top.

Where are you prospecting for gold? Are you going where the geologists tell you is a vein of gold? Are you panning in a creek full of gold nuggets? Or are you dipping a net into a lake, and wondering why you are getting guppies instead of beautiful yellow stones you can take to the bank?

Gordon Hawkins described his best prospects in the category of his Natural Market: the people with whom he could relate, and with whom he liked to work. He said his market was not any particular occupation, profession, or specific needs group, but once a person mastered awareness of his natural market, he would be more successful. So how do YOU find your natural market? According to Hawkins, try these four steps:

1. List the names of the last 20 people you sold your product to, or brought into your business.

2. Out of those individuals, think to yourself, "What do I like about this person? Do I enjoy being around them?" Now place a check mark next to the names of the people you relate best with.

3. Review the characteristics of the people you like, and think about why these individuals bought from you, or joined you in your business.

4. Place a check mark by the names of the individuals you feel genuinely like you. Wherever you see a double check mark, that is your kind of person.

These people represent your Natural Market. So now take a look at people that might be included in your warm market list who share the characteristics of the people you like and that like you, and if they meet the four basic requirements (see Blog Post 12/20/2009), they should be next on your list to talk to. Next go to the referrals from people you know. Then how about the people you write checks to each month? They should at least be willing to give you a few minutes to hear about your products or business, and if they aren't interested, perhaps you need reconsider those relationships.

Happy Prospecting, and keep panning for GOLD!

Kaaren

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Which Social Media Platform Are You Using?

In putting together a presentation, I just found this information through one of my Twitter connections:



So which sites are you using to market your business? And how are you doing that?

Just ran across a great summary of a vast array of marketing tips by Joshua Horton. He suggests the following: Article marketing, video marketing, and blogging. And he suggests a pretty hefty schedule at that: write two articles each day, shoot two videos each day, update your blog daily, and add 30 to 100 friends each day minimum.

I don't know about you, but that sounds like a lot of work. So I say, pick the most popular site, and work on that one for a while. And remember, this is about business, and bringing value to the table. So when you post, keep it professional, keep it relatively brief, and make sure it isn't just an add for your business.

Happy Networking.

Kaaren