1. Don’t confuse Networking with Selling.  They are not synonymous. Do not attend a networking event with the intent of making a sale.

2. Be yourself.  People sense when you are putting on ‘airs.’

3. Be sincere. 

4. Put your ‘best face forward.’  When you look good, you feel great!  I have a good friend who built an entire business just on this one concept.

5. Come prepared with an introduction that is specific, short and gets people asking for more information.  AKA Elevator Speech

6. Take an interest in others.  (Be genuine when doing this. If you are asking questions while looking at your watch, you are sending the wrong message.)

7. Set your goals ahead of time. For instance, perhaps you only want to meet 1 new person and socialize with old friends.

8. Be known as a connector.  People will come to you to ask for introductions, when you are a connector.

9. Work on the proper hand shake.

10. Did I say?: “Networking is NOT selling.”

Business to Business Networking vs Small Business Networking

Referral groups do not seem to work well for some industries. If you are a business sales person, who calls on other businesses, instead of the individual consumer or individual business owner, a Business to Business Network Referral Group is probably a great way for you to increase your sales. 

I never truly understood the power of networking until we first started our Business to Business networking group program back in 2004.  Until then I was familiar with the typical Small Business Networking group.  I’d even been a member of our largest competition organization in the past…..twice. You always have the residential realtor and the lender, along with an insurance agent, a MaryKay cosmetics representative, chiropractor, etc.  Initially people do pass leads…..everyone enjoys the weekly meetings….well, at least in i Take The Lead Networking Referral Groups.  However, too often in a Small Business Networking group, once everyone is done doing business with the other members, the referrals dry up. Because the decision makers generally are not part of the Business to Business Network Group, the members are forced to bring in outside referrals. 

Here are some tips to keep in mind if you want to have success in any referral group:

• Get Clear on who your target market is
• Learn how to educate your Business to Business Network partners the best ways to send referrals to you
• Be sure to follow up with referrals quickly
• Thank the person providing the referral
• Let the others know you have followed up quickly and thoroughly
• Bring value to the team

Referral groups are a great way to increase your sales, but bear in mind that the purpose is to share referrals, not to sell to each other.  Keep in mind that Networking is NOT the same thing as Selling

Ronnie Noize http://www.veronikanoize.com is one of the most talented professionals I know. I think you will agree that this article reveals her wit, as well as her wisdom. Ronnie knows how to market your business or how to market you, if you are your business!

Not long ago, I was highly motivated to join a gym.  I did my research, and identified two gyms to check out.  After making appointments to speak with a sales person at each gym, I felt confident that I would find the right gym for me. 

The sales person at the first gym welcomed me, showed me the weight room, the swimming pools, and the women’s locker room before politely showing me the door.

Standing in front of the gym after my quick tour, I wondered why he didn’t ask me to sign up on the spot, and I came to the conclusion that there was something wrong with me.  I checked my breath, then (embarrassing but true) I opened my jacket to see if I smelled. 

Nope.

Obviously, this was not the gym for me, so off I went to the next gym.  This time I was prepared with my credit card in my hand during the tour so that there would be no doubt that I was ready to buy.  Again, the sales person greeted me warmly, showed me the amenities, and showed me the door.

Ouch.  I knew I didn’t smell, but wondered if I were too old, ugly, fat, or offensive to join a gym?

Get a grip, I told myself.  Both of these sales folks are very young, just out of college, so perhaps they know of a new sale technique that is not familiar to me.  Perhaps they are trying to build my desire to join a gym to a higher level.  That must be it: They want me to really want it!

Secure in the knowledge that I had figured it out, I waited for the follow up call that I knew would come.  After all, hadn’t I been very specific about my interest in joining a gym sooner rather than later?  Hadn’t I made it clear that I was ready, willing, and financially able to assume a gym membership?

Maybe so, but was anyone listening? 

Neither sales person (now you see why I have not referred to them as sales “professionals”) bothered to call me to see if I was ready to join. 

The lesson?  OK, not what you might think: Not that young sales people are not competent, which it might seem to be, because I have experienced similar situations with sales folks of all ages.

No, the lesson was that it is the seller’s responsibility to facilitate the solution the prospect is seeking, and ask for the business.

And then it hit me: I was equally guilty of the same thing.  I was making the very same mistake as the greenest guys!

How many times had people come to me for help solving a marketing problem, and after determining that I could help, I failed to ask for the business?  Did I expect my prospects to demand that I accept them as clients? Force me to accept their money?

I cringe at the memory of how some people must have felt after a conversation with me that did not result in a clear invitation to work together.

Asking for the business is possibly the single most effective thing you’ll ever do, but more than that, it is your obligation as the professional to let your prospects know that you want to help them and are able to help them.  It is your responsibility to invite them to work with you.  It is your responsibility to ask. So if you are not asking, you’re making a mistake. STOP IT.

Searching for the right words to use to ask your prospects for the business?  Choose the words or phrase that works for you, or be inspired to create your own way to ask, but for your clients’ sake, ASK them to work with you!

A Marketing Mistake to Stop Making © 2006-9 Veronika Noize.  All rights reserved.

Happy New Year! 2011 is finally here!  And you want to increase your business and/or your sales.  So how do you go about doing that?

If Networking is NOT about Selling, then what good is it?  Here are some ways to gain from networking:

Power Partners - By joining a referral group (i Take The Lead is just one of your options http://www.itakethelead)  you will meet others you can classify as your Power Partners. These are professionals/businesses who call on the same clients as you. Having Power Partners can lead to Joint Ventures.  This can be a very effective way of duplicating  your efforts.

Referrals – Networking is a great way to get referrals, in addition to providing them. Want to be your clients hero? Refer them to someone you know, like and trust, who can solve their biggest problems.

Public Speaking – Many events/referral groups have a 10 minute spot where members take turns to making a presentation to the group.  You have the opportunity to build up your skills by practicing first with your 60-second commercial every weeki.  This is an excellent way to practice your speaking skills in a supportive environment.

I’m buzzing. No, I’m not on some kind of drug, but I did manage to take a whole week off from business, from the daily routines of meeting, greeting, and networking with others, as well daily routines of answering the perpetual email stream that flows in at a rate of 200 per day.

Vacationing to me is having new adventures, doing a little sight seeing, and always, but always, reading! For several years I’ve been a huge proponent of Law of Attraction. Long before The Secret, long before it was the ‘trendy’ thing to do. One day I realized that one of the key components to the success we’ve endured in our business http://www.itakethelead.com is a law of nature; like-minded professionals attract other like-minded professionals.  

If you ever have the opportunity to pick up “Excuse me, Your Life is Waiting” I’d grab it! Lynn Grabhorn is witty, fun, and really keeps me engaged with her stories. This is a yearly read for me.  While I was reading through, I realized that Lynn offers some sage advice for anyone who networks. Have you ever felt in a slump…had one of those off days…and attended some kind of networking function anyway? How’d it go? Kind of what I thought…..you’d have been better off curled up with the cat and blanket watching the tube!

Advice from Lynn:” Since we’re sort of dead batteries until we get charged, I found the best way to get a buzz started was by doing something physical that would jump-start me into a nice feeling. So lacking cables, I use a smile!”

“That’s right, a meaningful little smile, the kind that feels like butter melting on a hot roll; the kind of smile you couldn’t help but break into at the sight of newborn kittens tumbling all over each other, or a baby giggling just for the sake of giggling. Not a phony grin, but a loving, tender smile as if a youngster had just brought you their most cherished treasure. As you take that felling and pull it up from the inside, you’ll feel yourself smiling the deepest point of your being. Now you’re at what I call the Gentle Inner Smile, a warm lovely sensation that feels like a soft buzz or a delicate whirling.”

I arrived back home to a chilly temperature of 30 degrees, snow on the ground, and ice layered on the windows of the neighbors’ vehicles. As a matter of fact, today was supposed to be my first day back at networking, but going out in the cold was not looking very appealing. So I prepped for the meeting by getting a soft buzz going.  It worked, and the meeting was a total success….maybe because I was on top of my game!

By Veronika (Ronnie) Noize, the Marketing Coach

Hey gal, do you know what you really need to know to market your business effectively?  If you’re like most women in business, you started your business because you are in love with an idea or a product, and are firmly convinced that everybody else in the world will be just as enamored of the product or service as you are. 

After all, most of us believe that we are savvy buyers, and if we like something, then we believe that every other rational person in the world would like it, too.

Not so fast, Oprah.  That’s not how it works.

Women entrepreneurs do have some natural advantages in business.  Very often, we are excellent at the soft skills such as communication, connection, empathy, and persuasion.  Those skills (and not blonde hair and a big rack) are why many women are so successful in sales positions.  But those skills often aren’t enough make a business work in the long term (or even to get it off the ground).

As a marketing coach, I’ve worked with hundreds of women entrepreneurs, and I see the same mistakes being made over and over again by smart capable women who were very successful while working in the corporate world. 

While this may come as a shock to some of you gals, there is no product, service, or idea that has ever been developed for sale that appeals to everybody.

Not everybody wants to be thinner, richer, smarter, blonder, sexier, taller, better hydrated, fresher-smelling, chemically enhanced, or more physically fit than they already are.  Not everybody wants a six-step all-natural skin-care regimen, a five-piece poly-cotton wardrobe that can be packed in your handbag for those spontaneous weekend trips to Hawaii, or kicky funky costume jewelry ensembles to match every mood and outfit.  And not everybody wants to take advantage of once-in-a-lifetime-ground-floor opportunities, make money from their down-lines, or cash in on the latest investment trends.

The question we need to ask ourselves is this:  Who really wants what you’ve got, and who is ready, willing and able to pay for it?  And finally, who will be thrilled with it?

Once we can identify who is most likely to buy from us, and who is seeking our solution to a specific problem, then all we have to do is let that person know that we exist.  This is much easier, much cheaper, and much faster than trying to sell ourselves to someone who just plain isn’t already ready or willing to buy what we’re selling.

And while that may be bad news for some network marketers, in terms of marketing your product or services, that’s actually pretty good news!  Because marketing to everybody is time-consuming and expensive, and I have yet to meet an entrepreneur who is willing to spend much more than 10% (if that) of their annual revenues on marketing.

Of all the many reasons to focus on a specific target market as your ideal client, the one I like best is that really happy clients become your unpaid marketing department.  Seriously, though, by focusing on a certain type of problem/solution for a specific type of client, you enhance your problem-solving skills and get really familiar with that category of issues (and therefore more valuable in the eyes of that client).

Once you are crystal clear about who your clients really are, the key elements of your marketing plan such as your niche, “elevator speech” or self-introduction, and the tactics you need to use to reach your clients, become so much easier to identify, which in turn helps you determine what you need to do to market yourself effectively.  And of course, marketing to a smaller pool of prospects is easier, quicker, and less expensive than marketing to a huge pool. 

So unless you have an unlimited marketing budget and nothing but time, money, and energy to spend, my advice as your marketing coach is that you focus on the easiest, quickest, and least expensive sale – your ideal client.  That, my friend, is how you leverage all your natural assets, and make a spectacular success of your business.

About the author
Veronika (Ronnie) Noize, the Marketing Coach, is the author of “How to Create a Killer Elevator Speech” and “How to Double Your Business in 30 Minutes a Day.” A dynamic speaker and unconditionally supportive coach, Ronnie helps small businesses attract more clients.  Ronnie’s web site is a comprehensive resource with free articles and valuable marketing tools for small office/home office business professionals.  Visit her web site at www.VeronikaNoize.com, or call her at 360-882-1298.

What Women Really Need to Know to Market a Business © Veronika Noize 2005.  All
rights reserved.

This last week, I had the opportunity to hear one of i Take The Lead Portland’s most popular Special Guest Speakers: Dotty Scott.  Dotty has a knack for taking a complicated subject and making it easy for us non-techies to understand.  This particular presentation provided some great tips on Blogging for Business.

She’s is one of my favs!!  Shy, introverted, and one of the best networkers I know, Dotty took a part-time business and has successfully built it into a thriving, full-time enterprise!  Premium Websites http://www.premiumwebsites.net  The best part? Dotty did this by networking in person as well as by using Social Media sites, such as Facebook and Linked In!!

James Klingensmith, owner of i Take The Lead Colorado http://www.itakethelead.com was vising us all here in Portland this last week, from Denver.  He LOVES to network and truly understands the value and how to make it happen!  As a matter of fact, he has his own radio blog show, that I’m going to listen to this week.

This week on this radio show, James will be interviewing  Jodi Tripp – No More Naked Phones http://www.nomorenakedphones.com  

Tuesday, October 12th at 2:00 PM PST

James says: “We want to learn more about your business, so today we will take your calls ON AIR. We will also answer your tough networking questions.

As you might know iTTL is the fastest growing referral organization in the Denver, Seattle, Rogers AR Metro Areas.

We are dedicated to promoting your business. Get your questions ready and Call in.”

Here is the Call in Number: (347) 934-0911

Listen in here is the link…

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/itakethelead/2010/06/15/networking-101

It’s commonly believed that most introverts are shy, but I happen to be a shy extrovert. Introverts often avoid social situations because being around people drains their energy. They need time to be alone to ‘recharge.’ Extraverts, on the other hand, seek out others and enjoy being social.  

I love people and interacting with people. I am at my best when I am connecting with others; I become energized. However, over the years I’ve been painfully shy when attending functions with multiple people that I do not know.

Do you ever have to force yourself to attend networking events? Some simple suggestions to keep in mind:

#1 Invite a friend. I do recommend mingling with others, but at least you know you have  one friendly person you can seek out if networking becomes too awkward for you.  

#2 Very often, I happen to be the host; however, when I’m not, I pretend to be the host. What I mean by that is that as a nurturing spirit, I’m most comfortable when I am helping others feel comfortable.  Try it. Walk up to others, extend your hand and introduce yourself. You’ve just made a new friend.

#3 Have a Game Plan. Set goals. For instance, you may decide that you have been successful, if you make 3 new contacts.  Perhaps your goal is as many as 10 new contacts. Plan ahead and stick with your plan.

Remember that Networking is about connecting and serving.  Be ready to serve. Above all, have fun

Are you likable ? You may have great knowledge and be fully capable in your industry, but if others do not like you, they will not refer to you.  Some simple tips on becoming more likable may help you put the pieces of the puzzle together:

• First impressions are lasting impressions. Always put your best foot forward. Yes, dressing appropriately, wearing deodorant, bathing, and using mouth wash are suggested acts for leaving a positive lasting impression.
• Be interested in others.
• Listen. Are you busy thinking about what you’re going to say next, or are you actually listening?
• Ronnie Noize, Google’s #1 Marketing Coach http://www.VeronikaNoize.com  says that Networking is about connecting and serving. Connecting others is a great way to be of service. Those can be some of the most powerful referrals.
• Never, ever, ever confuse networking with selling. No one likes to be sold.