networking Archives - Nuggets of Wisdom from 40 Years of Self Employment

How to choose the right networks for you #3 of 3

September 25, 2021 No Comments

Business owners all network but which ones are right for you?

We business owners all do it. It’s one of the best ways to get you and your business known. You can do it anywhere – at formal networks, conferences, workshops, or in line at the bank or grocery store.

One of my clients was at a dental appointment. The receptionist made a comment about liking her purse and asked where she got it. She said it was something she sold and that she would get one for the her. She hurried home (fortunately nearby) after her appointment and came back with one for the woman. What profitable networking!

All of the women I interviewed in the past for blog posts , I’ve met networking. It really works.

But this post is about finding the right networking groups for you. In a previous one I described the 11 Characteristics of a Network. Read that one first. Then this is the next step after that one.

What should you know?

There are several questions to ask about a network to see if it’s one that you like, resonate with, and has your ideal client in it.

But before you begin this process you need to answer these three questions: Who is my ideal client and target market?, What is the outcome that I want at this event? and What do I want people to do as a result of meeting me?

Now you’re ready to ask yourself the following questions.

Who referred you to this network? Was it someone you know well and trust? Have they gone to it? What did they say about it?
Does this network demonstrate the values that you have?
What is the organizer like? We know that we attract people like ourselves. Be sure your values are similar to his or hers.
Has it come up often in conversation with other business owners as a network you should attend?
How many of the characteristics in my post 11 Characteristics of a network meet your criteria? One? Two? Several?
What is the purpose that the owner has? Do they want to connect you with lots of others? Are they interested in helping you get to know people? Are they just doing it to make a substantial profit?

Now go to a meeting. How do you feel about it? Trust your gut. No matter whether you’ve checked off all the boxes and decided it’s right for you, you don’t know until you’ve attended in person.

I had my own network which I held for seven years for women solopreneurs and I was often asked by attendees which other networks I’d suggest. I always asked them the same question – Who is your target market?

What networking groups do you already attend?

Write your comment and let everyone know which ones you attend and why.

Originally posted February 9, 2015

Marketing, Small Business

11 Characteristics of a network #2 of 3

August 13, 2021 2 Comments

photo credit: Peter Bromberg via photopin cc

Do you leave halfway through a network because it wasn’t “good”? Are you sometimes the last to leave a network because you’re still chatting?

You need to know what “good” means for you before you go to any network event. How do you know? Here are 11 characteristics to know about it.

Characteristics of groups where you can network

Target market Before you look at any group, know who your target market is. Are the people you’re looking for corporate HR, IT people, “mompreneurs”, small business owners or solopreneurs? Know this first.

2. Location. Where is it held? Is that too far for you get to? I live in downtown Toronto and don’t drive so a network in Barrie which is a town about 50 miles (85 km) north doesn’t work for me.

If it’s a conference in Los Angeles and you live in Boston, you would have to fly there. Can you afford the flight and hotel costs as well as the time away from your business. Would you get enough leads and build enough relationships to make it worth your while?

3. Time. Ahh time of day. I’m not a morning person so being self employed suits me fine. As soon as I see that it’s a breakfast meeting at 730 a.m. I look to see when else this group meets. Breakfast, lunch or early evening may make a difference to you — it does for me!

4. Size. Groups vary from 6 to 600. Do you thrive in a big group? Do you look for small intimate groups? Here’s where size does matter.

5. Cost. What does it cost per meeting and what do you get for it? The average is $25 but for a dinner meeting it could be up to $75 — be sure you get dinner.

6. Room Layout. It depends on the size of the group. The huge ones are standing only with a few chairs around the outside of the room; the medium to large have chairs in a traditional format in rows facing the speaker at the front; small ones could be held around tables or have the chairs set in a circle. Which one works best? It depends on you and what you’re comfortable in.

7. Do they do an “around the room”? You want maximum exposure for your “elevator pitch” so giving it to everyone in the room is better. It allows you to decide who you want to speak with and those who want to hear more about your business and perhaps use your services will come up to you. (This only happens with groups under 40.)

8. Speaker. Most groups have a speaker. You may want to hear that person or the topic.

9. Membership. How many times can you attend before you have to join? Or do you even have to become a member?

photo credit: Port of San Diego via photopin cc

10. “Fixed or fluid”. Often called leads groups. BNI and BCX only accept people from different business types. For example if you’re a web designer and they have one, you’re not invited to join. You also are required to give leads every meeting and you may not have used the lead’s services so don’t know much about the company.

11. Type of group. Are they a networking group or an association? An association will be in your field so if you’re a startup you may want to learn from more experienced people.

Frequency of meetings. Groups usually get together once a month but leads groups meet twice a month. Do you have the time and money?

Look at each of these questions and get answers. Which characteristics are important to you? If you’re a startup you may want to attend every event you can until you find out what works best for you.

Remember that you need to attend each one several times to see if it’s what you want.

If you know other entrepreneurs you can ask them which groups they recommend. And you always have the internet where you can check the group!

I know of a several groups here in Toronto so ask me in the comments.

Originally posted January 30, 2015

Marketing, Small Business, Startup

Networking: what do YOU want out of it? #1 of 3

July 5, 2021 No Comments

Networking is a marketing activity you need to do in business.

Do it regularly and frequently especially when you have a startup business. Should you expect to get leads from it right away? Yes and no.

Here are two stories. Deanne Kelleher of Kaos Group has talked about getting business from someone 8 years after she met them while networking. Instant gratification? Nope.

Laurie Bell of Moving Seniors With a Smile has talked about going to LOTS of networking events to talk about her business when it was new. Does she go to as many now? No – she doesn’t need to. Does she still go? Yes – to continue to be known.

What is your main reason for networking?

The first thing you need to do is think about your business and what you want to get out of attending the event. Decide whether you want to:

meet new people
promote your business
promote a particular product, service or workshop
get seen everywhere
check out the network to see if you can speak at it
hear a particular speaker
learn about a topic you’ve been studying
connect with others in the same situation as you
get a solution to a problem you have in business
or just get out of the house!

In order to do any of these (except the last one) you need to know your target market.

I’ve written two other posts you should read as well “11 Characteristics of a Network” and “How to Choose the Right Network for You”. This one should be the first one you read.

To sum up

decide why you’re going (this post gives you several reasons)
review what characteristics are important to you in a network (Read my post called 11 Characteristics of a network)
choose the right network for you (Read my post called How to choose the right network for you)

Does that help? Do you know why you’re going now?

To repeat – go to more than one session of a group. You can’t judge after just one visit.

Originally posted March 18, 2015

Startup

8 Actions for a startup – #6 attend conferences

November 17, 2020 No Comments

Have you ever gone to a conference? They have a lineup of speakers, panels, and topics to pick from. They have concurrent sessions and sometimes two of the sessions you really want to go to are at the same time. How do you choose? By the speaker? by the topics? do you “toss a coin”? Decisions Decisions …

1. How do you find out about conferences?

Ask the same people you asked about what newsletter to subscribe to (#3 in my list of 8 actions) or courses to take (#5 in my list of 8 actions) or books to read (#4 in my list of 8 actions). I’ll repeat them and I’ll add one more.

Ask other women at networking events.
Read the speakers’ websites and the conferences’ websites that other business owners suggest. Add these to your list and ask your mentor or coach or someone who’s attended before.
Ask your mentor and your coach which ones they go to. Ask them which ones they recommend. Have a list of the speakers and the topics offered that you’re considering when you ask them.
Check out the ones the writers/ owners of the newsletters you subscribe to attend or speak at.
Ask someone who’s gone to AND participated in the conference you’re thinking of attending.
Use a search engine on your computer like google. Enter a word or phrase that best describes what you’re involved in and looking for. For example: marketing, startup, chiropractic, alternative health or lifestyle coaching. How do you describe your business when you tell others what you do? Enter that phrase.

2. How do you choose whether to attend or not?

Use the criteria:

Location. Is it too far for you to go or is it in your city?

Cost. Add up accommodations, travel, attendance fee and your time and get the REAL cost of an event. Can you afford it?

Contacts. How many will you make? Remember you don’t just want to meet the presenters in person but to network with the other attendees.

Professional Development. What will you learn? Could you read it in a book? Take a webinar?

Timing. Do the dates conflict with anything you’ve already committed to?

If the contacts and your professional development and learning outweigh the costs and you can make the time for this then go. Don’t let yourself be swayed by the urgency that many conference organizers put on deciding. Do your “due diligence” just as you did before starting the business then decide if it’s right for you.

3. How do you choose which sessions to attend?

Speaker. Is there one of them you really want to hear and meet and that’s why you came?

Topic. Would you learn more from one topic than the other?

Recording. All events record the speakers. Could you buy the recording of the one you choose NOT to attend?

Associations. Do you have any associations you belong to who have an annual conference? Who attends this?

Is someone else going to that session and taking notes? That’s why networking is so important. Ask the people sitting near you at the conference what they do. Arrange to meet them for coffee or lunch or dinner. Which sessions are THEY attending?

Do This …

Share with us which conferences worked “best” for you. Tell us the name so we know and can tell others.

Originally posted February 24, 2012

Startup

8 Actions for a startup – #5 Take live courses and webinars

November 15, 2020 3 Comments

You take courses for at least two reasons – to learn and to meet people – network.

Kinds of Courses

1. Live Course. This is just as it says. You’re in a seminar or course with a group of people in a physical place like a hotel. Pros: you network with people, “personalized” attention from instructor Cons: cost – your time to get there, parking and fuel, paid recording of the course.

2. Webinars (used to be called telecourses and were via phone only) These use technology – computers or phones. Pros: cheaper, no travel time for you or the instructor, no cost for parking, can get a replay if you’re not available, use your laptop computer or smartphone for webinars Cons: networking with other participants is difficult or impossible, you may be at a client and therefore have no access to long distance for a phone course.

You can see that both types have their pros and cons. For me who can’t travel as easily since my stroke, if a seminar is in town I either have to pay for a taxi or find another participant to give me a ride, the webinars and telecourses are perfect. I can take several each year and I never have to leave home. Thank goodness for technology:-) But choose for yourself.

Why Take Courses?

As a lifelong learner I believe in education and learning. Never stop learning. Even if it’s a free webinar, as long as the advertising of the speaker’s next course is kept to a minimum, sign up for them. The good news is that all webinars are recorded. The bad news is that the slides used in a webinar aren’t always available.
Networking is the first kind of marketing I always suggest. At a live seminar you can choose the other students you wish to and talk with them or set up to meet them. You also have an opportunity to meet the instructor in person.

How do you hear about them?

Ask the same people you asked about what newsletter to subscribe to (#3 in my list of 8 actions) and books to read (#4 in my list of 8 actions). I’ll repeat the points here.

Make a list of what matters to YOU.
Make sure you put professional development costs in your planning budget.
Take a free webinar first.
Ask your mentor and your coach which ones they attend in person or listen to on a webinar. Ask them which ones they would recommend. If they’re paid courses by someone you’ve never heard of, ask your mentor or coach if they’ve heard of the speaker. If they have and you can afford it, take the course.
Have a list of what’s offered that you’re considering.
Read websites and go to the ones the business owners suggest.
Ask other women at networking events.
Check out the ones that the writers/ owners of the newsletters you subscribe offer.

Remember, you always learn something. Over the years I’ve taken many courses and webinars. You can never know everything.

You would think I know a lot since I’ve been self employed since 1980. Nope – one can always learn more. Early in 2011, I took a group coaching program/ telecourse for 10 weeks from Tsufit of “Step Into Spotlight” and I learned something new AND different ways to look at something that I already knew. There’s always something new to learn!

Often I’m called a marketing expert. That’s because I keep learning through books, newsletters, webinars and conferences. But I learn the most from YOU – my students and followers. YOU ask the questions and if I know I tell you the answer. If I don’t know I tell you and then search to learn it and then tell YOU!

That’s how it works. It’s okay to not know the answer. Just ask and then you’ll know.

Originally posted February 14, 2012