Work Better, Not Harder

If you're new to business networking, you might be discovering it can (and should) be much more strategic than just showing up. You might also be feeling some stress about it. I can remember being worried about how to start conversations and what to talk about. And even now, I still expect to feel the embarrassment of not remembering someone's name. But I always enjoy myself when I'm with small business folk. When I recently stumbled on this blog post I wrote 8 years ago, I realized I was encouraging myself, as well as readers, to more fully embrace networking. And it turns out I've done a good job of following my own advice. Holding my own events has given me a sense of control... which begets confidence. It has also helped to grow my reputation, my mailing list and my client base. One-time or repeating events, public or by invitation, formal or casual... I've done them all and found value every time. Take 2 minutes to read this blog post and see what se...

Looking for a unique and easy content idea for your blog or newsletter? It will even improve your networking at the next event you attend. Think of a survey question where the answers of many people will give you market insight . Make sure: The results will be useful to you in understanding your market. The results will be interesting to your readers, and perhaps be useful to them, as well. The question is simple and can be articulated easily in a networking setting. The possible answers are easy to record so you can tally them up later. Here are some examples: I might ask, "How often do you send out a regular email newsletter?" My article might be something like: 45% of Small Business Owners Surveyed Don't Send Out Newsletters , with the results of the research (and how it was gathered) within. A health coach might ask, "How many times during a week do you skip breakfast?" His article might be something like: Skipping Breakfast is Rampant Among ...

For the first time, Halifax will be celebrating Social Media Day in grand style this year. I'm proud to be one of the organizers of the first Social Media Day Halifax 2018 conference taking place on June 22nd. The conference is for entrepreneurs, business owners, and professionals working in social media roles for companies and organizations. Sessions and workshops are for anyone and everyone who wants and needs to improve their social media communications and marketing. Since Social Media Day Halifax is all about increasing marketing expertise on the east coast, recruiting presenters who are both subject matter experts AND excellent training facilitators is key to the success of the conference. Ideally, we’ll find social media professionals who want to help encourage, inspire, train and motivate colleagues in the local marketing community. If you're on the east coast of Canada and do social media marketing, you don't want to miss this conference and the chance ...

Business networking groups are in a unique position to grow their subscriber list exponentially faster than many other organizations. This also means they're in a fine position to benefit from providing useful and interesting content to their subscribers. Unfortunately this opportunity is often wasted. A networking group will benefit from building a mailing list and sending out a regular newsletter because: It reminds subscribers of upcoming meetings and agendas. It encourages non-members to attend as guests. It can market the benefits of membership to non-members. It’s a way of staying top-of-mind within the association’s community. It provides a way to promote and seek sponsors for big events, like annual fundraisers. Creating valuable content is relatively easy. On top of all this, associations can make use of a private list to communicate with members about members-only information. Photo by JodiWomack / Flickr Click to Tweet this Article

Networking groups usually get their work done by volunteer members, and those roles change frequently, so maintaining a consistent list building process is a challenge. Here are some simple recommendations to make sure you don't lose focus on this key membership building strategy. Growing your list means growing your membership. Have a sign-up form on your group’s website or blog. This is a must! Make list building a regular part of every meeting.  Here are some ways to do that so members can easily take turns. Use technology and do it ‘live’. Bring up the sign-up form on someone’s phone or tablet and pass it to visitors to enter their email address. At a point in each meeting, direct visitors to pull out their phones and guide them to your website to sign themselves up. Collect business cards and have one person enter the email addresses during or after the meeting. Don’t forget to get new members to sign themselves up , or do it for them. Read this blog post f...

Members of networking groups and their target market (potential members, subscribers) will have something in common, like an industry or sector, and will usually either work in it or serve it as a supplier. This means that anything pertaining to that common topic will be relevant . Relevant is good, but you will also want to be useful and interesting . Here are some content ideas for business networking groups – most are adaptable to other such organizations. Content for your subscribers (target market): industry specific or community news and upcoming events informational articles, perhaps written by members, but not necessarily useful online resources; book recommendations Content pertaining to your association: next meeting details and agenda regular meeting schedule; future dates, locations member spotlights and current news past meeting recap action items for members upcoming special events by the association and by its members membership call to action; bene...

Click to Tweet this Article http://www.blogher.com/4-ways-grow-your-list-prospects Original article:  http://www.workbetternotharder.com/2013/04/4-ways-to-constantly-grow-your-list.html

I am often talking about the value of networking and the importance of online strategy and social media engagement. The most common problem people express to me in these conversations is... "How do I engage without being a bother?" This question used to confuse me. I would talk a LOT about value in what you offer, when I answered. In other words, if you are offering value, how could you be a bother? What I have come to realize is that this questions is not always driven by the content or volume of an individual poster. It is often about the volume of content online in general. People are feeling overwhelmed. The solution? Approach online the same way you do any other network development. Find the posters that are putting out consistent value. The ones that are wrapping up the best of the week, vetting content and connecting with their readers. If they are answering, participating and putting out real value, you have found a literal goldmine. Choose who you f...

There is nothing like a beginning. New friend, new job, new idea - all of them bring the excitement of beginnings. Better still, that excitement breeds motivation. Never do you have a better opportunity for rapid growth and change than in the beginning. So the question is, how do you maintain that excitement? As entrepreneurs, how do we turn that new idea seed into a plan we can implement? Share the idea. Spread the word. Brainstorm. Choose a method that works for you: find a like-minded colleague you trust and book some coffee dates, join or start a mastermind group, have an employee meeting, share with an online business community. Reach out. Turn that idea spark into a real strategy. Once you share your excitement, it is easy to harness that energy to implement that strategy. Just be open to change and adjustments based on your collaboration. Click to Tweet this Article originally published in Work Better, Not Harder, October 23, 2013

In conversation last week, I was surprised to hear for the third time in as many weeks, a similar reason for resistance to joining a networking organization: "I don't want to connect with people that are just looking to sell me something." It has me speaking up this week. Never did it occur to me, before I joined a network, that this would be a problem. And never, since I joined a network, has it been a problem. All of the small business owners I have encountered through organized networking seem to have the same goals, desires and philosophy as we do - find other small business owners and independent professionals to: connect and share Both experiences and lessons learned. Meeting new people only brings more lessons learned to the table. It is possible to learn from others mistakes. Use your network as an educational tool. support and collaborate Whether support comes in the form of sharing social media content, attending events or spending dollars - it is eq...

Do you remember being single? Perhaps you are now. How do/did you find your soulmate? As business owners, I think we can use some of the same strategies to build strong work relationships, too. Hang out where they hang out If you’re looking for a buff guy, go to the gym. If you’re looking for a business owner, go to a networking event. Get involved and get to know people. Chat them up online Private chat rooms aren't usually appropriate for business, but tweeting and liking and sharing are great ways to get acquainted. Ask friends to fix you up Ah, the blind date. Or, the business equivalent, the referral. Both can be stressful and boring and a waste of time. But some will ignite sparks and if you don't go, you'll never know. Coffee shops work great for both! Make a proposition Take the bull by the horns, pick up the phone and ask that buff guy for a date. This taking-the-bull-by-the-horns thing works in business too. It’s often referred to as ‘cold calling...

If you’ve been in business for any length of time, you’ve probably been a member of a mastermind group (although you might not have called it that). If you’re new to self-employment, start or find a mastermind group... fast! I’ve written about mastermind groups before as a way to get your own ‘board of directors’. They can take many forms. I’ve been fortunate to have been a member of several during my years as a small business owner. I’ve started and ended groups, joined and left groups. Some groups have been short term with a specific purpose. A few years ago I studied an internet marketing course with a small group over a 6 month period. It was fun and educational to learn together. Some groups have been more long-term and general purpose . I currently meet with two other women business owners monthly to discuss ideas, learn from and motivate each other. Whether short term or long term, specific or general, big or small, I’ve learned a few things from my experiences. The...

A good friend recently asked for my best advice for a young colleague of hers that wants to start a home-based business. I surprised myself a bit by being able to zero in on the two key success factors for growing my similar business. Networking Yes, you've heard it before and are probably doing it. I could be doing more of it but I’m definitely making the most of what I do. Joining a weekly networking association has been a definite boost in a lot of ways: support and advice, friendships, referrals, and of course, some of the members have become clients. Networking takes me where other small business owners are, since they are my ideal clients. In recent months my networking has gone online and I've made some great connections through social media and my newsletter. Don’t ignore that venue. Find Your ‘Debi’ Most who know me, also know that Debi Hartlen MacDonald at New Life Business Solutions is a close colleague and that she and I regularly exchange our expertise and op...

All big projects have the potential for scope creep - uncontrolled changes in project scope. It results in missed deadlines, budget overruns and altered deliverables. We entrepreneurs can be guilty of this when it comes to operating our businesses. It’s easy to get distracted by new opportunities and ideas. It’s sort of what small business is all about: being flexible enough to jump on opportunities. I’ve been guilty of doing this myself. It can be fun and challenging but sometimes not very productive. I’ve created 30 or so workshops that I have no desire to sell. My branding and website have undergone many renditions. Was I being productive during those hundreds of hours? It felt like it. I was busy but, oops, I wasn’t making any money. In January 2010 I set my theme for that year to be ‘FOCUS’. It stayed my theme for 2011 and I’m finally seeing the results of my intentions. (In fact, I’m satisfied enough to pick a new theme for 2012.) I did it by creating simple rules for ...

“Reputation is the currency of networking and referrals.” - Scott Allen A positive reputation is one of our most valuable business assets and is built mostly on one thing: happy customers. What if you don’t have happy customers yet? What if you’re new in business or new to the area? How do you build a reputation without customers -- and on a limited budget? Network Find a local networking group that you can join and attend on a regular basis. Face-to-face interaction will build strong relationships and present unexpected opportunities. (Mine is  The Group Halifax .) Online networking has other benefits, such as being able to do it in your PJ’s. Be Prepared When meeting someone, have their cell phone number in case you’re delayed. Leave a few minutes early. Take a pen and paper for notes. Find out about new contacts by reading their website, blog and LinkedIn profile . NEVER be caught without a business card! Keep Your Word Follow up with people you meet. Take notes ...

Take the lead and hold your own networking event. Sound counterintuitive? Perhaps, but you will be in control – which leads to confidence. Starting your own event will greatly expand your reputation, relationships and marketing reach. It could be a one-time event, such as a free workshop or afternoon tea party. Or it could be an ongoing thing – following a networking group or mastermind model. Leverage your connections and share the wealth. Find a partner with the same goals that you have and collaborate. You will be able to leverage all of your combined contacts and have someone to help with the planning, execution and hosting. Find someone whose skills complement your own. Here are a few things to consider: Timing Weekly, monthly or quarterly Day or evening - breakfast, lunch or happy hour Day of the week – avoid Mondays and Fridays Costs Free Cover charge Membership fee For profit or not-for-profit Location Hotel, restaurant, bar, club, coffee shop Central l...