Effortless Networking Building Your Network From Quotscratchquot

Writen by Sri Dasgupta

For the first 15 years of my professional life, I lived and worked in the same town.

Then, I moved every year for 3 years in a row!

Disruptive as it was, I learned a great deal from that experience.

One of the things I learned was how to quickly establish myself, professionally and otherwise, in a new location and community.

Although I figured it out incrementally, through trial and error, it has now become a very simple formula.

I've relocated recently, and of course, this is what I'll use to rebuild my network again!

So here is my 3 step "formula":

1. Figure out what would make you feel "grounded" or established.

   For me this means getting to know at least a couple of people in the local business community. Or joining at least one group in which I might get a sense of "belonging" right away.

   This makes me feel "grounded" because I know that I can meet other people through them.

   So I usually look up the local Chamber of Commerce, search for associations for women business owners, a local chapter of my professional association, and so on.

   From a personal perspective, I like to know whether there's a place nearby to go dance Argentine Tango!

   I also look for kid-related stuff -- playgroups, childrens activities and programs, childcare options, etc.

   For me, just *knowing* that these options exist in my new location is comforting. So I search for all this before the move. In fact, I've already done this for my upcoming move!

2. Find and engage in at least one of these things.

   For me this means that once I arrive at my new location, I start checking out and showing up at each of these organizations or events.

   The first time I did this, I thought I'd feel awkward or uncomfortable showing up alone.

   Well, sometimes I did and sometimes I didn't.

   Looking back, I realized that whenever I was genuinely curious, I NEVER felt uncomfortable or awkward.

   I had so many questions and was so focused on finding out the answers to my questions, there was no time to feel awkward!

   So when you start checking out your new community, take your questions with you and show up with genuine curiosity. It will serve you well on many levels.

3. Make at least one "friend", and build your new community from there.

   As soon as I meet someone whom I "click" with, I get his or her contact information and ask if we can talk again soon.

   From this person, I find out more about the organization or event where we met, other people in the community, specific information or regulations about running a business in that town, and any other questions that pop into my head...

   Anyway, during our conversation, based on the kinds of questions I ask or the interest that I express, it becomes quite apparent to the person I'm talking with, whom else in the community or organization I should meet.

   And my new "friend" usually makes these introductions, sometimes without my even asking for it.

   So I get to meet other people, and start building my new community, through this one person (very effortlessly, you might say).

The best part is that this person usually does end up becoming a true friend. I'm still in touch with my first friends from all the different places where I've lived.

(c) Copyright 2006, Srirupa Dasgupta Sri Dasgupta helps business professionals get better results from their business networking efforts through focused and relevant conversations. She is the author of the Effortless Networking, and writes regular articles offering business networking tips and related resources.

Should You Offer Commissions For Customer Referrals

Writen by Debbie LaChusa

As a small business owner you may find yourself in a situation where you want to partner with another business but they are asking for a commission on your services. You will want to be prepared to handle such a request BEFORE you find yourself in this situation.

Whenever someone asks you for a commission in exchange for marketing your product or service, it is basically an affiliate or referral program. This can be one of the most powerful forms of marketing because it promotes word-of-mouth marketing. Who better to refer clients or customers to you than someone who fully understands the value of the services you have to offer?

Often these people are your current satisfied customers, or as is the case with this question, they may be strategic partners. Strategic partners are those individuals or businesses who agree to refer business to you, sometimes in exchange for you doing the same for them, or perhaps for a commission. Either way, it is important to make sure it is a win-win situation for both sides.

If you consider these individuals or businesses are in effect doing your marketing for you, then you realize paying a referral incentive or commission is merely a marketing expense.

When you consider that referred customers are "warm leads" and are a lot more likely to purchase from you than a "cold" prospect because they come with an endorsement from someone they trust, then you see even more how valuable this referral marketing can be.

My suggestion is to approach this as a potential business partnership. Make sure they completely understand the benefits you can provide to their customers and let them know you would like to design a mutually beneficial partnership. Before you offer to pay them a commission, find out what is important to them.

What are they looking for that you can possibly help them to get? In this case the potential partner IS your target audience so know them and approach them with a relevant proposition. Be willing to pay a referral fee or commission if that is all they are interested in, but also be open to other ideas.

I have negotiated some amazing partnerships just by spending some time talking and brainstorming with potential partners. In other cases I have straight affiliate/commission partnerships. It all depends on the partner and how we determine we can BEST HELP EACH OTHER to be successful.

(C) 2005 Debbie LaChusa

Debbie LaChusa created The 10stepmarketing System to make marketing your own business as simple as answering 10 questions. Learn more about this unique, step-by-step system and get a free 10-week Marketing E-Course when you subscribe to the free, weekly 10stepmarketing Ezine at http://www.10stepmarketing.com

Is The Company You Keep Hurting Your Business

Writen by Laurie Hayes

When you look at your friends, it's like looking into a mirror. Take the sum of characteristics of the five people you spend most of your time with and you will be the average of that sum.

It is usually quite easy to tell where a person is going by knowing whom she is spending the majority of her time with.

Make a list of the five people you spend most of your time with. Next to each name, identify which category he or she falls into …

1) small or large business owner
2) investor
3) employee
4) solopreneur
5) retiree
6) unemployed
7) home-based business owner

Regardless of which category your associates fall into, this exercise is not meant to judge or measure worth. We are all equal. This exercise is designed to clarify where you are investing your time and energy and how that impacts your business success.

In order to grow, learn and succeed in your home-based business, you need to spend your time with people who have been where you want to be or who are traveling the same path as you.

In order to be challenged, and educated, and have your mind opened to new possibilities, it is imperative that you surround yourself with friends and acquaintances who will move you towards your goal.

This doesn't mean abandon your loyal, long-term acquaintances because they don't share your interests. They are a very important part of your life.

What is does mean, however, is if you want to succeed in business, it is important that you associate with like-minded individuals.

Expand your circle of influence.

Join a group or association made up of home-based business owners. Join on-line forums where you can share ideas and seek input and guidance. Create a mastermind group made up of peers who are on the same path as you or individuals who have existing businesses and are willing to mentor you and each other.

Associating with like-minded individuals will allow you to develop and maintain a business mindset; will increase your confidence and knowledge, and ultimately your success as a business owner.

Laurie Hayes, founder and visionary behind The HBB Source™ helps government and corporate employees break free of their jobs to live their dream of entrepreneurship. To subscribe to her FREE e-zine for valuable resources designed to create business success, visit http://www.thehbbsource.com

Giving The Gift Of Your Name The Networking Factor

Writen by Janice Smallwood-McKenzie

Although, this is about giving the gift of your name to others, it certainly runs a close second in importance to "Whats' in a name?"

What is giving the gift of your name? Giving the gift of your name is when you see someone you haven't seen in a while and you are kind enough to give (remind) him or her your name (the gift) again without any hesitation.

It's not nice to keep someone guessing about your name. Don't assume they will remember your name and don't make it a guessing game. It's a challenge that most people would rather not experience.

Okay, I'll confess my experience, reluctantly I might add. There is a lady by the name of Barbara Fouch and I simply adore her. I know that she knows that I adore her and I thought I was extending a compliment when I asked Barbara, "Do you remember who I am?" My thinking was, Barbara, I am the young lady who simply adores you would ring in her mind as the answer to my question.

Barbara quickly pulled me to side at a museum reception and said, "don't ever say that, it gives your power away." Of course, I never said it again. It was important for me to remind Barbara just how special she was to me; however, I went about it the wrong way.

A simple, "Hi Barbara, I am Janice Smallwood-McKenzie, it's so nice to see you again would have worker perfectly!" That way I would be giving Barbara the gift of my name, and she has an opportunity to let me know if she remembers my name, and I am not putting her on the spot.

Perhaps, it takes 3-5 times for some people to remember your name with little effort, but just know that "Delmonte" was not built in a day, and actually as you continue to give your name over and over to the same person... it's simply great advertising!

I don't know why I prefer Delmonte over a cheaper generic brand... I guess after hearing it so much, I just pick it up by default! Smile... select your brand of choice, but you get the point!

The personal touch makes the difference.

By the way, "Everyone is important" is the Networking Factor!

http://www.101NetworkingCommandments.com

Ms. Smallwood-McKenzie is a Networking Coach in Los Angeles and she helps small businesses and professionals to expand their political, business, and social bases. She is the Author of "The 101 Commandments of Networking: Common Sense But Not Common Practice." Enjoy Free Preview compliments of http://www.101NetworkingCommandments.com or visit Amazon.com to read Customer Reviews of this guide. This networking guide is available wherever fine books are sold. Janice's e-mail address is ConfirmedCoach@netscape.net

Business Cards What To Do With Them

Writen by Jan Jasper

Get Rid of Business Cards You Don't Need

Everyone collects lots of business cards, and nobody really knows what to do with them. We're afraid to throw them out. But there's little benefit in saving them in a jumble in your drawer. There are a variety of containers available, from plastic to electronic. But to think first about storage misses the point. Before you think about "What's the best place to put them?" ask "Would I really need this again, and if so, why -- and when?" Be firm; get rid of cards from people you are not likely to contact in the future. If you have a great many business cards, it can actually backfire - the more cards you have, the harder it is to find a specific one when you need it. Less is more-- It's easy to keep them in order, and easier to find when you need them. And remember, the point isn't to collect the cards, but to keep them in a way that makes it easy to use them.

Add Useful Details

Once you've decided which cards are keepers, jot a note on back of each card stating where you met the person and what you might contact them about. This should be done as soon as possible, especially if you return from a networking event with a pocketful of cards--otherwise when you come across the cards later, you'll have no clue as to who these people are.

Different Ways to Store Your Cards

Now that you've culled your cards and made notes on them, you're ready to think about where to put them. Don't use plastic business card books with a dozen or so slots per page -- it's impossible to keep cards alphabetized. If you insist on staying low-tech, use a Rolodex with alphabetical tab dividers.

The alphabet's easy for people whose names you'll recall later, but what about service providers who are recommended to you that you're merely keeping in case you need them later on? Let's say your friend Jane Smith recommends a great cyberlaw attorney named Joe Moon. If you file it under Moon you won't remember the name. File it instead by category --under Lawyer, under L in your Rolodex. Do the same for plumbers and accountants and anyone else you might do business with.

The Power of Software

But the old fashioned Rolodex is limited. It's much more effective to use contact-management software (Outlook, Act and Goldmine are some popular brands). This gives you the best of both worlds -- if you tag Joe Moon's record with the word "lawyer," you can locate him by looking up "Moon" or "lawyer" and find him either way. If you also note that Jane Smith recommended him, you can look it up this way too.

Such software does more than automatically alphabetize your entries by contact name, company name, and type of business. It also provides almost unlimited room to type notes on each contact. You can record when you last talked to them and about what. It can also save a record of e-mails you sent to or received from them. Used fully, contact management software keeps a record of all your dealings with each person. This does more than supplement a faulty memory. It permits you to slice and dice your data in a variety of ways. You could search for all referrals who were sent by a certain person, all the prospects who phoned you in July, all clients in a certain zip code, all clients who spent over a certain dollar amount, etc.

Should You Buy a Card Scanner?

If you have a great many cards, you may not want to type them all into your software. There are small, inexpensive scanners made specifically for business cards that capture all the text information on the business card (name, company name address, phone, fax, and e-mail address) and feed it directly into your contact management program. This could save a lot of time if you collect tons of cards, for example if you attend trade shows and plan to follow up by doing a big mailing. But I've heard mixed reports about the accuracy of the card scanners. They are often thrown off by graphics, unusual fonts, speckled paper, and so on. It can take time to get the hang of it. Card scanners probably aren't worth the bother if you only have a small number of business cards.

© Jan Jasper; 2001-2006

Jan Jasper has been helping busy people to work smarter, not harder since 1988. She is the author of "Take Back Your Time: How to Regain Control of Work, Information, & Technology" (St. Martin's Press). Jan has helped thousands of people juggle multiple projects, survive information overload, and get the most from office technology. She also does configuration and training for software such as Goldmine & Microsoft Outlook. Call 212.465.7472 or visit http://www.janjasper.com