Getting Leads

Writen by Bette Daoust, Ph.D.

How many leads do you pass on?

As a reminder, you must give a lot before you can expect any leads from the group. You must be able to define your best customer, give your pitch and describe what you do best. On top of this you must gain credibility. Then how do you know how many leads to expect? If you have done your homework, you will have a good idea about the expectations of each member in the group. If the group does an average of 1 lead per person in the group per week, then you have hit a high note. The biggest problem with getting a lead is the fact that you do not know whether that lead is actually qualified to buy your product or service.

Once you are an older member, you can expect to get more leads and better leads. You should make sure that the leads you do get are ones where you get an introduction. Without the introduction, the lead may as well be a cold call. Sometimes people bring in leads that have a potential but it has not been stated that they are looking for a particular product or service. You want to make sure that you do not get anything but a qualified lead. In order to make sure the leads are qualified, you need to let the group know exactly what you are looking for and how you can obtain that business. If you have helped the group help you, then you can expect to receive at least 3 or 4 good leads a month.

Bette Daoust, Ph.D. has been networking with others since leaving high school years ago. Realizing that no one really cared about what she did in life unless she had someone to tell and excite. She decided to find the best ways to get people's attention, be creative in how she presented herself and products, getting people to know who she was, and being visible all the time. Her friends and colleagues have often dubbed her the "Networking Queen". Blueprint for Networking Success: 150 ways to promote yourself is the first in this series. Blueprint for Branding Yourself: Another 150 ways to promote yourself is planned for release in 2005. For more information visit http://www.BlueprintBooks.com

Achieve The Appropriate Tone In Email

Writen by Kelly Watkins

Tone is important in any form of communication. Are you using the appropriate tone when communicating with email?

Email messages are different from typed letters. You can't be "too" formal in a letter. In an email, too formal looks silly. What's the appropriate tone for an email? -- slightly more casual than a letter. Yet, there is a fine line between being too casual and too formal.

The attitude and culture of your company will dictate the amount of formality necessary. Meeting planners and hotels won't be as formal as a bank or law firm.

As you compose the message, consider the person who will be reading it. Know your audience. It's easier if you are replying to a message. Then you simply match the tone to that of the sender.

When in doubt, strive for a tone that is professional, yet conversational. Try using contractions (I'll, we'll, he's, she's). In conversation, we use the words "I, we, you." So, use these in emails.

Be careful with "I," though. Using too many can be perceived as egocentric. You don't want to appear as a pompous meeting planner. If you notice an abundance of "I's," try rewriting every other sentence. This will create variety, and that pesky personal pronoun won't be as obvious.

In addition to being conversational, an email should be concise. The average office worker sends and receives 36 email messages every day. Some people receive literally hundreds daily. There's no room for fluff. By keeping your message short, there's a better chance it'll be read.

In email messages, "short" equals one screen (not one page). Busy readers don't bother to scroll down. So, put your most important information first. Don't bury it in the fourth sentence of the third paragraph. Consider using the journalism technique of the "five W's": Who, What, Where, When and Why. Start with the vitals, then elaborate later.

The best email sentences and paragraphs are brief. These are quick for the receiver to read and easy on the eyes. Double space between paragraphs and don't indent.

How do you write "briefly"? One technique is to omit wordy phrases.

• Instead of "as a general rule" use "generally"
• Instead of "on two different occasions" use "twice"
• Instead of "at this point in time" use "now"
• Instead of "more than one" use "multiple"

Since people are notorious for skimming email messages, create lists. These can be read at a glance, and readers aren't as likely to miss something important. Use numbers or bullets to highlight each point. You have three options: complete sentences, or fragments/phrases, or single words. Just be consistent. Don't make point number one a sentence and point number two a single word. Whatever method you select, capitalize the first word.

You may double space between the listed items or not. Double spacing makes the list easier to read, but it also takes up more of that oh-so-precious screen space.

By Kelly J. Watkins, MBA, Louisville, KY. Visit: http://www.keepcustomers.com to order, Email Etiquette Made Easy (a comprehensive guide filled with exercises & examples) or for tips on communication & customer service! (812) 246-2424 or kelly@keepcustomers.com.

Identify Your Ideal Clients And How To Reach Them

Writen by Wayne Messick

If you expect to succeed as a professional solution provider - coach, consultant, etc., you first have to last. Just last long enough and you'll be the only person who got started when you did, who is still around.

After all, 80-90% of the folks who got into coaching or insurance or whatever when you did, will fail and leave the business and it will all be yours.

So while you are busy outlasting the others - there is one thing you must do if you want to ever develop a sustainable business.

You have to identify a client type for whom you are ideally suited. And it is not a complicated process!

There are two most likely causes of failure - before you last long enough to convince the world of your brilliance. Ironically these two issues are also the two keys to your ultimate success.

The first is a lack of capital. You run out of money before you generate regular revenues sufficient to support yourself.

And since most people have limited savings, it is the lack of an income stream that causes the greatest trouble for most people. So, don't quit your day job - too soon.

Instead, figure out what is leveragable about the job or profession you already have. What is relevant to the development of your target audience. Use this as an opportunity to develop a teachable point of view - and generate current revenues while you build the framework of your marketing.

A friend of mine was a successful chef for over ten years. But he was tired of the long hours away from his family, no time for vacations and when everybody was relaxing during the holidays, he was working harder than ever.

He loved the restaurant business, he had learned a lot - knew successful chefs all over the country and was respected by purveyors throughout the industry.

While he still put in a full schedule at the restaurant he became a well trained business coach. And for 18 months he coached restaurant supply companies who were challenged when it came to dealing with their customers, mostly chefs.

By the time he hung up his apron for good and opened his coaching business formally - he had food service industry clients in several states.

I've heard dozens and dozens of struggling professionals complain that they have not been able to find their niche - as if it required a magic wand.

Finding your niche is a two fold process one of which I will address here. The other part, creating a benefit statement around what valuable service - something people will pay for, will be in the article entitles, Develop Your Benefit Statement and Enlist a Cadre of Fans to Promote You, which is posted on our web site.

Here are a couple of suggestions to help you identify for yourself who your ideal prospects are.

Leverage your past. Like my friend the chef, who built a business around the elements of his past profession that he had the greatest proficiency in and the part he enjoyed the most. All the stuff he loved but with none of the long hours. On holidays he is a customer instead.

What was the most enjoyable part of what you were doing before you started doing what you are doing now? You know the industry, you know who the players are, and you know the problems and opportunities faced by your previous contemporaries.

Plus you know the political landscape, who's friends with whom etc. I know a Dentist who is now a consultant specializing in practice development for Dentists. I know a pharmacist who is a insurance professional specializing with retail pharmacies. You get the idea.

Leveraging your past can be a natural way to focus your practice and become the go-to person in your industry.

Another idea - monitize your passion.

I know a very successful business coach who is a nut for vintage sports cars. He has one that he brings out of the garage only on sunny weekends. When he isn't at a vintage sports car rally he is sitting at a sidewalk cafe on Amsterdam Ave. in New York City - happily basking in the glow of his vintage MG TD sitting at the curb.

He loves to hang out at the car shows, talking with owners of restorers and body shop owners who specialize in vintage sports cars. He has created quite a niche since there are several thousand such companies across the US and they all seem to know or know of each other.

He has spoken (the first non-industry speaker) at their trade association and has helped business owners find buyers for their companies at no charge - he knows everybody.

He owns his niche, monitizing his passion for vintage sports cars. He regularly visits clubs in a 100 mile radius of his home (nice networking with the top down), attends meets, contributes articles to their magazines, and knows the landscape better than any of his competitors ever will.

What are you passionate about? I am sure there is an association or professional society of them. If you don't believe me go to the library and check out the Gales Encyclopedia of Associations.

You could limit your practice to one single niche, you'd become the expert, the insider - you'd have all the business you could handle.

That is if you can demonstrate that you understand their unique challenges and articulate the bankable benefits they can expect from your services.

There is another benefit of identifying your niche. All of your friends and relatives will be relieved. In fact if you told them that you specialize in say, restaurant owners with multiple locations, they will hit the streets drumming up business for you.

They will be relieved, no sales pitch, and they will begin to find prospects for you, tell you about their restaurant owner friends and tell them about you.

Let them know what you do, describe your value proposition, your benefit statement. They will become your raving fan club.

Their recommendations - based on their credibility, their prestige, and their lack of financial connection, will be a powerful force in driving business your way.

It may not cause the phone to start ringing off the wall but it will turn a universe of cold calls into warm receptions - when you cross paths with these ideal prospects.

These prestige recommendations - people who will see you become someone they respect has asked them to, will put you in the frame when they are ready to buy the services you offer.

So, first identify the types of folks you want to specialize in - do business with.

Don't worry about whether of not they need your services today. Take my word for it - they do, if not now tomorrow - whether they know it or not.

No matter the niche, no matter your profession - they will need your services directly or indirectly.

Directly - they have a problem and need your help.

Indirectly - they have a friend like them who has issues you are uniquely equipped to address.

Determining your special niche is one of the most important things you can do. Make the decision based on who you are and who you want to be proud to have helped, when you look back on this in ten years.

Wayne Messick is sharing the secrets of his success, well over two decades helping business owners position themselves for the future. No longer working with individual business owners, he is leaving you his legacy of transferable ideas and strategies at http://www.ibizresources.com/effectiveness_resources.html And for cutting edge leadership strategies for your business visit http://www.ibizresources.com/doright.htm.

Who Cares

Writen by Bette Daoust, Ph.D.

Here it is, another social event in the form of a party to celebrate the time of year or a special event in someone's life. There are a dozen or more people in the room, many of whom you already know and some you know and some you do not. The introductions are abundant when the circles of people start talking and laughing.

"Have you met ... yet?"

"No, I haven't."

"Well this is .... and he is married to ... and works at ...!"

"Wow, it is great to meet you! Did you know that my company does work in your industry? Maybe we can chat later."

And so it goes as you meet new people. The talk, even though social, always turns to business and what is happening in the local economy. So how can you network and find nuggets of business at these events?

First Listen intently to people when they talk about their business to pick up potential talking points when you are in a conversation with them later on.

Second When in a one on one conversation, ask questions and ALWAYS wait for the answer before moving on to the next conversation. Many people will ask questions then there is an interruption and the conversation ends without waiting for the answer. Do not let interruptions end the conversation prematurely as your likelihood of getting any business afterwards are drastically diminished. People do not forget no matter what you think.

Last Never steer the conversation about what you do as most people are only interested in what they do and the well being of their family. Be aware of everyone else and leave yourself out of the conversation. If asked a question, turn the question so the asker actually answers for their own situation.

No matter what you decide to do in social situations, if you simply listen you will learn a lot about the people you may eventually do business with in the future. The more you know about them, the more likely you will be able to form a great business relationship.

Bette Daoust, Ph.D. is a speaker, author (over 170 books, articles, and publications), and consultant. She has provided marketing, sales, business development and training expertise for companies such as Peet's Coffee & Tea, Varian Medical Systems, Accenture, Avaya, Cisco Systems to name a few. Dr. Daoust has also done extensive work with small businesses in developing their marketing, training, and operational plans. You may contact Dr. Daoust at BizMechanix.com. You may also view her latest publications at BlueprintBooks.com Dr. Daoust also writes for the National Networker theNationalNetworker.com

Mary Kay Ash Did It Best The Networking Factor

Writen by Janice Smallwood-McKenzie

"The Networking Factor, Everyone is important!" This slogan reminds me of another personal credo by one of the country's greatest motivators... Zig Ziglar says, "You can have everything in life you want if you help enough people to get what they want!" I'm sure Mary Kay Ash shared the stage and/or conversations with Zig Ziglar. What was her magic formula?

Everyone is important! That's it, you ask... yes, that's it! Networking is an over-used word in today's society. However, everyone is important is the foundation of understanding people.

We should all be aware of the disadvantage of labeling people based on titles. (Please read, "What I Do Is Not Who I Am" at www.EzineArticles.com)

Also, be careful about introducing who you are and making a big deal of your title. In this changing economy, how many high level executives have you seen on top until the company folded and they became unemployed? Now I am sure the president, ceo, coo, and vice president were taken good care of with severance packages from TWA (TRANS WORLD AIRLINES), but whatever happened to all the high-paying important executives of that airline? Hmmm!

If what you do is the validation of whom you are, what happens when you no longer do it?

Mary Kay Ash was one of the richest women in the world. At the time of her death, she had consultants in 30 countries. One of the secrets to her success was that see imagined that everyone she met was wearing a sign that read, "Make me feel important," and she did just that!

Again, you ask, was that all? That my friend is the foundation of connecting with people on a long-term basis.

Real power will "ALWAYS" empower!

The Networking Factor, everyone is important!

p.s. Just in case, you asked, "Is this woman a representative of Mary Kay Cosmetics?" My answer, no I am not, is this article a little bias? Perhaps!

Ms. Smallwood-McKenzie is a Networking Coach in Los Angeles and she coaches small businesses and professionals in expanding 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