Networking Strategies for Business Growth

"The richest people in the world look for and build networks, everyone else looks for work." - Robert Kiyosaki

Networking does work for professionals in all fields, but there's a lot more to it than putting your company's name in a business directory. To benefit from networking you must be organized. You need to know your target, develop a strategy and then have a work plan.

To achieve this let's look at the following strategies:

1) Don't make everyone your target: Plan your networking strategies specific to your target. People love to do business with who they know. It will be waste of money and time to advertise where you do not have your target market. Your kind of business should set the tone for the target audience you are seeking to network.

2) Be Yourself: Don't fake who you are. Make sure you are well prepared. Have an idea of the set of people you want to network with. Be smart. Wear a winsome smile. Make sure you are noticed. Respond to questions asked wittingly. Work your body language and do not allow yourself to feel lost in the crowd. Stand tall

3) Join Purposeful Groups: Take up membership of industry related and community organizations. It's not just enough to be a member but you must be an actively participating one. Get yourself involved in sub-committees; contribute meaningfully to discourse as this will enhance your visibility before the people. Take time to build relationship first before talking business. You are very likely to get a business deal from someone you have built a relationship than with someone you just barely exchange greetings at your group meetings.

4) Online Presence: It is expedient for you to have an online presence for your business to grow. Networking brings you in contact with people who might be interested in what you have to offer. Usually, you may not be able to close a business deal in a single meeting, armed with your business card, prospective clients may want to look you up online and eventually decide to do business with you if they are satisfied with what they have seen and read.

5) Give Tailored Speeches: Be ready to give talks in the area of your expertise. Make due diligence and do a thorough research before you step on the podium to give that speech. Know your audience and know they are your potential clients and your ability to drive home your message and eventually win their hearts can make a huge difference for your business.

6) Look Beyond: Don't let it end at that single meeting. If you connected with someone, don't let it end there. Do a follow-up email, or send a thank you note and let the person know how glad you are to meet him or her. Ensure you keep this as professional as possible because at this stage, you may be under pressure to hurriedly get the deal close and may get things messed up in the process. Keep it professional while being real.

7) Be Media Friendly: You can't light a lamp and put it under the bed. You must get yourself out there. People will not know what you have to offer if you are not before their face. Let the media houses know what you represent and that you are available for interviews. There are newspaper houses that can help with advertorial for little or zero cost. Networking will be much easier when people already have ideas about what you do or represent.

8) Don't give up: That you didn't get it right with your networking the first time does not mean you have failed. Remain determined! The world is at the feet of those who are persistent. Keep attending those meetings; be involved in those committees, keep updating your online profile and information about your products and services, with time all these will pay off.

9) Move from Known to Unknown: Networking is not only about connecting with people you already know. It is launching out to uncharted territories with potential for networking to improve the growth outlook for your business. Don't spend so much time on people who already know you and your business. Direct your energy and time on building new network away from your present circle of influence.

10) Pay the Price: There is a price to paid in networking. You may sometimes need to travel far and wide just to find your target audience. Always know that the interest of your prospective clients comes first and not what you want to sell to them. Take an interest in what excites them. Be courteous and selfless in your dealings with them. Be ready to absorb the heat. When you pay this price, you will eventually win the prize.

11) Put God First: Always let Him lead the way in all you do. He knows where you can find the best clients who will take your business to the next level. When you commit these steps unto the Lord, He will lead you through and you will not be disappointed.

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Big Fat Networking Mistakes - The 5 Most Common Things NOT To DO

Networking is a word that means many things to many people. At one end of the scale its a nerve racking experience that you make yourself do, for others its an opportunity and a fun way to meet new potential contacts and business partners.

The truth is that most of us go out to network in one way or another, by very few do it well. This is often due to a number of things, including combination of lack of skills, insufficient practice and lack of planning.

Networking is not something that many people are good at naturally. It takes time and effort to become a good networker, and along the way we frequently make a few basic mistakes.

Here is my list of the top 5 things to avoid when trying to build up your network:

1. Selling

Networking events are not an opportunity to sell. They are however, an opportunity to meet and get to know new people and start to build and re-establish relationships.

Don't try to get too much out of the event. This is the start of the knowing, liking and trusting process. The start only, and not the time or place to sell. No one buys at the initial meeting like this. You wouldn't, so why expect others to?

2. Elevator pitching

Bombarding the person you have just met with information about your product, service or company is a real no no. You might love what you do and the business you own or work for, but please don't assume that everyone else will too.

Although very popular since the 1990s dot-com boom, elevator pitching really does nothing more than bore the person you have just met into glazing over and looking for someone else to meet.

Start with asking about the other person about themselves, and their business. Find out about them and look for common reasons to start a relationship. Focus on them, not on you.

3. Giving out your cards like candy

The real key to successful networking, is meeting the right people and exchanging contact details, with a planned follow up. Handing your card out to as many people as you can, or collecting names and cards is simply a waste of your time, and of paper.

You must try to select the people (or types of people) that you want to meet, introduce yourself and start by giving. The best way to start a business relationship is to look to find people that you can help and give to them.

Clearly, we network because we want to get something. Your goal needs to be to connect, and focus on what you can provide. The sales and referrals will come later as a result.

4. Failing to follow up

In my mind this is business sin number one.

Not following up with the relevant people that you meet is really wasteful. You are looking to build a relationship here, and establish a long term connection. You want to cement yourself in the minds of those that you want to get know and grow to trust.

A simple follow up message saying how nice it was to meet someone, along with regular personal contact makes all the difference, and places you head and shoulders above those who simply send a linked in request, or indeed do nothing.

Similarly, not doing what you say you will do, is equally bad.

Once you have established a connection, and agreed to follow up, you simply must do it. If you promise to get in touch with someone, call or send them something, not doing so is not only bad business, but is nothing short of rude.

Do what you say you will. If you are not interested in following through with a new contact, then don't organise to do so in the first place.

5. Not conveying what it is that you do

When asked what they do, most people answer with their job title or what they are, e.g. "I'm an Employment Lawyer", "I'm Marketing Director for XYZ Co", "I'm a Recruiter."

Not only does this allow the other person's stereotypes to come into play, but it doesn't teach that person how you can help them, or who they can refer to you. You need to establish a way of communicating what it is that you do in a simple way that the other person can really understand. What it is you really do, and how and when you help people.

This takes more thought and effort than you might initially imagine, but get it right and the benefits are amazing.

For more on developing yourself, your staff and improving the profitability of your business, please do get in touch. You can email me at james@jamesnathan.com, or check out my website http://www.jamesnathan.com/.

I look forward to being in touch.

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There Is a Difference!

There is a marked difference between business in the late 90's and the year 2012. New creative ideas and techniques, especially in marketing, are needed to keep businesses healthy, strong & growing. Networking, as a formalized structured marketing system, is one of those ideas.

A series of articles will focus on proven strategies your business needs in order to reap some of life's biggest rewards.

• What is Networking? For networking, the process basics are sharing ideas, information and resources. This process includes communicating and forming relationships with others. Networking, in its most basic form, is a flow of feelings and information between at least two people. In the business environment, networking can be used to develop contacts for increased knowledge, to expand your contact base, your sphere of influence or to serve the community.

• Just as there are fundamental laws of nature, there are basic strategies for networking success. Developed over the years, they hold true for individuals and businesses alike. They are not spectacular... or mysterious... or even especially brilliant. Networking success does not rely on creative genius or divine inspiration. It is based on a few simple, proven strategies that everyone can learn and anybody can do. The problem is that people either forget to do them, or they simply don't take the time. If you follow these simple strategies, you will be more successful. Your profits will increase. You'll do more in less time. And you will build better, longer and stronger relationships with the people you interact with.

Networking Strategy # 1 Using the Giver's Gain Philosophy

In a world that has taught us to look out for number one, a change has taken place. Many people have changed their views. Their priority and focus now is on how they can help others rather than always selfishly helping themselves first.

This change is occurring, in part by use of the Giver's Gain Philosophy. This philosophy encourages you to look out for the needs of others who, in turn, will look out for your needs. It is considered a win-win situation. You win by looking out for others, which makes you feel good about yourself. Those you look out for win by having their needs taken care of and they feel good about taking care of your needs in return.

*The Triple-Win Phenomenon - In life, if you plan to move ahead, you must far exceed people's expectations. In a winning situation, you must develop the Triple-Win Theory. This theory goes beyond a win- win situation and involves a third party in the discussion to increase your changes for success.

The Triple win phenomenon works like this: you meet someone, they have a need, you pass a referral and the process is complete. As a result, the person to whom you passed the need is happy because you used them as a referral source and they possibly got the deal. The person whose need you passed is happy because they appreciate receiving a referral to someone with whom you have already had a positive experience with, and they have the opportunity for a new contact. You win because you are able to help two people-two other people who will remember your name and appreciate your actions.

Ron's "Platinum Rule:

Staying consistent with the Giver's Gain Philosophy and continuing to exceed people's expectations is what I call the Platinum Rule of networking. Instead of simply doing unto others as you want others to do unto to you, just remove yourself from the formula and take care of others as they want to be taken care of.

In Summary

Don't just treat people as you want to be treated - go to the next level and do unto them, as they want to be done unto to. Consistent use of this philosophy, the Giver's Gain Philosophy, or some other adaptation of the Platinum Rule - leads to better business and personal relationships.

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Where The Real World Hits The Virtual One In Small Business Networking

If you are a small business and you are engaged in social networking online, there is a time for personal socializing, and a time to get busy and do business networking. They aren't the same. I find far too many small business owners are mixing the two because perhaps they have a page on Facebook, and they have grown up in an era alongside the social networking venue. Then they try to slightly change their style to help their business, and that's when the trouble starts. Let's talk.

There is a time for social networking, and a time for business networking. No, I'm not suggesting that you push too hard in the business networking venue, but you need to make it clear that you are business networking, and not try to hide the fact, or get people to assume that there is no profit motive, when there definitely is. Otherwise you spent all of your time trying to manipulate the emotions of others under a falsehood, one which is easily read, and therefore makes you look as if you're hiding something and becoming disreputable.

If you are charged by another person online as being all business, admit the fact that you are in business to make money, and that you'd rather do business with friends if at all possible. Let them know that it's okay if they never purchase a product or service from you, but to please be good enough to refer you to their friends if the topic or subject comes up. That's how you handle that. Further, if you want to do business networking correctly, especially if you have a small business where most of your clientele is local, then you need to encourage your customers to participate with you, and reward them for doing so.

How might you reward them you ask? Well, that is a decent question, and it should be in the same vein as customer loyalty programs, or customer discount cards, or special offers that you explain or offer only online, or only to those folks who frequent your social networking page. You might find that people come more often if they know there is a personal gain for them. At that point they realize that they also have a profit motive as well, therefore it's much harder for them to charge you with not caring and only wanting to make a profit.

Lastly, the best thing you can do is try to merge the two worlds, that is to say as you do with Chamber of Commerce networking, and engage in other local business activities, you should be inviting people to your social networking page, and corresponding with them and their business and cross referring as much as possible. If you do that, you can expect good referrals in the real world where people are purchasing real products and services, along with continued interest and growth on your social networking site.

Indeed, of course I wish you the best of success, and I hope you will heed this advice, because it is quite apparent to me that far too many people are doing it wrong, and spending countless hours on social networks without getting any benefit. They are trying, but it's not working, and they may even be jeopardizing future sales without even knowing it. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Business Networking Strategies. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net/

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Let's Do Lunch In a Businesslike Fashion - Make Sure You're Not Unconsciously Offending

The business lunch is a custom that almost all professionals will run into at one time or another during their careers. Though the idea seems straightforward - a simple lunch and conversation with one or more other professionals - there is far more planning and protocol involved than you might at first assume. Today we'll offer some tips to make any business lunch a success.

Who, What, When, and Most of All, Where

Be sure to choose a restaurant that is quiet and calm enough for a business meeting to take place. Trying to have a conversation even with friends and family in a chaotic bar or restaurant is extremely frustrating - imagine how much worse that would be between professionals on a schedule. Pick a location that you've been to before, and that isn't too noisy or chaotic for your working lunch to run smoothly.

Kindness is Golden

Make sure you treat the restaurant staff with respect. Being short with "the help" is very much a thing of the past. Rather than impress your clients or colleagues, rudeness is likely to give them a very bad impression of you as a business person, (not to mention as a person in general). Even if the service is subpar, be polite, and don't forget your "pleases" and "thank yous."

The Phone Addiction

... is shared by everyone, especially business people. For this precise reason, turning off your phone can be a great gesture of respect. Take advantage of this at your business lunch. Silence your phone and put it away. This lets your clients know that you consider them and their business important, and that they have your full attention. If you absolutely must check your phone, excuse yourself briefly and do so somewhere out of view.

Listen - Really Listen

It's so tempting to succumb to the feeling that you finally "have" someone's attention when you get together for a business lunch, and end up treating that person like a captive listener while you dominate the entire conversation with your sales pitch. It's so important to remember that listening is as important as, if not more important than, talking. Not only is it better conversational etiquette, but if you listen carefully, chances are you'll learn valuable information that might just help you be more persuasive in making your pitch.

Be Social - But Not Too Social

This is a difficult area for many. It's commonly accepted that a business lunch starts with some light small talk rather than an immediate business discussion. If you're not careful, however, you can end up extending the chit chat for so long that the "business" of the business lunch fades into the distance. Pay attention to your time frame and lead the conversation around to the business purpose in a reasonable amount of time. One rule of thumb that works for many is to switch to business after the lunch order has been made, and you're waiting for your meal to be served. And here's a side note: Do your best to consciously store the information exchanged in your casual conversation; personal news and events that you remember make good sources of conversation the next time you meet up with this person.

Follow Up

Whether you think it's old-fashioned or not, a thank-you note is always a good idea and reinforces the positive impression that you made during your lunch. You can of course make it brief and simple, stating that you enjoyed meeting over lunch and thanking them for the chance to discuss business face to face.

Jayne Latz M.A., CCC-SLP is a speech and communication specialist, author, and professional speaker, and principal of Corporate Speech Solutions ( http://www.corporatespeechsolutions.com/ ). She has trained individual clients from all over the world in public speaking, accent reduction, and best communication practices, and has provided training, lectures and/or workshops at RSM McGladrey, Ernst and Young, PriceWaterhouse Coopers, The Carlyle Group, Harry Winston, Morgan Stanley and Mount Sinai Medical Center, to name just a few. She is a featured speaker of the New York State Society for CPA's (NYSSCPA.org). For information about her training programs please visit http://www.corporatespeechsolutions.com/ or email Jayne at jayne@corporatespeechsolutions.com

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Tips to Help Establish Business Contacts Abroad

Are you hoping to branch out into foreign markets? Or are you looking for a freelancer with local knowledge? No matter the reason, it's now very common to be seeking business contacts abroad. We live in an increasingly globalised world, aided in large by the internet that knows no geographical borders.

It can be daunting to have to establish business contacts in an unfamiliar location. It can also seem a tricky process if never done before. These tips aim to make your search for contacts easier, and encourage you to network actively.

If you have a budget set aside for your networking, there's no better way to meet people than actually heading over to wherever it is that you're looking to establish contacts. Before heading off, see if there might be any industry-specific events you could attend while there such as trade shows or seminars.

National chambers of commerce are your best port of call to find out about these opportunities. They may also be able to put you in touch with people directly so you are met by someone at the other end, and introduced to others in your industry.

If there's no chamber of commerce for you to get in touch with, turn to the internet. LinkedIn is the world's largest professional social network. Its purpose is to provide users with the opportunity to connect with others around the world. It is as such absolutely acceptable to browse people's profiles and send direct messages. In this case, the more personal your approach and the more detail you can give about why you've gotten in touch, the more likely the person is to respond.

You can also turn to Meetup, another nifty website, on which local volunteers act as group admins and arrange meetings or 'Meetups' for specific interest groups such as freelancers, bloggers, or simply those who share similar hobbies be it hiking or knitting. Meetings are held throughout the world in places such as cafes, pubs or museums. See what's on in the country you're headed to and contact the group's administrator to let them know you're interested in joining.

If you're a confident talker and speak foreign languages, reach for your phone. Do internet and publication-based research into who you might be interested in talking to. If it's a big company, start by phoning the secretary from whom you can obtain the email address or a direct line number for the person you'd be interested in talking to.

For those planning to spend a lot of time chatting to contacts in foreign countries, an international call plan is a good idea. In our globalised world it's easy to find companies offering services for making cheap calls to Thailand, other countries in Asia, and elsewhere in the world. It's a small but significant tip as it could save you lots of precious pennies in the long run, which is vital to any business' success.

Harvey McEwan writes to offer information on a variety of areas, from business networking to cheap call services. View Harvey's other articles to find out more.

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Business Networking - Knowing Your Networking Financial Position Is Vital

Organised and paid for business networking can be an expensive activity if you don't monitor your financial position closely. To do this correctly you should factor in all the networking costs involved and measure these against all the networking derived returns generated.

All the recording and analysis of such financial data may seem tedious but knowing exactly what is happening with your cash flow is vital to any business.

Main Costs: These include such obvious items as the business networking group subscription fee and the per-meeting costs as well as any additional charges for food and drinks.
Hidden Costs: These costs are not always obvious and are sometimes overlooked. Some can appear trifling but can accumulate and must therefore be counted. The major hidden cost is lost opportunity. When you are networking you are not making any money directly for your business by selling, manufacturing, developing new products, creating designs, designing courses, etc... The argument against this statement would be that you are investing in building relationships but, until these generate income either by direct work with a contact or by referral, they do not yield actual profits at the time. What is your hourly rate? Include travel time. You should include such things as fuel for the car or public transport costs to the venue and any parking charges. You should also include the costs of any of your promotional material given out at the various events and any other applicable additional costs you can identify.
Profits generated: The basic method I use is accurate enough to determine if networking costs are exceeded by networking returns. Only use the profit returned on business generated by dealings with your business networking group derived contacts or referrals supplied by them. I use only received income but you can use whatever base line you are happy with. This is only to be used a rough guide after all.
Financial position: This is simply the money in minus the money out at any convenient point in time. If it is negative then networking is costing you money. Obviously there has to be subjective analysis of the result. If you have only been networking for a short while, you would likely expect poor results until momentum builds. Monitor things regularly and check that the numbers are moving the right way. If you get big negatives, even though you have been networking for a good while, then I suggest you may need to re-evaluate your networking activity. You may need to work on your actual networking techniques. You may also be in the wrong group or groups and may need to find out where your target audience networks and go there instead. Your business may benefit much more from other forms of marketing and you may need to seek professional independent advice on how best to redistribute your efforts.

In conclusion, knowing exactly what is happening with your cash flow is vital to any business. We monitor most costs in business so why should networking costs be any different? This can be ascertained by simply calculating networking generated profits minus all the money paid out for networking at any convenient point in time. If it is negative for too long then networking is costing you money and you may need to find out why.

I'm Andy Pope and I am committed to helping individuals and organisation develop more effective face to face communication skills. I hope you enjoyed this article.

Check out my website at http://www.eryrglas.com/

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/e9T-Q

Hope to see you there soon!

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3 Strategies for Putting on a Successful Business Bonding Get-Together

Design the activities of your Networking Event.

Every event or function we attend includes some form of activity. A wedding includes a ceremony followed by a reception. An awards ceremony includes an opening ceremony followed by various recognition segments. Besides the activity of business people networking with one another, your event may include a guest speaker, individual business introductions, or even a brief product demonstration. Based on your business goals and your desired results, you must design your event from start to finish with activities that will complement your aspirations. This is not to suggest blanketing your event with dozens of activities. I'm merely saying to add individual activities that make the event more enjoyable while enhancing your businesses image. Keeping the purpose of the event in mind, there are many ways to accomplish this; door prizes, a notable speaker, and even relevant business announcements.

Thoroughly promote your Networking Event online.

Spreading the word about your networking function requires a special kind of focus and dedication. Though you may promote through word-of-mouth or even friend to friend, the Internet offers excellent options. There are several ways to take advantage of mass traffic online; Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and even YouTube are the main places for online traffic.

The above online social networks and are bursting with your target market in some form. Your goal is to locate these people through connecting or "friending" those in your sights. You should create a list with criteria on who you are looking to connect with. Once this is done you can perform a number of searches on each of these sites and locate groups or individuals that fit your description. As you go through this process you will develop keywords and even be able to use Pay Per Click advertising on these websites as well.

Take the proper advantage of e-mail marketing.

It is no secret that we are now in the age of instant information via electronic mail. Getting the word out about your upcoming networking event through word-of-mouth can really be enhanced through the proper use of e-mail. Most of us have a small or large list of e-mail contacts but it takes a bit of extra effort to use e-mail when targeting a market. Building up to your event, it is possible to build a targeted list of potential attendees. You can do this by creating a capture page and promoting highly valuable information to your target attendees. Simply locate online discussion groups in your desired category, post comments, leave a link to your capture page, and offer free information in exchange for their e-mail address. Once they become subscribers, you can send periodic e-mails informing and reminding them of your upcoming networking event.

Do you want to learn more about business networking? I have just completed my brand new guide for Professional Networking Success.

Download it FREE here: Expert Networking Secrets Exposed In Plain English

**You'll also Receive The Networking Know-How 4 Day eCourse

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Making a Positive Difference Is Easier Than YOU Think

It astounds me how difficult some people seem to think making a difference to another's life can be. Most people who are networking feel that they are creating connections for their business only, they forget that by supporting people in achieving their needs, in all areas of their lives, is what comes first.

How do you make a difference in other people's lives? Are you listening to what others are looking for? Do you listen to what they are really asking when they speak with you?

No matter whom we are or what we do, we all have needs that are not business related. So, do you listen to what people are saying in regards to what they are looking for in their life to make it easier? It may be a good trade's person, a book keeper or accountant, a great place to eat out for a special occasion, where to get some good stationery or something for their computer, or where to get a great Christmas present for their grandchildren.

As you can see, people talk about all sorts of things that may not be anything to do with their business. This doesn't make the need any less than if it was business related!

So, you can make a difference to many people's lives by just listening to what they are looking to find and the contacts they need to make.

At this time we are fortunate for the creation of Social Media. We are being given a wonderful opportunity to connect with more people, getting to know more about the 'friends' whom we personally know and are in our network. This gives us the chance to support even more than we could before.

To develop a good relationship for future success it is imperative that you are seen as someone who listens to the needs of your contacts, supports them to find what they are looking to find and become known as a person with good contacts.

Building relationships cover all areas, not just business.

So, think again about how you can help others in your network to achieve what they need outside of their businesses by helping them with find the contact they are looking to find. This is why learning more about your clients and contacts can support you to achieve what you are looking to find too!

Be the supporter that your network needs.

Learn the secrets to Successful Networking Now... visit us at http://connexionsunlimited.com.au/ and Get your FREE 21 Days to Becoming a Better Networker eCourse Now.

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Business Networking Opportunities in British Cities

Looking to establish new business contacts in the UK? All British cities play host to the occasional business event whether it's a full blown trade show or a Meetup organised by local volunteers through the online network.

The biggest cities are your best bet for large exhibitions, conferences and trade shows. In Scotland, Glasgow is home to the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC), and Edinburgh boasts the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC). Oil industry events often take place at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre.

In Wales, the Venue Cymru in Conwy, and Wales Millenium Centre in Cardiff are the biggest and most renowned venues.

England being home to the most big cities, you're spoilt for choice. London alone boasts plenty world class exhibition and conference spaces such as Olympia, Earls Court, ExCel, and the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre. Outside the capital, try your luck at networking at Birmingham's NEC, Liverpool's Arena and Convention Centre, Manchester's Central Convention Complex, Brighton Centre and many more venues.

Northern Ireland's top venue is the Belfast Waterfront.

Large scale annual events in the UK include the British Dental Conference and Exhibition, the London Textile Fair, GLEE (a trade show for the garden industry), Ecoshowcase, and the Manchester Furniture Show.

Smaller scale events happen on a regular basis. Your best way to stay informed is to subscribe to industry-specific newsletters, magazines and online news updates. If travelling from abroad, get in touch with your local branch of the British Chamber of Commerce to seek advice and contacts.

Meetups are a great, 21st century way to network. The network is based online, and members can subscribe to groups whose Meetups they can later attend. The events are organised on a pop up basis by volunteers. Meetings vary from hobby-related group get-togethers like hikes to industry-specific gatherings intended for professionals to meet, greet and innovate. This way of meeting is particularly popular among freelancers and bloggers, as well recruiters looking to fill positions.

LinkedIn, the professional social network is also a great tool to establish contact with industry fellows in other cities or foreign countries. Send them an email and schedule a meeting when you plan to be in town.
It's useful to know where to take potential clients or colleagues for a meeting. Choosing the wrong venue could leave a bad impression on them.

Hotel bars are generally considered professional and neutral ground. For example, if meeting someone in London, you may want to consider hotels near Tower of London since The City area is where many businesses are based, and it is common for meetings to be held in its bars and restaurants.

Museum and gallery cafes are also considered business-appropriate but it should be noted that these are only open during the day and are likely to close around 5pm. For those looking to network in Edinburgh, for example, the cafe at the National Museum of Scotland is a great setting.

If you're really unsure about where to meet, ask your contact what would be most convenient for them, and wait for them to suggest a place and time. In desperate times, arrange to meet at a coffee shop chain.

Harvey McEwan writes to offer information on a variety of areas, from networking in the UK to travelling in Europe. View Harvey's other articles to find out more.

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Choosing A Business Networking Group That's Right For You

Nowadays there are many types of business networking groups and events available. It is sometimes very difficult to know which ones to join or go to; especially if you are new to business or just new to the idea of organised networking.

You simply can't go to all of them so you will need some sort of selection process and selection criteria.

One aspect you could look at is cost.

There are some completely free business events around but often these are not specifically structured for networking and it will be up to you to network without becoming a nuisance - a label not good for you or your business. By the way, I define a nuisance networker as someone who simply shows up at any old event and gets right to selling whatever it is they have to offer to anyone they can latch onto. Please do not do this. However, when done correctly, with a view to establish long-term business relationships, there is nothing wrong with doing your networking at these business events and I would heartily recommend attending as many as possible to see how you get on.

You will almost certainly have to pay a fee to join an organised networking group and there will often be a per-event charge on top of this. For your money you should expect well hosted events, refreshments and a pleasant location. You may also get food but check the event format is a "tabled" one as mingling, talking and eating a buffet at the same time can be tricky. The fees are very variable and do not always reflect the quality of the group or events. Ask your friends and business colleague which ones they attend or can recommend. Don't commit to the first one you attend even if it seems to fit the bill. Do your research. Your time is valuable and you need to use it in a smart manner. Take every opportunity to use any free trials or guest invitations the networking groups may offer before you commit.

Another aspect you could look at is structure.

Some networks are run is a very structured manner with little deviation to the programs. Some also have mandatory attendance and referral requirements. Others are very informal and you have to work hard to avoid them being just social events. The middle ground format should have reasonable structure to ensure networking takes place but also some flexibility to allow a bit of variation on the day. Some even offer "expert" speakers from within the membership and these can be very interesting and provide good exposure for the businesses that do it. Of course everyone has their own preference so, once again, try them all out before you sign up.

One final aspect you could consider is your target audience. I think this is the most important of the three criteria mentioned in this article.

What business are you actually in? What benefits do you offer and who needs those benefits? Who do you need to be networking with? If you really need to be talking to company directors of large multi-national corporations then you may not find them at your local networking events. Go where your potential clients go. Some networking formats will better suit trade based businesses rather than consultancy providers and may not have the depth of referral coverage you seek or need. Each brand of networking group organisation is different and each host has different styles, contacts and skills. If you do join a group, get to know your host and let them know your business offering and your target clients. The host should help match you up with your target clients at each event.

Take the time to choose the right networking group and event format for both you and your business. You may even decide that two or more groups will better suit your needs. It takes time and focus to gain the most benefit from networking so make sure you are with people you really want to spend this time with.

In conclusion, always remember that networking is only one tool in your toolkit. However, if used in the right way, it can be an extremely effective, enjoyable and profitable one.

I'm Andy Pope and I am committed to helping individuals and organisation develop more effective face to face communication skills. I hope you enjoyed this article.

Check out my website at http://www.eryrglas.com/

Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/e9T-Q

Hope to see you there soon!

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Networking in the City

Do you live in a major city? Are you just a few minutes outside of a bustling metropolis? If so, then you are situated in a prime location for social and business networking for your career and lifestyle. Large towns offer excellent venues and opportunities to meet, mingle and do business. Savvy professionals can take advantage of the urban networking scene. They can connect with the right groups and organizations for their networking agenda. These individuals are ale to strike it big in the game of networking.

Listed below are tips and suggestions for building your networks and relationships for success.

Weekend Networking

Surf the web to search for events and functions to attend on a regular basis. Do not just look for formal networking events that take place during the week days. Consider making your networking a weekend venture. Going to festivals, concerts and shows are great networking opportunities. Usually informal and cultural, they still attract like minded individuals who have shared platforms for exchanging contacts and referrals. Some events, depending on the size can also attract people from out of town or neighboring cities. This is just another way to broaden your sphere of influence and diversify your networking pool.

The Fan Club

What is your favorite hobby or personal interest? Are you a fine arts or jewelry collector? Do you enjoy scrap booking? Are you a wine connoisseur? Regardless of your past time, go to those types of activities as a way to further connect with others. Get involved with local groups and meet ups to share common interest and expand your social horizons. Networking from a personal interest gives you an opportunity to attend events and functions which are less intimidating than the usual breakfast or luncheon meetings. It also allows you to bring friends and family to enjoy the events.

City Chapters

A majority of working professional living in the city have several career and professional advantages. Universities, clubs and organizations typically have their head quarters or major chapters in large cities. Professionals can like up with fellow alums or career counterparts at formal and informal functions. Many of these institutions offer online platforms for additional means of connecting and networking. They also have subgroups, affinity groups for linking up through gender, race and professional associations. Take the time to learn about these groups and select your best fit to make the most of your networking endeavors.

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Monetise Your Business Wardrobe for Success

It is amazing the number of people who come up to me at networking events and say that I should go and talk to a business or professional person that needs to dress better.

The way we dress is determined by many things. Our upbringing, our current financial state, our self-beliefs, our desire to please others, our motives and our dressing knowledge and skills can influence the way we dress. Some dress to show their wealth and status and some dress to hide it. For women, every life event causes us concern about what we will wear. None of us want the embarrassment or shame of getting it wrong.

Here are my three modern dressing tips for business and professional women over 40 to help you build a wardrobe that adds value to your working life.

Get Rid of Poor Investments

Any investor knows that hanging on to poor performing assets will drain or destroy your future wealth. So it is with your wardrobe.

Now is the time to go through your clothes and accessories with a critical eye. We have all heard the old adage about dressing like the next job level you want. That also applies if you are in business for yourself. Clearly define your goals for the next 12 months and look to see if each item in your wardrobe represents you at that level of income. Keep the ones that do and get rid of those that drag you down or keep you forever at your current level. Dispose of your cheap, make-do items as well as the expensive, classic suits that do not fit your future direction. You may not be able to do a complete purge but you can devise a plan for replacing items at a better level.

Also check items for repair and alteration. Scuffed shoes and ill-fitting clothes are noticed by others. Fix them or throw them out.

Pay Yourself First

Another important investment rule is to put a certain percentage of your income aside for monetary growth. This also applies in your professional wardrobe.

Put part of your income aside to invest in purchasing well-made, quality clothes and accessories. You may buy them at full-price or on sale. Go for brand, fit and the quality. People do decide to employ you, have you speak to their group or give you a promotion based on their impression of you. When you buy judiciously, you can use personal appeal to do part of this work for you. A good first impression makes the next step easier. A poor first impression means you have to work harder to turn it around.

Learn all the modern dressing skills you need to represent yourself as professional, approachable, confident and forward-thinking. Buy books, go to workshops or pay an Image Consultant to gain the edge over your competition. Create your unique brand and show your personality through what you wear.

Money Loves to Work and Be Appreciated

The classic money novel, The Richest Man in Babylon by George S Clason reminds us that money will lose its value if we do not put it to work. Hide it under the bed and inflation will erode its value.

Once you have started to build a wardrobe of better quality clothes that suit your 12 month goals, make it work for you. Working clothes that are rarely worn are underperforming assets. Quality, modern, neutral pants and skirts can mix and match with a variety of tops, shirts and jackets. Use accessories to diversify your basic clothing investments and give them variety. Increase your awareness and appreciation of the abundance in your wardrobe by working out new clothing combinations.

Step up and have professional photos taken for promotion and advertising. Opportunities to speak can arise at any time. Even short elevator speeches are an opportunity for your clothing to reinforce your business message and personality. You do not need a massive dressing room filled with clothes. Fewer, well-chosen clothes working often will bring you financial rewards.

Last Words

Talking to other people about their dress sense needs to be done with sensitivity and respect. Lift your clothing and yourself to the next monetary level and other will notice and want to know your secret and who taught you those dressing skills.

Margaret Sims is an Image Consultant and Modern Dressing Expert. Margaret educates quiet achieving business women over 40 on modern dressing skills and personal branding so you can shine confidently in a world of noisy experts. If this is you, visit my blog - http://thefashiontranslator.wordpress.com/ for more dressing tips. At both the Blog and Margaret's website - http://yourfuturedirection.com.au/ you can sign up to get the free twice-monthly newsletter and receive your free eBook and Audio - 'Look Fabulous, Feel Confident Every Day'.

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4 Essentials for Successful Twitter Marketing

With well over 100 million users, Twitter is the 2nd most popular social media network on the Internet. Twitter has become a favored marketing tool to stay in close communication with a network of followers by "tweeting" short messages on a regular basis. Building a dedicated following is a goal for any Twitter marketing campaign. Here a 4 essentials for successful twitter marketing.

Twitter Marketing Essential #1 - Be Timely

Twitter is all about quick, short, messages. It is essential to be timely. Respond to new follower, direct messages, and tweets within 24 hours. When someone mentions you, or re-tweets your tweet, let them know you appreciate it. But be timely. Waiting too long can hurt the relationship. Your goal is to have your message go viral and you need a good network of followers to achieve this goal.

There are quite a few twitter applications that will let track your mentions, re-tweets, keywords, and even schedule your outgoing tweets. I'm not here to promote any in particular, and each has subtle advantages, so do a little research. Here's a few to start with: Tweetbeep, Twitter Alerts, TweetLater, Tweetdeck, and SocialOomph. You won't need to make any financial commitments and you won't need to spend your time watching the Twitter feed to see what's going on out there in Twitter-land.

Twitter Marketing Essential #2 - Make it Personal

Never forget, business is personal. If you're an entrepreneur growing a small business, it is essential to use your twitter marketing campaign to promote yourself and your product or service, at a personal level. It's ok, and even advisable to tweet general, promotional information. It's even OK to tweet positive messages. But in the end, your goal is to make a personal connection with you followers, and hopefully they promote you by re-tweeting and mentioning you their followers. To achieve this goal you'll need to make your twitter marketing personal. Message, or tweet, followers directly when you have something unique that they can benefit from. Develop your relationship with your followers by thanking anyone who mentions or re-tweets you. Also, send a direct message to new followers, thanking them for doing so. Keep in mind that not every tweet needs to be a pitch. Build personal relationships.

Twitter Marketing Essential #3 - Be Informative

It's tough to squeeze a lot into just 140 characters. With twitter marketing campaigns it is essential to keep it brief, and keep it informative. Think of your tweet as a newspaper headline. You need to capture your audience, get them interested in reading your post for more information, and convince them there is value in reading on. All this in only 140 characters. You need to position yourself as the "go to" source in your niche. In doing so, you'll want to turn conversations public so others can see that you are a respected resource. Include all your followers (when appropriate) in your thank you when someone re-tweets or mentions you. This will help you promote yourself as a leader in your niche. But, don't just say thanks. No one will know what you're thanking them for and no one will have the time or interest to research the thread of communication. Instead, thank them for mentioning your product or brand. This will create a natural and casual mention of your product or brand and let all your followers know that you are the right resource to turn to.

Twitter Marketing Essential #4 - Be Social

Twitter is a social network, so be sociable. Don't constantly send promotional or spam tweets. Use tweets to create a relationship and build a loyal following. Leverage your network by mentioning others. Follow other Twitter users outside your niche. When you like something they say, re-tweet it. By doing this, you will not necessarily be promoting your direct competitors, and you will have the opportunity to expand your market reach well beyond your group of followers. Smart users will reciprocate this and mention or re-tweet you as well. Remember, twitter marketing is a tool to develop relationships with the context of a social network.

Twitter Marketing Essentials

Many internet and social marketers rush out to join Twitter, and then wonder what to do with it. Twitter marketing takes time, but can be an effective tool in your marketing campaign. You'll need to build a following which, in the beginning, will require you to follow others in the same niche. Soon you'll begin to expand your reach and in time you'll attract a large pool of people interested in your product or brand. Remember, Twitter is just a tool. You'll need to support your twitter marketing efforts through other means, such as Facebook and blogging, to name two.

Learn more about social media marketing including Facebook, Twitter, blogging, etc.

Best to all,

Robert Jerome

Blog: http://www.workwithrobertjerome.com/

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5 Reasons You Should Network With Other Creative Professionals

Why should you network with other creative professionals?

Sometimes 24 hours just doesn't seem like enough time to get through that never ending to-do list. With the pressures of continually finding new clients and getting the work finished with a quick turnaround, why should you leave time for networking with other creative professionals, and how can this be advantageous to you?

1. They face the same problems as you do

Whether you know it or not, you are a wealth of knowledge, and so are your creative counterparts. From problems getting payment from a difficult client, to sitting spending hours stubbornly trying to figure out a masking technique on Photoshop may be self-gratifying in the end, but it not the most efficient way to work when there is a client waiting. A quick shout out on social networking sites/forums could instantly point you in the direction of a great tutorial, or get someone to share a neat trick for achieving the result you want in a fraction of the time. Plus it is an engaging way of maintaining an online presence.

Friends and family are of course a great support to you, but no one else understands the technical difficulties faced when shooting a sporting event than another sports photographer.

2. They can help you bring in more work

Ever considered or experienced the scenario where a client may approach a creative professional, only for them (to be fortunate enough) to be too busy to take on the project? Well you could be their top referral- "I know a great designer who could help you... " and in the near future, the favour could be returned. Often enquiries can also come along that are not quite relevant to your field or your niche, and so are passed along to someone who specialises in this area.

Many people also sub-contract their projects out to other creative professionals, e.g. a graphic designer has created t-shirt designs for an up and coming fashion website, they now need a photographer to shoot their work for publishing on the website (which the client still needs built). The client will often ask the people working for them for such recommendations.

3. They are a source of inspiration

You should actively look through the portfolios/articles/links of your counterparts if you don't already do so. There is a wealth of inspiration out there. Also look at the more successful among us for examples of the language they use to represent and conduct themselves on their website/social media/emails. What is the consistent tone/length/information? Is there something you could tweak regarding the way you communicate both graphically and textually?

4. They can critique/mentor you

There are many stories of this sort of collaboration and a beauty of it is that it is rarely one-sided. You can help each other get up to speed on different techniques. Appraising each other's work is a common and valuable exercise and encourages you to look at work more closely; the devil is in the detail. This sort of interaction improves your communication, adaptation and listening skills.

5. As a means of keeping on top of current trends and topics in your industry (and that of your clients)

You've been working away with your nose to the grind stone, but when did you last come up for air and take time to pick up on current trends and topics relevant to your field? Being bang up to date on the subject will enable you to offer clients the freshest ideas and work you can, if that is what they are after, and a sound knowledge of what is current in their industry will inform you of how best to marry the two.

At tendify, our aim is to support the creative industries and improve the process of prospective clients both finding and appointing creative professionals.

Got a design project in mind? Pop over to tendify and find out how we can help...

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How to Grow Your Practice Through Partnerships and Collaboration With Others

When I first started in my business, I felt very much alone. I had this feeling of pulling all the weight by myself; I felt isolated in all of my efforts to grow my business.

As soon as I started collaborating with other people, I began feeling like nothing was impossible! I would come up with an idea, approach someone who could help me achieve this idea and we would soon a have a win-win-win partnership going. Why do I say win-win-win? Becausethe fundamental principle behind partnerships is enhancing what you offer to your clients. So the win is for your clinic, for your partner and for your patients.

As it turned out in my business I found some wonderful partners where I LEAST expected them! One of my collaborators was right under my nose for an entire year, until I finally realized what a great partner she would make.

Another partner was such an influential person in my business community, I felt too intimidated to even approach him! A year later, I found the "right key" to his door and now we continuously collaborate on various projects.

What I learned in working with my partners is that nothing is impossible! With the right idea, the right approach and the right timing, you can find yourself being partners with some of the biggest players in your profession!

So, if you think collaboration is not "important" - think again. Time and time again, I find that collaborating and partnering with others helps me grow my business faster and it is liberating and fun!

Today you will learn...

what collaboration isthe benefits of collaboration, and what happens if you don't collaboratehow to get started and create your ideal partnerships

What is collaboration?

Collaboration, when done right, makes everything easier. Everyone can collaborate. Collaborating is the "extra" in every extraordinary physical therapy practice. If you're like many other physical therapy clinic owners, you might find yourself overwhelmed and unable to grow in the business, or grow your business, without putting in more time and effort doing the same old things. Collaboration will allow you to multiply your efforts, save time and money, and uncover the resources and opportunities you need to become extraordinary.

The biggest most successful projects I've seen come to life are the direct result of two or more people coming together. Combining their unique talents and creating something extraordinary. Collaboration happens every day amongst professionals like you and I. Partnering and collaboration are simply this - bringing two or more people together for a common benefit or purpose.

Here are just a few examples of how collaboration works:

Physical therapy clinic + gym facility = a new program for baby boomersPhysical therapy clinic + cancer association = an incredible new service for breast cancer survivorsPhysical therapy clinic + sports team = an integrated approach to sport injuries

Collaboration and partnering liberate you from your time and resource constraints and are a way to share risks, costs, and resources.

Are you working harder than ever? Do you feel you have ever increasing obligations, commitments, and responsibilities? It is difficult doing it all, and doing it all yourself. I know how this feels.

Collaboration, when done right, makes everything easier.

Here's what can happen when you collaborate

Here's what's in it for you, if you develop the right partnerships, with the right people.

You can offer your customer a larger variety of products or services. This will allow you to spend less time and money developing new products or services to sell.Your marketing will increase. When you form partnerships with other businesses you both share marketing efforts and costs.Your business will have a larger number of skilled people working on the same project.You will gain competitive advantage by reaching a larger target audience. You will also increase your number of clients.You will add more credibility and visibility in your business, and gain trust in your potential new customers.You will expand your business more rapidly.You will improve your customer service, customer loyalty.In partnering you can have the opportunity to develop a stronger branding identity.

Through collaboration, you will uncover the resources and opportunities you need to grow your business. You will turn obstacles into opportunities and find opportunity in the most unlikely places.

What will happen if you don't collaborate?

your business may not grow at the rate you want because you will continually struggle with time and resource challenges;your innovation will be curbed because you won't be learning from others;you are not likely to stand out and be recognized in your client's minds.

Get started and form your ideal business partnerships

Physical therapy practice owners often ask me how they can form partnerships with others.

How can I form partnerships with others?

What do I have to offer other businesses?

Is it really that important to growing my business?

My answer to this last question is always an unequivocal "yes"! It is really that important to growing your business - with more ease and less struggle.

Collaboration is not only important to growing your practice, it is essential to growing your practice.

If you are ready to start to create your ideal partnerships now, start by answering these key questions and then take action!

Exercise

When you have identified a target group for your practice and your marketing initiatives, this exercise is much easier to do.

If you haven't already identified a target audience, then answer these questions for your clinic as it is today, and from the perspective that you want to grow it and get more clients.

The first step is to answer this question...

What do I want from a partnership?

Do you want...

Increased exposure?Recognition?New clients?A way to reach your new target audience?A way to expand the services you offer to your clients?Attract new prospects?Streamline your operations?Strengthen your brand?

Here are some ways and ideas for partnering to get what you want...

sponsorships,presence in each others' newsletter,interviews,hold a joint workshops, joint presentations at a conference,write an article,serve on a business advisory committee,join a mastermind group, form a mastermind group,promote your suppliers,get bonus gifts from key players in your industry,approach charities to become sponsors of your business,use an incentive plan for your key team members,ask your friends and family for help,request referrals,private label some of your materials, or appreciation gifts,partner with your clients to get referralspartner with your providers and team.create your own personal networking group or business development community.

The second step is to answer this question is...

What can I offer to a partnership?

Here are some thing know you can offer...

knowledge and expertise,a program, connections,special skills or talents,special resources,time and energy

Four action steps you can take right now to create your own

collaborative partnerships

Step 1:

Make a list of 5 businesses that target the same clients or patients as you do.

Step 2:

List 5 specific people you know in each of these businesses, or people you know who might know someone in these businesses.

Step 3:

Find out more about these businesses and what services they offer, by looking at their websites, and talking to others about them.

Try to figure out what may be something they would like that you have. Again, it could be: increased exposure, recognition, new clients, to retire from business?

Step 4:

Come up with a partnering idea that is an idea so beneficial to THEM, they won't be able to refuse! Be creative. Think about all of the ways you could bring value to each other.

Here are some potential ways to bring value to each other:

Pass referrals on to them for something specific - physicians are a good example of partnering that you promote in the reverse.Connect people to each other (people might be good partners for each other, or customers for each other, etc.)Give away some of your valuable materialsTeach them something that you have expertise inAcknowledge peopleGive a commitment for referrals.

Approaching your potential partners

Always approach your potential partners with how you can help them. Open your conversation with a question or an offer to help. For example, are you looking for more business? Who is your ideal customer?

Then generate win, win, win ideas that help you, them, and the potential customers.

Physical therapy practice owners who want a better work-life balance and a smooth running operation with high client numbers learn how to have all of this. Erika Trimble President of Prosperous Physical Therapy and Business Coach has created the first ever business training programs dedicated exclusively to practice owners. Visit us at http://www.prosperousphysicaltherapy.com/.

Prosperous Physical Therapy

Copyright @ 2012 by Erika Trimble All Rights Reserved

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