How to...Choose a Networking Group

I was speaking for a group this week and was asked for the best way to find (and choose) a networking group. And even more specifically for their particular industry, loan originators. While I gave some pointers about choosing different types of groups and the tips to determine the dynamics I realized I neglected to get right down to the "how to".

I've been networking for at least 18 years and a lot has changed since the introduction of franchised leads groups to the practice of networking. Both good and bad. One thing I've discovered is many learn the practice of networking without really grasping the purpose. We published an article a few months ago, "The Evolution of Networking", in which we address the typical phases individuals go through as they master the purpose and practices. Check the article at our website.

How to find a networking group.

1. Check your local papers and business publications for the business calendar.
2. Ask others in your profession where they network.
3. Google "networking, (your local area)" and see what comes up. In Portland Metropolitan area, check out the list we've assembled to serve you.
4. Visit your local chamber, or visit www.bni.com, www.letip.com and check out local chapters.

Before visiting or joining a networking group. Go back to basics. These basics should be in your working marketing plan. Most of us are continually refining these definitions as we gain experience and master the sales process.

1. Get clear. Think about what you really do for your customers. Not in titles or in vague descriptions. Get down to the pains, frustrations, and angst you relieve. Build a power word bank of those key words in the pain quadrant. Don't forget to add words from the WOW! spectrum too. After working with you, what is it your clients feels? For example, peace of mind, increase cash flow, debt free, etc. Remember this is not to manipulate prospects but rather to better connect, build rapport, and discover fit and time frame for your services.


2. Get focused. Who are ideal prospects for you? Get specific and target your ideal market. Don't be afraid to go for those cream of the crop individuals or businesses. Vague answers, such as anyone who needs what you offer won't serve you, your customers, or your future network.


3. Get partners. Identify those who share your ideal target market. These might be businesses who complement yours or those who are related to those in your prospective customers. For example, if you are a lender, strategic partners might be escrow officers, title companies, real estate professionals, insurance agents, CPA, financial planners, etc. These are service providers who complement your service. To go beyond the obvious, you can peer into your prospects Rolodex. Look at personal services such as hairdressers, personal trainers, door to door dry cleaners, personal chefs, etc. The key is to connect with those who might be aware of prospects with a need you can fill, who really understand the value of reciprocity and the power of partnering to increase impact, exposure, and add value to their customers.


4. Get connected. Determine where to show up to make the connection. Select events, organizations, or periodicals that connect you with those in your ideal target market or with partners.

As you venture out to attend with the prospect of making connections, ask yourself. Will this group connect me with those in my ideal target market or those who could be partners? Your time and money are valuable. Visit any group twice before joining to see if the chemistry fits.

If you are not yet a subscriber to our monthly newsletter, QuickConnect for Busy People, sign up now to receive your complementary report "How to Measure Your Networking ROI (Return on Investment)".

If you have some recommendations on finding a networking group, please add your comments!

Lessons Learned from the Wheelchair

First of all, let me start with a statement of gratitude. My faith in a living God who is distinctly interested in me gave me a peace and trust that this incident would be for my good. I am grateful that this abrupt change in my situation, which could have put my life and business in a tailspin, has not. Rather the opposite. I've focused, driven deeper into the niche I want to serve and will be using what I learned to plan for a record breaking 2008.

I am an entrepreneur at heart. I have clients, appointments, networking events, and speaking engagements (not to mention my volunteer activities)....just like you. Juggling all this, first from a hospital bed and then from a wheelchair, gave me opportunity for a fresh perspective and understanding.

1. First and foremost, anything that can be done fully mobile can be done from a wheelchair (except driving when your right leg is the injured body part.) It doesn't mean that it is easy, just that it is possible. It all comes down to your choice, perspective, and drive.


2. Not all buildings that say they are ADA accessible have an accessible restroom. Something to consider if you are out and about for any length of time. Thank God for Laura, my newest team member, who helped me navigate some of those buildings.


3. When it comes to networking, some people will make a point to speak to you, others will make an effort not to. This is curious because some of these people knew me but didn't recognize me in the chair because they wouldn't make eye contact. I am still trying to psychoanalyze that phenomenon. I realize I was below eye level when looking around the room, but the wheelchair was pretty obvious. What is the story we have in our minds about those who may be handicapped?


4. People are generous with encouragement and support. Offers to help came flooding in. Follow through is another matter. This left me wondering. How many times have I done the same thing? Someone is in need, I offer help. I wonder at my intention. Do I really want to help or only if it is convenient? Follow through is a challenge in most settings. Our lives are so busy. Is it possible to be different when someone we know needs us?


5. Some people love giving. I experienced the spirit of generosity in ways I had not imagined. Some of my friends served in such a way that showed their delight in helping. Some offered to pick me up and drive just so they could spend time with me. This was humbling since I knew they run on a tight schedule and what they sacrificed to do this.


6. We all have limitations. I already knew this, so it wasn't new learning, but when all is said and done, we all have something. Some of us physical, some in our minds, some in resources, some in skill set. What I know is this; when we fix our eye on a meaningful goal and believe it can be accomplished, regardless of our limitations, it can be achieved.

I learned alot about myself too.

1. I have trouble asking for help when I can't see clearly how I can reciprocate. I am used to being able to return in kind more value than the information or assistance I request. In this scenario I had to ask for help solely counting on others kindness. This was hard!


2. I am pretty independant. For those who know me, they say, DUH! Of course you are. I had trouble not attempting doing things myself before asking for help. It didn't even occur to me to ask until I had tried it first. My independent spirit can be both a strength and weakness.


3. I can get a lot done when I can't be out and about! I already knew this in part but the leaps my business has moved forward in the last 90 days has been phenomenal. Partially due to my limited mobility and partially due to adding Laura James to the team. I could not have accomplished or even done business as easily without her contribution. As I become more mobile you will see her highlighted in the coaching and training arena.

The good that is coming out of this season of life outweighs the pain. 3 weeks more of limited mobility before I hope to pass "GO" and be fully mobile again.

My advice for the day: Stay focused and perservere! You will learn more and go farther! It's your choice.

The Little Things Can Make a BIG Difference

Sometimes the processes or activities in our business that seem insignificant can leverage some big results.

One of the tactics we take when helping our clients find growth opportunities is to look at the way their customers want to do business with them. This usually brings to light some pretty simple ways to make the buying process easier for more customers.

A recent example comes to mind. When working with Hip Chicks do Wine last month we found some simple things that when implemented, immediately impacted their sales.

Hip Chicks is an urban winery located in the heart of Portland. In addition to making wine on-site, they offer seasonal events, tasting, in-house events and most of what you expect when you visit a winery out in the country. They have fun labels and some really good wine. Laurie Lewis and Renee Neely, the Hip Chicks, are the winemakers and the personalities that create the experience.

We discovered a couple of things pretty quickly that would invite and enable their customers to gain more of the Hip Chicks experience, such as:

1. Posting a sign that says "We ship wine". They do. Always have. But out of sight, out of mind. With many of their patrons being tourists, this reminder is an easy way to encourage taking the Hip Chicks experience home.
2. Offering and notifying patrons that they can waive the tasting fee with purchase of 6 bottles of wine. Typically, patrons in the tasting room purchase a bottle or two. With the purchase of six and the credit for the tasting fee, the patron saves 10-15%. This type of savings is typically reserved for purchases of 12 bottles or more.

This idea is so fun due to its simplicity. Finding growth opportunities in the little things are usually very easy to implement and typically low cost with high impact!

What about your business? Think about the buying process for your customer. What are some things you might do to make it easier for your customers to do business with you?

Happy Selling!

Cold Calling Secret

Cold calling is not my favorite thing. If you've heard me speak my stance on cold calling is, Why? Why cold call when you can network your way into warm leads.

I attended a workshop put on by the Institute of Management Consultants here in Portland and gained some insights from Cold Calling expert, Kathy Maixner of Selling Smart that changed my mind.

Now I know why I've always liked Kathy! Her fresh perspective on cold calling is very similar to my take on networking. I came away with 5 simple insights about cold calling.

1. Cold calling is just a contact. It is not the sale.
2. Be crystal clear on your target.
3. Be prepared. Do your homework on the company you are calling.
4. Have a script. Create a vocabulary that works for you. Make it meaningful.
5. Get over yourself.

I realized some people feel about networking the same as I do about cold calling. When I took the "sales" out of networking, contacts were easy. Kathy showed me, when it comes to initial contacts, whether cold calling or networking, it is just a point of discovery.

If cold calling is in your future, back up and rethink your objective. First to learn more, then to get an appointment to explore mutual benefit.

Happy Selling!

What limits business opportunity? It is your mindset!

Doing business from a wheelchair is interesting to say the least. I am sure there are those who are do life from a position of limited mobility who might say I know nothing of the challenge but the glimpse I have into the planning and preparation that goes in to every appointment and activity has certainly given me perspective and gratitude.

As I am venturing out, seeing clients, teaching workshops, networking... all while in a wheelchair, not using the tools that are so familiar to me, I realize most of the limitation is in our minds.

People ask, "How do you do it? Isn't it hard?" I am thinking in my head, "Yes, it is challenging. But the alternative is not an option for me." I ask them out loud, "What would you have me do? Lay in my bed until my leg is healed? Three months break in the momentum I've built doing what I love to do? Not a chance!" It is attitude that makes a difference.

I grasp the little things that go into paying attention to others struggles by noticing the attention of others paid to me. Whether with limited mobility of other challenges in doing business. Think about it. It may not be limited mobility, just limited access to resources, capital, opportunity. What can each of us do to help?

I marvel at the wealth of information that each of us hold within our grasp freely available to us and open for us to share...if we had a mindset to do so.

My question for you. Who can you help today? This is the true spirit of networking.

Summer Time Activities Bring Unexpected Adventures!

The connections I’ve made and the network I’ve created over the years has proven invaluable to me this past week.

Last summer my husband and I started taking much needed weekend road trips on our motorcycle. Last Friday while touring Southern Oregon we encountered every bikers lurking fear, loose gravel! Time stood still as we took the slow turn and the bike slid out from under us. I broke my right leg (not my bad one) and my husband broke his collar bone, thank God we were going slowly and we have good gear or it might have been worse. We are on the road to recovery, facing each challenge and finding many new reasons to be grateful.

Needless to say, it’s been an interesting week trying to run my business from a hospital room in Roseburg. I’m sure it will take months if not years to extract all the life lessons from this event but I can say the first one I’ve learned is the awesome power of my network. When I called to cancel appointments, I had more offers of help than I could have imagined. Both colleagues and clients alike have been incredibly gracious and it reaffirms to me that when you connect on purpose you create relationships that give in more ways than you can imagine.

I will back in my office on Monday, seeing clients and tackling the challenges that limited mobility brings. The addition of Laura James to the Connectworks team could not have been timelier. Watch for more about Laura’s new role in the next QuickConnect for Busy People.

Until next time, happy networking.

Sizzling Summer Strategies for Busy People

Summer’s here! As temperatures rise, so does the need to keep your business growing despite the challenge of juggling vacation-season schedules to call on prospects.

The good news: This is a great time to plan your fall strategy!

For many businesses, the bulk of business is done in the fourth quarter and has tremendous impact on their annual revenue. If you want to capitalize on the opportunities presented during this prime buying season here are some tips for making this your best fourth quarter ever:

1. Find your starting place: Assess your current revenue position and determine where you need to be to by December 31. Do you have the people, information and plans in place to get you there?
2. Check in against your business/marketing plan: Having a plan in place helps guide your marketing, sales and new product/service development efforts. Are you on target with your customer contact activities, new product development and lead-generation campaigns? Are you following up?
3. Measure your efforts: You can only improve when you know how you’re doing now. What benchmarks are in place to measure your successes (and failures)? Are you using the right tools and are they measuring the right activities to keep you clued in?

Best practices in sales productivity boil down to this bottom line: Do you know how many customers, products, or packages you need to reach your revenue goal? From there, who can help you reach more of that audience?

Tap into your network: Take stock of your relationship with the key players in your network. Knowing who shares your market and connecting with key players in your network can be the catalyst to not only meeting your revenue goals but launching you over the top.

Happy Networking!