NETWORKING WAHM

Archive for the ‘General’ Category

Top Ten Tips for Networking

I firmly believe in the power of networking as I have seen first hand how this has helped me grow professionally and personally. You need to be consistent with your networking efforts and this holds true for both online and offline networking.

There are a few basic tips you should remember when it comes to networking and they are as follows:

1. Networking is not about selling your business or products to everyone you meet.

2. Don’t come on too strong the first time you meet new people.

3. Share about yourself, not just your business. “People do business with people they trust and people they have gotten to know.”

4. Ask people what they do and invite them to share about themselves and their business.

5. Listen more than you talk and ask questions that will get people talking — not just a yes or no answer.

6. Make notes on things people have that might be useful to yourself or others.
*tip* I keep index cards on business contacts in a file box. I will write down information about this business contact on the index cards.

7. Find common ground with the person you’re getting to know. “People do business with people just like them.”

8. If asked what you do don’t give someone a long sales pitch. Keep it short and informative. If they want to know more they will ask.

9. Always tell the person you were talking with it was a pleasure meeting them and ask if it is ok if you add them to your contact
list.

10. Ask for their business card — that way you can be sure that there will be follow up. You can exchange cards if you wish but always get their card or if online, their email or IM name. Ask permission to contact them again.

Shelly Hill ~ Tupperware Manager
Contact Shelly at Ravish30@my.tupperware.com
Web: http://my.tupperware.com/Ravish30
Recipe Blog: http://wahmshelly.blogspot.com

Don’t Just Find Customers, Keep Them

Experienced business owners value the importance of their customers.  They will tell you that customers are the lifeblood of their business.  Because of that, many business owners believe that the key to success is to constantly find new customers.  But this is not the case at all.

Smart business owners know that the real key to success is to develop long-standing business relationships with their clients and keep them coming back for reorders and new products or services.

This has many benefits.  First of all, when a business owner has clients coming back for repeat purchases, the business owner will not need to spend as much time on finding new customers.  This gives you more time to focus on the business itself instead of more marketing.

The business’ income will not suffer, as new work will be coming to the business, instead of the business constantly chasing new work down.

Not only will this save time and resources, it is also a more cost-effective way to do business.  The business owner won’t need to invest as much in their marketing and advertising campaigns.  Putting together new ad campaigns can be a serious drain on time and money.

Happy customers are also more likely to send referrals to a business.  If a satisfied customer runs into a friend or colleague needing the type of services and products you offer, they will give that person your contact information.  This results in even more work coming into the business without the business owner chasing after it.

If you like the sound of enjoying repeat business with your current customers while spending less time and money attracting new clients, you may be wondering how to put this into action.  Here are some tips on how to keep your customers happy and coming back.

* Offer quality products and/or services

While it is hard to say which of the following tips is the most important, this one is extremely important.  Without a quality product or service, there is not much reason for your customers to come back.

* Practice effective communication

This is important whenever a business owner is dealing with a customer or client, but it really comes into play for service providers.  It can be very difficult for a business owner to turn over a piece of their business to someone else, especially someone who does not live close by.

But that is exactly what happens whenever a business owner hires a virtual assistant, ghostwriter, web designer, or other service provider.

Service providers can keep their clients happy and at ease by providing regular updates on project statuses and asking questions whenever they are in doubt about something.

Also remember that this is a business relationship and keep that communication professional.

* Provide good customer service

In the above tip, we talked about effective communication skills, but that is just one part of a good customer service plan.  You have probably received poor customer service from a business in the past.  How did that make you feel about the business, and did it change your mind about doing business with them again in the future?

A general rule of thumb is to always treat your customers the way you would like to be treated.  That simple statement will ensure you will have customers coming back time and time again.

Networking in a Nutshell by Claire McLennan

Networking is a powerful tool and an integral part of business and professional development. Some people are natural networkers, although many of us find ourselves avoiding events because we don’t know how to take advantage of them.
It’s not all hard work. With the right method it can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Here are some ideas which you can use to help you get the most out of your network.
What is networking?
As described in the Collins dictionary, a network is an interconnected group or system. Therefore networking is the process of using a network or interconnected group to your advantage.

Why network?
Networking gives you the opportunity to gain insights into other businesses and contacts, and increase your exposure. At a networking occasion you are presented with the opportunity to tap into a wealth of information and experience in one room. A great asset of networking is that you never know what treasure is around the corner.
If time allows for it become involved with a networking organisation. This will open up even more opportunities. Budget and time permitting, organise to be a guest speaker or a sponsor as this will greatly increase exposure for you and your business.
How to network
This is perhaps the most daunting part of the process. Follow these tips to make it easier:
1. Make sure you have enough business cards to hand out and make sure you swap cards; this one of the most important items you can take from the event.
2. Look professional and dress accordingly.
3. Set out objectives for the evening. Are you looking to build your contacts or are you after a certain type of contact? Try and hit your objectives early, then you can generally mingle and increase your exposure.

If you do not find it easy to start a conversation pick a couple of current news topics you can use.
5. Take a colleague or business associate if turning up to an event on your own seems tough. Alternatively it could be a good opportunity to take a new business contact.
6. Take a look around the room – if it’s not a seated event look for opportunities to enter conversations.
7. Manage your time and don’t get stuck in one conversation. The room is full of ideas, so use the time wisely. Have a general rule of 15 minutes per contact.
8. Remember that everyone is there to network, so the person you are speaking to is also after knowledge and contacts. Think about what you can provide them. Even though you might not get an immediate return you might see potential in the future for a returned favour.
9. Don’t dismiss any opportunities – you never know where conversations might lead.

10. Set up future meetings at the event – it’s much harder for people to reject you face-to-face.
What to do with the contacts
So, what happens to all those business cards? Firstly you need to categorise them. You can then enter them into an appropriate database which can be set up in Excel or Access. Your database should include information such as contact details, where you met the contact and any special interests or insights you might have gained during your conversation.
Make sure that all ideas are written down in your database and that actions are documented straight away. Networking is mentally and physically draining so notes will ensure the benefits are not lost.
You then need to work out what to do with them – do you have any immediate tasks?
Reaping the benefits
The most important part of networking is ensuring you are able to learn and grow from the experience. The more you gain the better. By setting up some tools you can make sure you don’t miss any opportunities. Eventually what once seemed like the daunting process of networking becomes second nature and an important part of growing your business.

Claire McLennan is a business analyst  writes articles for Microsoft Small Business

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Online Networking Without Overwhelm by Jenn Givler

One of my favorite marketing activities is networking online. Many of my clients engage in this activity as well. But, soon after starting online networking, many people find themselves in a state of overwhelm – so many groups – so little time! First, how do you know which groups are ideal for your business, and second, how do I effectively manage my online networking and avoid becoming overwhelmed with it all?

First, let’s talk about some of the ways that you can networking online. You can participate in online networking groups such as the type you might find at Yahoo, Ryze, or Zaadz. You can also participate in special online events through organizations like WECAI.

It’s important to find networking groups where your niche is hanging out. These are the people that you will be able to help build your business. When you visit sites like Yahoo, do a search on keywords for your niche and see what kinds of groups are out there. For example, if I’m looking for networking groups, I might search on “women entrepreneurs.” Hanging out with your niche will help you gain clients, and it will help you discover what your niche’s needs are as they relate to your business.

You can also join networking groups where your peers congregate. These are great to discuss industry trends, get business questions answered and share ideas. For example, I’m a member of a few groups that are geared toward coaching.

You want to be sure the groups you’re interested in are fairly active. An active group usually has a couple hundred members, and will have at least 15 to 20 messages in a week – some have a lot more than that, but that’s a good number to look for.

When you join a group, spend a few days getting to know what the rules and expectations are. For example, some groups do not allow e-mail signatures, some groups have special days for ads. Also, spend some time reading the discussions and learning about the members.

When you’re ready, post your introduction, and jump into any conversations you feel you’d like to join.

If a group is busy and it seems like the conversations move fast and there are new threads constantly being added, you don’t have to respond to everything. When you visit the online groups, usually there is a message archive that you can browse. All of the threads are usually grouped by topic, so you can choose which discussions you’re interested in following and responding to. It is completely fine to only respond to the threads that you are most interested in. Don’t forget to offer your expertise in discussions where it is warranted. This will help members get to know what you can offer them, and it is a great way to establish yourself as an expert.

Another rule of thumb is to not work a sales pitch into every post you make. That can seem insincere. Save your sales pitch for ad days and for your e-mail signature. The goal of networking in any situation is to build relationships. You may not make sales or get e-zine subscribers the first time you post – and that’s ok. You want the members of the group to get to know you, and you want to get to know them.

Consistency is the key to make online networking work for you. Decide how much time you’re going to devote to this marketing activity and then be consistent. For example, you may decide to visit your online groups three times per week and spend 2 hours responding to posts. Or, you may decide to only visit once per week and spend 3 hours networking. Be organized with your efforts and stick to a schedule. This will make it easier to manage, and it will ensure that you don’t get stuck socializing when you really should be working

In addition to making really great business connections, online networking is a way to make amazing friends and meet fantastic people. Remember, not every single person you meet through networking will become a customer, but they will be a great connection – and you never know where that might lead!

Jenn Givler is the Catalyst for Thriving Businesses. She teaches entrepreneurs how to break through fear, frustration and overwhelm in their business. Visit her web site and receive your free report: The 5 Reasons Your Business Is Still Stuck – Even though you’re doing everything right. http://www.jgivlercoaching.com

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Knowing where to effectively market will take a little research. Knowing your target market will have a big benefit as you find places that you can use your networking skills, but may also bring you some sales. Social sites, forums, and blogs are great ways to get free publicity and put your expertise to work.

Social sites have become all the rage. One such site that is built to help other work at home Mom’s is www.MyWAHMSpace.com. Networking needs to be your focus even though there is room for more personal information as well. Join in groups and really get into the social sites. Not only do these sites have many members, but the visitor traffic is very high. Use your profile page and site blogs to get across what you are an expert in and make the best use of the traffic to your page with clickable links to your sites and blogs.

Forums have been around as long as internet marketing. I love the forums that I frequent. I have learned invaluable information and made lifelong friends on these forums. Every friend I have made is now another marketer for me because when someone asks about a subject in my area of expertise, my friends will send them to me and vice-versa. Forums are where you have to be careful of looking like a spammer. It is important to be active in the forums and make helpful posts. My favorite forum is www.MommysHelperCommunity.com. It is a friendly environment that is all about working from home with just enough personal talk to get me away from business for a few minutes a day. No one likes a spam and go poster. So find some forums that are a good fit for you and visit them weekly. It only takes a few minutes a week to get some good posts up. And don’t forget to use your signature line to it’s fullest with taglines and links.

Blogs are an easy way to work on finding networking opportunites. Find your target market and do a search for that term with the word blog added to the end. For example: women’s weight loss blog. Now I can find some blogs specifically about that topic. I’ll comment on those that I feel I can leave some good information at and a link back to my women’s wellness blog will be included in the reply post. Make sure that you are actually leaving information, not a simple, “great information, thank you for the post” comment. Those are also considered spam and many bloggers won’t approve your post without relevant information included.

These three quick networking areas can help you get a big jump on targeted traffic to your site. Use them appropriately and you will see heavier traffic to your site. Targeted traffic will bring you more sales because they knew what they were clicking to get more information about.

We’ve talked on how networking is all about talking with other people and not being pushy. Then you should be sharing ideas and not just selling your products and services. Now consider the expertise you can bring to conversations and really make people want to read your blogs and message board posts, therefore signing up for your newsletters to get more info.

Map out all that you do in regular life and in business. You will be amazed at how much you know how to do. Just because it isn’t something in your field of business does not mean you can not promote your ideas and therefore promote your business link. Some of you are much better housecleaners, organizers, or cooks than the rest of us. Every time you post a recipe it leads people to your signature line on message boards or to your blog with new traffic.

Research your field of expertise. Now that you have a list of things you enjoy or are already good at, do some research. I like to set up google alerts to be sent to my inbox so that I know the latest news on topics of my interest. This in turn gives me ideas to write about or share. It may be as simple as a quick google search to get you a couple of newsletter or magazine articles to dissect with your opinion.

Write articles and post them to your forums and to article directories as much as possible. Make up a good bio line that talks about yourself and your business expertise. This will bring a ton of traffic back to your business as others use your article to add great content to their sites and blogs. This is also more targeted traffic, which is the best kind. You know if they liked your article enough to click the link in your bio then they are looking for more information in your area of expertise. Keep an eye on your stats to see which articles are bringing you the best traffic and then you know what people are hungry for.

Being an expert does not require a degree. Being an expert can happen through life experience and research. Make the most of what you know and people will look to you for more info on your favorite topics.

Everyone has heard of spam. There are many that do not know what spam can encompass. Spam is unsolicited ads, no matter where those ads are posted or to whom. Your friends and family don’t deserve spam in their inbox. Message boards do not deserve unsolicited ads in inappropriate forums, and your newsletter lists are definitely a bad place to post ad after ad with no content. You may not even understand that you are hurting your business and wasting your time with bad networking techniques that are actually spam.

I’ll start with message boards because that is my biggest pet peeve. I teach people to not click on any links unless they know the user. By knowing, I mean the user has been active on the boards for a little while or you have had direct dialogue with them. Many WAHM’s are especially wary of clicking on links, so you are wasting your time if you haven’t participated in the community yet. None of us can afford the time or expense of being downed by a virus.

Don’t waste your time going from board to board and only posting in the ads forum. The majority of users that are viewing the ads forum are only there to post their own ads. They aren’t very likely to click on your ad. Instead, use your time more wisely and be active on a few boards. Build some relationships with other users and you will see better conversions from your traffic.

I have a “friend” that spams me with email periodically. I get emails about helping this family or that family. Not even people in our area usually. Or I get emails about Mary Kay sales because she is an assistant for a few of them. I was never asked if I’d like to receive these emails and quite frankly I don’t open anything from her anymore. These are unsolicited emails and while she may think they are ok, they actually aren’t. They fill up my inbox and take time out of my day to go through. So ask your friends and family if they’d like updates from you. Don’t alienate those that are closest to you.

Your email list is an iffy place. Yes, they signed up to get updates from you about a subject or company. But you have to watch that you don’t abuse that. Make sure that you are giving them the information that they signed up for and not just constant ads. If they did sign up for updates about your company, then try to put some tips in your newsletter as well. Also be wary of sending out emails too often with just an ad for a company that they did not sign up to hear about. It’s very tempting to email your list about a new company you signed up with or a new affiliate. If they start getting too many emails about subjects they didn’t ask for they are more apt to delete them without opening and unsubscribe from your list. Converting every subscriber is a big key to online business. You don’t want to tick off those that have already shown interest.

Spamming is not just those using hacker software to mass email and post to boards. Many small business owners do it every day and usually just out of ignorance. Don’t be one of them. Use your time productively and wisely. Make good business relationships from the get go and then work on turning them into sales.

Having been online for many years now I’ve witnessed a serious decline in networking. I have a feeling it is because the majority of the online community no longer markets offline as well. This has led to less one-on-one personal contact and the feeling that they must hit as many people each day as possible with their site info. I’m here to explain how networking truly works.

Webster’s Dictionary defines networking as: the exchange of information or services among individuals, groups, or institutions; specifically : the cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business. If you notice, nothing in this definition says that you will use communities for nothing more than links to your site.

Exchanging information with other business owners sets you up as an expert in your field. By helping others, you will put yourself and your sites at the front of their mind when they are looking for your products and services. In return, you will be picking the minds of many and getting a lot of useful information to grow your business.

The key is the exchange of information. To effectively network you will need to regularly visit the site. Stopping by only once a month will not build you business relationships. Visit the site a minimum of once a week and make sure to add forum or blog posts and comments that are useful and informative. Do not just add an “I agree” or “thanks for the info” comment so your signature line is on the post. Pull from information you have learned whether from others or through experience and pass this on. By giving useful information you will have more views.

Remember even if you haven’t been online for very long, you have useful information to share. There are others that haven’t even chosen their business yet reading or even those of us that have been on for a long time and simply forgotten some of the simpler things. Share and you shall reap the benefits!

I took over Networking WAHM on March 23, 08.  Networking is the hub of any business on and offline.  WIthout networking there is not word of mouth and fewer referrals.  Thus your advertising costs will have to go up so you can get business.

Networking can take up all of your time, literally.  You can spend all day on message boards, social networks, and chat rooms and find that you didn’t accomplish your daily tasks.  It’s very easy to do if you don’t put a plan in action.

I hope to bring you a great resource of places I and my friends have found to be valuable for networking your business.  If you have someplace you frequent send me an email or leave a comment so I can check it out.  I’m always open to finding new places with quality information and contacts.

To our Success!