NETWORKING WAHM

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I’m just amazed how hard women are working today! Many of the mompreneurs are the most versatile people of all. We’re businesswomen with business ventures of every type. Many are even running multiple businesses all while raising a family. The dynamics are slightly crazy at times for most of us. Those who try to run businesses while raising a family, we all attest it’s hard, but it worth the end result.

How does one manage so much? It takes a lot just to run a business never mind a family and a business? While having a family and running a business is worth it, it’s not a cakewalk. It comes down to priorities and taking care of what’s most important first. For most of us it’s the children first and everything else is second.

I’m truly amazed by the women I meet. In the business groups today online and in person the most dynamic women are leading and teaching others. Some are bloggers, others are magazine editors, some are social media developers, coaches coaching others, the careers choices are unlimited. Many are doing so many different things to build their business brands, it’s very empowering to other women even to watch.

Then some are in also launching themselves into podcasting. With the YouTube anyone can become a star. The online radio shows have taken off they’re where today’s women are building empires. Many of us women are combining podcasting with our other businesses, because it’s more comfortable than being on camera. We’re truly layering ourselves and branching out in lots of directions at once. The list goes on as to exactly who the podcasters are  - some are authors, some are chefs, then you have bloggers, amongst true corporate businesswomen. The list goes on to include life coaches to even doctors who today have found podcasting touches lives. Podcasting is a great way to get your message out and market your own business.  You know you have a captive audience when they tune in just to listen directly to your show.

It’s an exciting time and who knows what could be next? In the social media world who knows what could be next? We’re Facebooking, Tweeting, YouTubing and Podcasting to get where we want to go with our careers. Many of these women are building  up and teaching  others along the way, as a powerful group of forward thinking women.

I feel it is very important to support other women in their endeavors.  On both my sites I try to mention women entrepreneurs regularly.  I try to always show my feelings  - being very pro female entrepreneur.  I am proud to be a woman and just as proud of all the amazing women on the web. It is true the web is a very male dominated place or let’s just say it has been previously been very male dominated place. Times are really changing, more women are really thriving on the web. 

Many of us who are on the web regularly, have notice a trend which has developed. Careers are developing from the needs of successful wahms (work at home moms) needing to outsource some of their responsibilities.  All new branches of support services for web based businesses have exploded.  Outsourcing everything from emails which  someone else can help you with to  technology – tools which would make your life easier. You wish you could take the time to learn  it all yourself, but you need to focus on the more important things. You can only handle so much in a day, you need to prioritize. Doing things the older way costs you time. Help exists, why not try a new service to ease up the inbox or help you with your affiliates. Once you start to become overwhelmed with your new site or business reach out to other women, ask for help. Tell other women what areas you are struggling with. Someone may just know of a mom looking to start a career as a virtual assistant, she may what o start out by helping you!  Your business success, may just create another business success, which is exactly what’s happening with many wahms on the web.

Positive Visualization -  Dream it and develop an idea into reality. How would anything happen in life without positivity and having dreams?

Positive Visualization is key in attaining any goal.

If athletes and business people are all use visualization tools, so why can we all use them too?  Why are companies big believers in using a company motto and affirmations for their employees to benefit from? They simply work! The ending result is the product of  the desired goal.  How do all these things happen? Great customer service, a great end product, and a happy work place.  Think about it? Why else would so many companies be using them?

Visualizing your goal and believing you can succeed is the first step in  any goal.  We dream about weddings and graduations long before they happen for a reason We plan every last detail out, far in advance and make it become a reality.

An easy step in attaining our goals is just by really willing it to happen, by using positive energy to manifesting  the goals. It’s simple isn’t it.  You just have to have the knowledge of how it happens.

Tip: To help focus and develop your idea and organize it, use a vision board. Vision boards have helped many to see and attain their goals regularly. Basically a vision board shows you  the steps to achieve the goal, so you don’t loose focus, a visual outline of sorts.  Oprah is a big believer and user of vision boards.

The more you focus on your goals, the faster you’ll achieve them!

Have an Affiliate Program?

The next step in the growth and development of Networking WAHM is  by joining relevant affiliate programs. If you have a program that would be an appropriate fit for the visitors of Networking WAHM, please feel free to contact me. I look forward to bringing resources to –  the stay at home moms, the work at home moms and the working moms, all who visit Moms Indulgence. If you are interested in having us becoming an Affiliate of yours, please feel free to contact me directly. Please contact me with your ideas, thoughts and comments.

Do you have a Mom Business? If you would like to share with my readers, please contact me? I would love to learn more about what you are doing ?  I get the most interesting emails and love to learn what others are doing these days!

Please feel free to contact me so we can connect.   My email is  networkingwahm@gmail.com

So you have a new business you want to start? Great! I’ll share you, others helped me early on. Some of which are still helping me, as I need it.  I thought I’d share this list of  “must be done” to get started.

Once you get going with the day to day of your business,  you loose the direction you once had. All the plans you initially had in your head will be  gone.  You don’t think so, but it happens, write everything down in a notebook or or better yet out it in a  spread sheet.  Believe me once you start doing the actual business part each day,  you’ll  never remember all the creative things you thought of in the beginning. I recently found a piece of paper with some of my early ideas.  I was amazed how great my early ideas were!

It so important to have many things in place before your up and running. You will not have time later!

1. First, Research and read up on what your thinking of doing. Learn everything so there are no surprises.

2. Do a business market analysis of your area or on the net,  for what your planning on doing. Make sure there are not too many others doing the same thing.

3. Get all the tax, business name,  checking accounts, credit accounts, permits, licenses,  etc. all set up and taken care of early.

4.  Set up social networking sites. Start making new contacts and advertise for free your new business.

5.  Set up a Business plan.

6.  Set up a  Marketing plan.

7. Get good business lawyer. Look  some offer great deals!

8. Get an accountant to give you advice,  you’ll need to know for you taxes later.

9.  Make a business check list to follow.

10. Find the vendors you’ll need and who are you going to sell to?

11. Find the materials you’ll need to run you business?

12. Funding where is it coming from?

13. Think about getting an business advisor!

14. Insurance you may need some.

15. How about copyrights, trademarks or patents with your business?

16. Buy a computer, phone, scanner, etc.

17. Domain name purchase, hosting and  website development  all needs to be done.

18. Software which ones to use?

19. To much to list and the list goes on, but this a start!

Write your business plan very early on with goals – 1 yr, 2 yr, 5yr, 10yr etc.  Really think about and develop you marketing plan,  so you can really get started.

Make lots of “to do lists”,  so you don’t miss anything. I even color code mine to importance, OCD like, but hey it works, right! Do not skip ahead in steps. Figure out the order of events and how they need to be done.  Some things can be done much later and some have to be done first to build the other steps on.

As a mom take small baby steps each day towards your goal. Slow and steady gets were you want to be just fine.

I recently had a interesting conversation about just this.  We talked about how a business can grow too fast and become out of control fast. You don’t want to have hire people right away, just in case do you have some informal help? You also don’t want to forced to  sell the business you have worked hard to develop, because it’s bigger than what you can now handle.

Slow growth is important, believe it or not. You can control the business growth yourself!

If I missed something just let me know,  I’ll add it to the list. This list is just to get you thinking and planning for your future. You can be a mom and run a business, I know many who do successfully. It’s all a matter of time management and putting out the big fires first.

Perseverance is needed,  but we have this quality,  we’re Moms!

Good Luck and happy brainstorming for you new adventure!

Well you may have noticed our new look! A Spring inspired change has come to our site’s design. We are constantly changing and developing ourselves here at Networking WAHM.

The easiest way and the most effective way to network is directly.

Often business contacts, family, friends, and neighbors are all interconnected through  you.  We all network without even thinking about networking. We’re so great at networking on a social level. We give out or friend’s business cards to other friends and say “I know someone, a friend of mine,  who does what your looking for” We’re  great at networking on a social level for our friends businesses, why not combine it all together?

Have a lunch with your friends, ask each one bring a business contact, which they have experience working with. Ask they bring a contact, they would really like others to meet. Why not take some of your own business contacts! Bring the ones you are already thinking could benefit from meeting your friends and your friends would benefit from!

A Connections Lunch!

Lunch is a wonderful setting to meet others. It’s short enough and long enough to get a feel for the group and exchange business cards. Lunch is perfect, because if you really need to get somewhere you can excuse yourself and casual enough to do so.

Those of you who sell products, could even supply door prizes, as an incentive to take time out of our busy schedules to attend a lunch. The following lunch, another person could supply the door prize that way you all learn about each others’ products. You get the idea.

I know these groups already exist. I have looked into it and most groups you pay a yearly fee or a monthly fee (a small business itself) You could do it yourself for free with separate checks!

As a small business person, I have not paid to join a contact group, for a few reasons.

1. I love connecting through my friends. If my friend  likes and trusts a contact to refer me, chances are I will like them as well. Word of mouth advertising is the best, friends have great connections to draw from.

2. Cost vs. Benefit. I have a small business and I have to think of my costs at all times in this economy. Joining a few of these groups could be costly.

Lunch anyone?

Networking WAHM

Have a Networking Day,

Have you ever had one? I have had several lately.  I have found easy ways and free ways to network. Yes, I said free! Social Networking sites are great for networking. You can find others with similar interests to yours by joining the groups on the social sites.  A warm non pushy introduction is the best way to get to know others in the group.  Once you know the others in the group and they know you some,  you can start networking.  You can  send them a message about your business and offer your services or help.  Even better yet, ask them about their business as a conversation starter.  I usually ask if anyone is a Wahm like me, if it is a parenting type group or small business group.

I recently ordered a gift for a family member from a local business.  I looked it up online because it’s easier for me to compare businesses and products. It turned into a networking moment, because we live in the same area, there was an instant trust. I called the company to follow up on my order after I placed it.  I asked about her business. I told her I like her products and I told her about my businesses. I complimented her on her shopping cart and website (Which she did, herself.  I was impressed and told her so) and the conversation grew.  There are many honest good business owners out there. Share with other business owners and learn from them. During the process of networking and growing your own business.

Networking Wahm

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