Time management for online social networkers

After thinking about yesterday's post, I decided to add this one.

Now, keep in mind that this is MY schedule for online social networking, and not necessarily a suggestion on how you should schedule your day.

The intent is to give you an example of how to go about scheduling your time spent on online social networking sites.

Also, the presumption here is that you're using online social networking sites to grow your business.

Before I go into it, I want to let you know a little about how my day goes...

I am employed as an operations manager for a litigation support company. In a nutshell, my company works onsite for various law firms and corporations handling their mail room services, photocopy and scanning centers, and office supplies. I am charged with managing 35 people, tracking cash flow for my site (profit and loss), and acting as a liaison between my employer and site (i.e. client) for various issues.

It is a very demanding, fast-paced job, so I do not have a lot of time to surf on the Internet during work hours and such, and when I'm not working my job, I'm working my home-based event planning and promotions business, or consulting various home-based entrepreneurs or sole proprietors.

Of course, all work and no play will make me a dull boy, so I make sure to make time to rest and spend time with my friends and family.

I tend to be check online social networking sites Monday through Friday, and here is how I manage my time spent on social networking sites:

• Breakfast - While eating my breakfast at my desk, I'll check out LinkedIn to see what my connections are up to and to see if any questions or answers of interest have been posted.



• Lunch - I usually have my lunch at my desk so I like to see what my friends on Facebook are doing and type in a few names of people from my past whom I'd like to reconnect with. I also like to see what my connections are doing of Fast Pitch! Networking



• Late Afternoon/Early Evening - Before I go home, or while I'm on my way home on the subway, I'll log onto Twitter to let those who are 'following' me know what going on with me and probably make a comment about some miscellaneous thing or pose a question.



• Evenings - Some evenings are spend either attending a Meetup (i.e. face-to-face event), or doing a 'phone blitz' on BlitzTime

The weekends are typically reserved for family and friend time, but I do take the time to do research, so I'll check out a few recorded videos on YouTube or Ustream, check out podcasts/Internet radio shows on Blog Talk Radio.

Remember, it is important to get out there and talk to people. But even if your impetus for using online social networking sites is business related, don't forget focus on building relationships.

If you want to see some cool videos on using social networking sites for business and pleasure, check out Perry Belcher's videos on YouTube.

I have not had the opportunity to meet him or even chat with him yet, but his videos are totally awesome.

Check them out.

Have a great 2009, folks!

Tyrone Turner

Online Social Networking Sites - Where Do You Start?

DISCLAIMER: I do not claim to be an expert. I am nothing more than a student of this new phenomenon called online social networking. The following are just my thoughts based on my personal experience and results. The intention of this blog entry is to provoke thought on this topic so that people make better time management decisions and have realistic expectations from their online social networking experiences. This is NOT gospel. I leave the gospel to Matthew, Mark, Luke, John Peter, and Paul (smile).

How many times a day do you get invitations via e-mail to connect with someone, or to become friends with someone on one social networking site or another, or that someone is following you? I get these kind of e-mail messages every day and I have to constantly remind myself to heed to the advice that I give others...

Make sure to limit the number of online social networks that you belong to otherwise you'll be glued to the computer and real life will pass you by. On top of that, you'll blow up your e-mail account because it will get full of messages pretty quickly.

I like what Timothy Ferris does with his e-mail as stated in his best selling book, The 4 Hour Work Week. He checks his e-mail twice per day, and only Monday through Friday. When you adopt that practice, you'll find that you're a lot more productive.

Anyway, I digress. Let me get back to my take on online social networking sites.

• They are cool tools to add to your social and business tool box. However, they DO NOT replace what you're already doing (e.g. picking up the phone and visiting with people face-to-face)



• Know what your goals are. If you're getting involved with social networking sites to grow your business, make sure that you're joining the right online social networks. Not all are conducive to business networking.



• Join no more than 5 online social networks



• Use online social networking sites to as a bridge to get online conversations offline (e.g. face-to-face)

In a previous blog entry, I talked about 7 different types of face-to-face networking groups, and how the guru of networking and founder of Business Network International, Ivan Misner, Ph.D., mentions that you should belong to 3 different types of these networking groups. Because online social network cuts out the travel component, I'd say that you can do 5 online social networking groups.

Here is my Fab 5 (in no particular order) as these are the ones that best fit MY objectives and personality:

1. Meetup - I am a huge fan of this site because they get it. I love their slogan: "Maybe it's time for a little less face-to-screen and a little more face-to-face." I have been able to meet some wonderful people in Atlanta and Charlotte. I was able to get on a plane and meet these wonderful folks who were incredibly hospitable and welcoming to me. To date, my event planning and promotions business, Grassroots Business Network is growing mostly because of Meetup.com.



2. LinkedIn - I have found this site to be a great resource because there is a huge knowledge base here. People ask and answer great questions. Also, if you're good at what you do, people recommend you on this site for the whole world to see.



3. Facebook - Man, you can find anyone here! I've bumped into people that I haven't seen or spoken to in years. It is definitely worth getting on this site because you can reconnect with people from the past.



4. Twitter - This is kind of like a 'mini blog' where you can give your contacts that answer to that ever-present question...What are you doing right now?



5. Fast Pitch! Networking - This one is a sleeper hit. Fast Pitch! Networking is loaded with features. Everything from instant messaging, video chat between you and your contacts, and the list goes on. This one is a serious business only resource.
   
   I know that I said 5, but I just have to throw this one in as it is a new type of online social networking site...



6. BlitzTime - This company provides a very unique phone-based and web-based platform that allows for speed networking events over the phone. It is a blast and you can really cut through to the chase and get down to the nitty-gritty with people. It is hard to explain, so just go to BlitzTime.com and click on the Interactive Demo link at the top of the page.

Well, there you have it, folks. I hope that this sheds some light on online social networking sites.

All the best to you and remember to get out there and meet people from time to time.

Hey, you! Get out up from that computer desk! And you! Put down that Blackberry!

Tyrone Turner

Setting goals for the new year

When I hear people speak about their goals, they are usually only talking about how much money they want to make, or how much weight they want to lose. How about having a more balanced approach - a more holistic approach to goal setting?

How about focusing on eight areas instead of only two?

Below are the eight areas and some brief definitions. Something that you'll notice is that you have to be very specific when setting goals.

1. Financial - EXACTLY how much money are you looking to earn? How to you plan to go about doing that? Via your job, your business, selling stuff on eBay, etc.? WHY do you want this money? What will you do with it?



2. Physical - EXACTLY how much weight or inches are looking to lose? How will you go about doing it? Explore your options, then commit to sticking to your game plan.



3. Business - EXACTLY how much money are you looking to make? Don't sell yourself short, but be realistic. If it is a sales goal, how many new customers and or distributors (if you're an MLMer), ordering how much volume do you need to achieve this goal? What face-to-face networking groups are you going to visit with? Do you have a BlitzTime account yet? Are you going to get those premium qualified leads by signing up with Salesconx?



4. Family - What are you going to do special this new year with your significant other, your children, and other love ones? If it is a trip, when are you going on this trip?



5. Recreation - It is said that all work and no play will make one a dull person, so what are you going to do for fun this new year?



6. Spiritual - Do you belong to a house of worship, or do you belong to a community service organization? If you don't give, you generally will not get. That is how the law of attraction works, so go become a 'go giver'.



7. Career - Are you looking to get a promotion at your current job or looking to make a change in the new year? What are you going to do to prepare yourself? When are you going to update your resume? Are you on LinkedIn? Have you been asking co-workers and clients to recommend you on LinkedIn? Recommendations are key. What job fairs and networking events are you going to go to?



8. Education - I believe it was Aristotle who said that it is man's (and woman's) responsibility to educate their soul. What are you going to do increase your knowledge in the new year? Are you going back to school? What workshops and seminars are you going to attend? Any audio and/or video programs on your shopping list? What topics are your interested in and what books are you going to read on said topics?

I hope that this gives you something to think about when setting goals for the new year - make sure to balance your scales.

All the best,

Tyrone Turner

P.S. Who do you know who would be interested in eliminating their debt in the new year? For free how to info, have them send a blank e-mail to the following e-mail address: getoutofthedebttrap@getresponse.com.

How to grow your business during the holidays

Thursday, December 11th, 2008 at 11:00am (EST), was the debut of my Internet television show, The Tyrone Turner Show.

The theme of this broadcast was how to grow your business during the holidays.

CLICK HERE for the recorded video of the first show.

Below is the outline of the points covered.

Welcome

Purpose of the show

A little about me

The mistake that most sales people and entrepreneurs make during the holidays

The top 10 things to do:

1. Go to holiday functions
2. Organize the contact info you gathered
3. Reach out to existing customers to offer assistance
4. Setup a BlitzTime account
5. Join Salesconx
6. Join online social networks. I personally like these five: Meetup.com; LinkedIn.com; FastPitcthNetworking.com; FaceBook.com; and MyMarketingRoom.info
7. Send out notification e-mails and letters to your contacts
8. Research face-to-face networking groups to join
9. Seek out speaking engagements
10. Create budgets (time and money) to invest in your professional development

I had technical difficulties at the beginning of the broadcast, and the audio was choppy at times, but I hope that you can still glean some helpful tips from this show.

If you haven't already done so, and you're looking to do your own Internet television broadcasts, go to www.ustream.tv to set up your free account.

It is a best practice to give credit where credit is due - thank you very much Lisa Torres for telling me about ustream.tv and assisting me with the technical difficulties that I was having at the beginning of the show.

Thank you for you time, folks.

Multiple Streams of Income -vs- Multiple Streams of Outgo

I've been home on medical leave (I had knee surgery this passed Tuesday), and the pain and rest have been very sobering and has made me think a lot about our wonderful network marketing industry.

Best-selling author, Robert G. Allen, wrote a great book a few years ago called Multiple Streams of Income, and having multiple streams of income is indeed a desired condition.

However, the mistake that most MLMers make is that they try to establish multiple streams on income simultaneously and that is generally not possible.

Another cool guy named Robert, Robert (aka 'Rich Dad') Kiyosaki, in his joint book project with real estate mogul, Donald Trump (the book was entitled Why We Want You To Be Rich) gave us a great acronym - f.o.c.u.s. -- Follow One Course Until Successful.

Robert Kiyosaki is an avid fan of MLM and says even if you don't make one red cent from your MLM business, what you gain in how to develop networks and how to sell, will serve you well in other entrepreneurial endeavors.

Be very careful about trying to start new income streams before you already have your first deal up and running.

If you try to start several things at the same time, you will not create multiple streams of income, you will instead create multiple streams of outgo.

In network marketing legend, Randy Gage's latest book, Why You're Dumb, Sick, & Broke, he suggests that MLMers follow the following course of action:

1. Get your MLM up and running, and self-sustaining (RESIDUAL income, not bonuses, that can support you)



2. Purchase real estate investment properties (rental income)



3. Create your own information products ('how to' / 'self-help', etc.)

Another thing is that multiple streams of income suggest a diversified portfolio - not two or more MLMs. For instance, working two or more MLMs at the same time is a no-no.

People may tell you otherwise, but being the professional network marketer that you are, remember to ask them Dr. Phil's famous question: "So, how is THAT working out for you?"

Nine out of ten wannabe 'multistreamers' will start babbling and not give you an answer. The one of of ten who may be making some cash may be doing something that you probably cannot duplicate, or they are not telling you how much money they are laying out to earn 'x' amount of money. They may actually be in the negative.

If you're having problems selling your products or services, and building your downline, you may have to tweak your marketing message a little bit. I strongly recommend that you download Kim Klaver's free ebook entitled If My Product Is So Great, How Come I Can't Sell It? CLICK HERE, and/or listen to the companion audio file entitled 100 Customers In 100 Days by CLICKING HERE.

Well, there you have it folks, I hope that this information helps you out a little.

All the best,

Tyrone Turner

Auto-pilot, no-selling, systems for MLM don't work!

I am so sick and tired of people promoting auto-pilot, no selling required Internet based downline building and customer acquisition systems online. They do not work.

You may get a sale here and there, but how long will that business stay on the books? Not very long because you don't have a relationship with that individual.

MLM is a relationship business. More accurately, a mentoring and coaching business where your duty is to help others achieve THEIR goals, and in return, you will attain yours.

Here are some things that I learned from my mentor Michael Dloughy. He calls this the 5 Pillars of Success that will help you create walk-away, residual income with your MLM business. Use it as your rule and guide.

Here they are:

1. Company management has experience in network marketing and is currently building an MLM downline organization



2. Timing in the company and timing in the industry is right. For instance, don't join a company that has been in business for less than two years and that is positioned in an obsolete or soon to be onbsolete industry. Would you join an MLM selling vinyl records? Also, how many Internet marketing guru types do you know who have built a successful, vibrant MLM organization? Hmmmm...



3. Remarkable products that people would buy even without a compensation plan attached to them.



4. The compensation plan rewards top builders as well as fairly rewarding the part-time person. By the way, studies show that 96% of your team will be part-time people



5. A "proven" duplicatable system that allows part-time people to create significant royalty income and full-time people to create extraordinary royalty income

Use the above as your reference sheet to keep you on track when trying to build your MLM business and feel free to get more free tips by going to www.GetABackupPlan.com.

I hope this helps you avoid stepping in the poop...

Tyrone Turner

The 7 Different Types of Networking Groups

All networking groups are not created equal. I'm not saying that one is necessarily better than the others, but your expectations and the rules of engagement are different.

According to the Guru of Networking, Ivan Misner (Founder of Business Networking International), you should belong to at least three of the below seven different types of networking groups to maximize your exposure.

Let's discuss the different types of networking groups, and who should and should not join the different types of groups.

Strong Contact Networking Groups

This type of networking group meets on a regular basis (usually every week). You will be meeting with the same people each week and there may be visitors from time to time. Attendance and the giving and receiving of referrals are strictly monitored. Also, when you are a member of this type of networking group, you will have exclusive dibs on your profession - there will be no one else from your profession allowed to join the group. Any and all referrals for whatever it is that you sell will be given to you. Examples of a strong contact network are Business Networking International (BNI); Le Tip; and Leads Club.

These networking groups tend to meet in the morning before the start of the business day - typically over breakfast. For instance, I am a member of a chapter of BNI and we meet at 7:00am every Friday morning.

Who should join? B2B sales agents, self-employed individuals, and small business owners.

Who should stay away? Network marketers who are looking to recruit.



Casual Contact Networking Groups

Your local chamber of commerce is a good example of this genre of networking group. These networking events are usually well attended, but there will be overlap amongst vocations. For instance, if you're an insurance agent, you will most certainly bump into other insurance agents. The best way to get noticed in this type of networking group is to volunteer for a leadership roll. That way, you will stand out over your competitors. Chambers of commerce are also cool because they tend to have very good workshops.

Who should join? All sales agents, self-employed individuals, and small business owners

Who should stay away? N/A - come one, come all



Community Service Organizations

Rotary Club, Lions Club, Kiwanis, fraternaties, sororities, community boards, environmental groups, civil rights / civil liberties groups, and houses of worship all fall under this umbrella. Everyone should join something that supports their community. As I heard a gentleman named Greg Provenzo say years ago, "The grass is not greener on the other side. The grass is greener where you water the grass!" Make sure to take care of home first. However, do understand that these organizations were formed for a specific cause - not for getting more customers for your business. However, once you get people to know you, like you, and trust you, you very well may end up doing business with them.

Who should join? Everyone - take care of home!

Who should stay away? Anyone looking to get quick customers. If you are found to be the proverbial wolf in sheep's clothing, you're finished.



Women's Networking Organizations

These organizations are unique in that they tend to be combinations of two or more of the other kinds of groups. For instance, you have the National Association of Women's Business Owners (NAWBO), but you also have Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD). The first one is for business networking, but the latter is built around a social issue. Also, women's groups do allow men to join. I myself am a member of the Manhattan Women's Chamber of Commerce.

Who should join? Sales agents, business owners, freelancers, civic-minded individuals - anyone.

Who should stay away? Men who are looking for dates. Gents, the ladies will see that coming a mile away. You have been warned.



Cocktail Mixer Business Networking Events

These are probably the most prevalent among all networking groups. They are typically held in bars and restaurants, and are usually very well attended. I have met most of my contacts at these type of events. They are the quickest way to build your rolodex. However, only seasoned networkers can really flourish in this environment. More on that at a later date. One thing to be careful about is not to drink too much, and be advised that some will drink to much. Some come looking for a date, rather than seeking business opportunities. Please remember that.

Who should join? Everyone. However, don't drink too much.

Who should stay away? N/A, but be advised that loud music and alcohol will be two things that you'll have to contend with.



Professional/Trade Organizations

If you're serious about your particular profession, you probably should belong to a professional/trade organization. Examples are the Direct Selling Association (DSA), American Medical Association (AMA), National Association of Public Accountants (NAPA), National Court Reporters Association (NCRA), NY Bar Association, etc. Typically, there aren't very many sales opportunities within a professional/trade organization, but there may be opportunities for joint venturing and/cross-selling.

Who should join? All professionals/tradespersons within a give industry or trade.

Who shouldn't join? Outsiders (to the profession/trade) looking for a quick sale.



Hybrid Networking Organizations

These are organizations that do not neatly fit into one category. My organization, Grassroots Business Network, fits into this category because we are a casual contact networking group, with strong contact network, and community service organization tendencies. Also, the workshops feature uniquely qualified experts in various industries (e.g. wellness, sales, marketing, tax planning, business development, among other topics). Another example of a hybrid networking organization is the Network Marketers Alliance. They are a professional/trade organization that organizes and promotes different type of networking events.

Who should join? All sales professionals, small business owners (up to 10 employees), self-employed professionals, and freelancers.

Who should stay away? N/A, however, if you intend to give half-hearted service to rerferrals, don't bother because we will put the word out on you. You have been warned.

I hope that this blog post gives you some guidance when you're out and about on the networking scene. Please let me know how things work out for you, okay?

Tyrone Turner

Can you say 'goyasu'?

Sometimes, weird things pop into my head and I think that they are worth blogging about. I hope you agree that this was worth posting on this blog.

All sales reps and business owners have one common challenge. That challenge is marketing. We're always looking for more effective ways to get the word out about our business. In my opinion, word-of-mouth via networking is probably the most powerful and under-rated of all options. How can you create powerful word-of-mouth advertising for yourself?

By volunteering to speak at group meetings.

First of all, when you are a featured speaker, it is assumed that you are an expert on that particular topic. This is when assuming is a good thing. Speaking to groups of people can help you close volume (i.e. pitch numerous people at once) and is a great way to save time, energy, and money. You can really get your name and brand out there by volunteering to speak at events.

Oh - back to the word goyasu. Here is what it means:

G et

O ff

Y our

A ss[ets]

S peak

U p

Maybe I'll make a move to have the word goyasu added to the dictionary. Hey, if bling can make in there, why not? (smile).

So the moral of the story is to go out there, and let your light shine by sharing your expertise with others. I do understand that public speaking is not for everyone, but certainly fortune favors the bold, so be bold and collect your fortune.

If you are looking to improve your public speaking skills, networking organizations like Business Network International, Grassroots Business Network, Toastmasters International may help, and the Network Marketers Alliance may help.

Talk to you soon.