How to get more people to your networking events

The blog entry below are some ideas I picked up from a phenomenal sales trainer that I met recently named Lawrence Sharpe. He is a principal in a company called Neo-Sage (www.neo-sage.com).

Lawrence Sharpe is a director with Manhttan BNI - a franchise of Business Network International (BNI).

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First things first, here is what to say to people:

"I get together every month with other small business owners and sales professional to share ideas and to pass referrals to each other. We work together to help each other build our respective business - get more sales. Would you be interested in joining us at our next event?"

Disclaimer: You can take a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. These are some things that are within YOUR control, so these are the things that you can do to boost attendance at your networking events.

1. Who are your current vendors and service providers?
   
   Follow your dollar. Who do you spend money with? Who does... your taxes, your lawn, your housekeeping, your dry cleaning, your stationery, fixes your car, etc.
   
   You are their customer, and in a world of endless choices, they want to keep your business and get more referrals, right?



2. Who already gives you referrals?
   
   They will add to the energy as they already endorse you.



3. Who is in your social circle?
   
   Let them come see what you do to grow your business when you're not knocking back tequila shots (Oops! Told on myself)



4. Who are your customers?
   
   Ask them to come out to support you - they may see you in a new light, and meet someone that can fill one of their needs.



5. Who would you like to have as a client (i.e. your prospects)?
   
   Who are people that are your 'must-have' customers? Instead of trying to cold call them or trying to get a meeting with them, how about inviting them to an event by sending them an invitation letter or card then following up with a phone call. If you bring them to a setting where they may also build their business, it is a lot less threatening.

I hope that this helps.

For a calendar of upcoming networking events hosted by me and my partners in Grassroots Business Network, go to www.GbnLLC.info.

The 6 Points of Leverage

I got this info after reading Robert G. Allen's and Mark Victor Hansen's book entitled The One Minute Millionaire.

Check this out:

1) Mentors

You must have teachers to show you the way. Experience is the best teacher - especially someone else's. Why take lumps when you don't have to? Work smarter, not harder.

2) Team

Business is a team sport, and teams win. That is what Robert Kiyosaki has taught us. When you put a bunch of determined, independent, competent people together, success happens in uncommon hours.

3) Infinite Network

When you build your team, the million dollar question is "Who do you know who [sells/buys/etc.]?" This is how you break through to the next level to accomplish your goals.

4) Skills

Friends, if you take an idiot and you motivate him/her, you will have a motivated idiot. People need to move beyond being motivated, and become competent. Skill development is crucial to business success. The most important skill that one can develop is the skill to sell/persuade. This is when skills pay the bills, folks.

5) Tools

What separated Neanderthals, from Cro Magnons, and Cro Magnons from Homo Sapiens? The intelligence to employ the use of tools. There is no need to do the heavy lifting. Use tools to get the job done.

6) System

The authors of this book use system as an acronym - Save Your Self Time Energy [and] Money. You see, your teachers are grooming you. Your team is supporting you. You're meeting people through the infinite network. You have developed some necessary skills. You have tools to make it easier. The system helps you put it all together.

Do you have a system?

Here is an analysis of the SendOutCards system. I refer to SendOutCards a lot, because I am rather fond of the company, and it's products have helped me prosper in Corporate America, and in my business.

Here is my checklist:

Mentors: Kody Bateman; Jordan Adler; David Frey; Steven Greene; and Phil Barnhardt

Team: David Steiner; Florence Callendar; and Charmaine Johnson (there are others, but these two are stars)

Infinite network: Colleagues on the SendOutCards forum and mailing list - whew! Those gals and guys know everybody - they introduced me to Business Network International (BNI), and inspired me to start Grassroots Business Network, LLC

Skills: BNI; and the members and the experts of Grassroots Business Network

Tools: SendOutCards' contact manager and the greeting cards and post cards

System: Step 1 - send one unexpected card each day; Send 2 - Send one DVD and e-mail the online walk through link each day; Step 3 - Set up 1 free gift account a day; Step 4 - You may or may not be interested in this, but there are 3 ways to become a sender of cards. Where do you see yourself getting started (i.e. make a decision)?

See there, that is is easy-to-follow plan.

To learn more about SendOutCards and how it could help grow your business, and to take a FREE test-drive of the program, CLICK HERE.

Talk to you soon.

How to give quality referrals

This is not meant to be a comprehensive "how to" - it is an overview of how to go about being a 'Go-Giver'

Suggested Reading:

1. Find out who the other person's target customers are



2. Ask the person who else sells to that target customer



3. Think about who you know personally, and ask around



4. Reach out to prospects on behalf of the person you're giving the referral to. Make sure to name drop so that they know that you are a 'friend of a friend'



5. Ask permission to share the prospect's contact information



6. Introduce both parties via e-mail



7. Follow-up with an e-mail and phone call to confirm that they both received your e-mail. Ask when they plan to reach out to the other person, and/or when the other person should reach out to them



8. Follow-up with an e-mail and phone call to find out what happened

I hope this helps.

Is Network Marketing A Business?

My answer is a resounding NO.

Anyone that is an independent distributor with a network marketing company is an independent contractor, not a partner or shareholder in the business. As a matter of fact, network marketing companies have non-compete clauses in their independent distributor agreements that prevent its distributors from working with another network marketing company. If you are found to be doing so, the company reserves the right to terminate your distributorship (i.e. fire you).

Well, here are a few points to consider:

• Network marketing allows average people to generate passive, recurring income (which can can potentially lucrative)
• Sales training is done at the independent distributors own pace, and is often free of charge. The ability to sell is a coveted, invaluable skill.
• Independent distributors are taught operations (e.g. how to manage others, time management, forecasting, industry-specific expertise, etc.)
• The personal growth and development books and programs that the industry advocates are life-changing
• May be a compliment, supplement, or gateway to what you REALLY want to be doing.

I started my OWN business back in October 2007 (along with my business partner, Lisa Torres). Our company is called Grassroots Business Network, LLC. What we do is organize and promote networking events and developmental workshops specifically for small business owners with up to 10 employees, sales agents, freelancers (including network marketers), and those interested in starting their own business - whatever that may be. We are actively organizing and promoting events in NYC, Charlotte, and Atlanta.

I say without reservation that the skills, tools, and systems that Lisa and I have learned from network marketing has been invaluable in helping us to develop and grow our business.

Not only in business, but the skills that I have been able to develop in network marketing have allowed me to significantly increase my income in Corporate America, and have enabled me to seek and seize bigger and better opportunities with relative ease. Understand that it is not me, it is the training that network marketing provides.

You can not make one red cent with your network marketing distributorship, but you will become a better, more marketable you. These are some things that they don't teach you in the classroom. You instead learn by doing. Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best: "Do the thing and get the power."

Here are a few books that I highly recommend: Why You're Dumb, Sick, and Broke, by Randy Gage; The Cashflow Quadrant, by Robert Kiyosaki; and Multiple Streams of Income, by Robert G. Allen

I hope that you found this blog entry to be thought-provoking.

Click here to check out
The Network Marketers Alliance!

Heroes, Helpers, and Haters

First things first…

Disclaimer: I do not claim to be an expert. This is not gospel. I leave the gospel to Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Paul. However, I do feel that you will get some value out of what I have to share here.

When marketing a product or service, you need to clearly identify your niche - target population. Some people say that everybody is a potential customer or business builder, and that thinking is flawed. Successful business people focus on one or at most, very few specific target groups - niches. According to the recent best-selling book The Long Tail, the secret to success is to sell more of less to a very specific group of buyers — a niche.

More on this at a later date. I just wanted you to have a taste of it to prepare you to understand some of the language and reasoning in this article.


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In your network marketing career, you're going to come across 3 types of people: Helpers; Heroes/Heroines; and Haters.

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Let's examine these three types…

Helpers are people that look up to you and feel that it is an honor and a privilege that you asked them to assist you in some way. These people generally look up to you for one reason or another. Perhaps you have a job position, a particular social status, or a bank account balance that they desire and respect. Whatever the case may be, they are always willing to help.

Here is a good way to ask a Helper to assist you by referring customers to help you grow your network marketing business:

[HELPER], I really need your help with something. I market a product/service to [YOUR NICHE] that helps them to [BENEFITS TO THE NICHE]. Who do you know who would be interested in learning more about a product like that? I would really appreciate any and all help.

Here is a good way to ask a Helper to assist you by becoming a business builder - join your team:

[HELPER], I got something to show you. I'm putting a team together and I'd like for you to be part of it. What we're doing is working with a company that markets a product/service to [YOUR NICHE] that helps them to [BENEFITS TO THE NICHE]. I need you to review this [TOOL — DVD, CD, recording phone overview, magazine, brochure, website, etc.) and let me know by tomorrow if you'd like to join our team, okay?

There are also Heroes/Heroines. Heroes/Heroines are people that you look up to for the same reason that a Helper looks up to you. These are people like a good teacher, your doctor, lawyer, accountant, a respected business person that you know, etc.

Here is a good way to ask a Hero/Heroine to assist you by referring customers to help you grow your network marketing business:

[HERO/HEROINE], I know that you keep a busy schedule, but can you please do me a favor? I market a product/service to [YOUR NICHE] that helps them to [BENEFIT TO THE NICHE]. Who do you know who would be interested in learning more about a product/service like that? I would really appreciate any and all help, and any referrals you send my way will be given the utmost customer care. I will not embarrass you or let you down.

Here is a good way to ask a Hero/Heroine to assist you by becoming a business builder - join your team:

[HERO/HEROINE], I really respect you and your opinion. I know that you keep a busy schedule, but if you would be so kind as to squeeze in 15 minutes to review a [TOOL — DVD, CD, recorded phone overview, magazine, brochure, website, etc.). I'm looking for people that are interested in earning extra money from home in their spare time, by telling other people about the product/service explained in in/on the [TOOL]. Please let me know when you can get back to me on this, okay? I really appreciate your help.

Now, they may be interested themselves, but don't approach them that way as there may be an ego situation going on. They are your hero/heroine, remember? What could you offer them. Also, do not let their less than favorable opinion about your company, and/or its products/services get you down. If you have thoroughly researched your company, and there is a lot of positive press, and/or it is positioned in a growing industry, don't worry about it. Hey, they don't know what they don't know.

Finally, let's talk about Haters. Haters are your peers — family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. These are your warm market contacts. When dealing with your warm market, remember Napoleon Hill's words from pages 140-141 in his book Think and Grow Rich: "Close friends and relatives…often handicap one through 'opinions' and…ridicule…meant to be humorous. Thousands of men and women carry inferiority complexes with them all through life, because some well-meaning but ignorant person destroyed their confidence through 'opinions' or ridicule." Hmmm… Why do our companies and sponsorship lines tell us to go after our warm market? They talk about Napoleon Hill's book all the time. Didn't they read this passage from his book? Hmmm…

Anyway…

Your job with Haters is to inform them. This group is called Haters because they are the ones most likely to knock the average person out of the box. The key here is to not ask them directly for anything - it is not about them.

Here is a good way to ask a Hater to assist you by referring customers to help you grow your network marketing business:

[HATER], I started a business where I market a product/service to [YOUR NICHE] that helps them to [BENEFITS TO NICHE]. Who do you know who would be interested in learning more about a product/service like that?

If they say something slick, which it is very possible that they will, your response should be, "Well, I wasn't asking YOU. I was asking who do you know who would be interested in learning more about a product/service like that."

Here is a good way to ask a Hater to assist you by referring business builders to help you grow your network marketing business:

[HATER], I'm looking to make a change in my financial status and the quality of my life. I recently started my own business where I market a product/service to [YOUR NICHE] that helps them to [BENEFITS TO NICHE]. I'm looking to assemble a team to help me spread the word about this product/service. You may not be interested in this, but who do you know who would like to earn extra money in the spare time by helping to spread the word about this company? I have a [TOOL — DVD, CD, recorded phone overview, brochure, website, etc.) that I'll give to them. So who do you know that would like to learn more about this?

So as Kim Klaver teaches, go pick a niche, and go for it. I'll give you two examples how to identify a niche for your products/services.

Felicia Richardson, Independent Associate with Pre-Paid Legal Services told me that one of her target niches/ideal customers are single moms in the Bronx. So, her "quick pitch" sounded like this: I market a service to single moms in the Bronx who would like to protect their family for less than the cost of a bottle of water a day. Who do you know who would be interested in learning more about a service like that?

I'm an Independent Distributor with Send Out Cards. One of my target niches customers are insurance agents. So my "quick pitch" sounds like this: I market a service to insurance agents that helps them to triple the amount of referrals they currently receive. Who do you know who would be interested in learning more about a service like that?

Folks, I sincerely hope that this helps you get more customers and business builders. I look forward to learning from you all, and I am committed to sharing with you. That is what the Network Marketers Alliance is all about.

We also have a monthly radio broadcast. Go to www.HomeBizRadioShow.com to learn about upcoming shows and to listen to recording of past shows in our archive.

All the best to you and your business.

The B.A.D. Principle of Networking

Main Points to Remember

Join casual contact networks and social/business networks to build breadth (i.e. sheer numbers)

Join strong contact networks to develop depth (i.e. deep relationships)

How to network and follow-up

Not sure of how to network and follow-up to increase sales? Check out this 8-minute video:





How to Network and Follow-up
by Tyrone Turner, Copyright © 2008, All rights reserved

You can have great marketing brochures, a killer website, and an awesome product/service. However, people will buy from those that they like, know, and trust, and the only way that you're going to accomplish that is to build a relationship.

Here is a 10-step follow-up system on how to build relationships with new people that you meet:

First things first, have your "quickie pitch" and your "60-second commercial" prepared

Here is the format for the quickie presentation (approximately 10 seconds long):

My name is ___. I market a (product/service) that (what it does). My ideal customers are (describe target customer). Who do you know who would be interested in learning more about a product/service like that? Let me know, okay?

Here is the format for the 60-second presentation:

My name is ___. I market a (product/service) that (what it does). My ideal customer are (describe target customer). My motto/tagline is (your catchy motto or tagline here). Please let me know if you know somebody that would be interested in learning more about a product/service like that, okay?



1) Approach and Interview the new person and ask "Who are you, and what do you do?" Ask the new contact what they do and who their ideal customer is. Take notes on what they say. Make sure to have a little notepad. Gather as much contact information as possible (i.e. mailing address, e-mail, and fax). Note: If the person is reluctant to give you their mailing address, just tell them that you want to send them product samples or information about your business.

2) Quick Pitch or 60-Second commercial - If they haven't already asked you, ask them if you can briefly tell them about your business. Usually, the quick pitch is the way to go but if the environment allows it, and they person is asking you a lot of questions, go with the 60-second commercial.

3) Graceful exit - Give them permission to work the room, and promise them that you will be in touch as you want to learn more about them and their business.

4) Update your contact manager - When you get back to your office, input their information into your contact management system (e.g. Outlook, Sugar, Act, Goldmine, SendOutCards, Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, etc., or an Excel spreadsheet)

5) Email (or fax) them a "nice meeting you" note.

6) Direct mail - Send them a "nice meeting you" greeting card via the U.S. Postal Service. A greeting card is 11x more likely to be read when compared to a letter.

7) Phone call to check-in - 5 business days later, if the new contact hasn't already called you, pick up the phone and call them. Make sure to ask them if you have caught them at a good time! Schedule a phone conference or a face-to-face meeting to discuss business matters. The purpose of this meeting is to learn more about their business to see if you two can somehow help each other out down the road - if the chemistry is right and after you have developed trust.

8) Appointment (face-to-face, video conference, or phone conference) and Exchange Marketing Material. On the phone conference/at the face-to-face meeting, learn all that you can about their business. Ask questions about who their ideal customers are, and what other types of businesses service their target market. At the end of the meeting, ask them to give you brochures and other information about their business, and hand or mail them info about your business. On a face-to-face meeting, bring a small gift. I typically bring a small bag of candies, or some company-branded giveaway like a pen or mug. Sometimes, I'll give them an educational CD (Ivan Misner, Robert Kiyosaki, or David Bach). Make sure to tell the other person that you will be following up on "x" date to discuss what you've read about their product/service, and to get feedback on what they learned about yours.

9) Follow-up phone call - The million dollar question: "So, what do you think?" Commit to them, that as you two get to know, like, and trust each other over time, you will be keeping your eyes and ears open to send business their way when possible.

10) Never stop following-up - periodically check-in with them to to share information and just to say "hi". Mix up and space out your approach. Use text e-mail, audio e-mail, video e-mail, fax, direct mail, phone calls, and face-to-face meetings. Never, ever, ever try to hard-sell them. The info you gave them about your business and your character will do the selling for. Just remind them from time to time what is is that you do, and you'd be surprised how people will buy from you and/or send referrals your way.

TOOLS

You may want to consider adding some of the following to your marketing arsenal:


Autoresponder (for mailing lists, newsletters, and special reports; you may also want to use audio enabled e-mail; and/or video enabled e-mail

Send real greeting cards via the Internet. You can create a personalized greeting card over the Internet in less than 60 seconds. The company's back office prints the cards out, stuffs it in an envelope, and sends it off to the recipient via the United States Postal Service

Telephone/virtual assistant/fax -- also called a unified messaging system.

When meeting face-to-face, give the person a small bag of candy. Keep a steady supply chocolates and other candies. They are available at discount prices.

You may want to also consider video blogging, and broadcasting, and maybe even podcasting and teleseminars.

A lot of my clients, family, and friends like to burn scented candles, so I became a "Candle of the Month" subscriber as candles make great gifts.


If you'd like to know my specific recommendations for the products and services described above, just contact me.

I've had people buy from me because I am pleasantly tenacious in my follow-up. You have to show people that you are really interested in them, and that you believe in your product/service. It is very, very important that during the follow-up, "courting" process, you develop a relationship. People are more likely to do business with people that they know, like, and trust.

Always remember that new customers are the life blood of any business, and the best way to get new customers is through the referrals of other satisfied customers.

Take care of your customers, and they will take care of you.

"Givers gain." - Ivan Misner, Founder and Chairman of Business Network International (BNI)

"Appreciation beats self-promotion any day of the week." - Kody Bateman, Founder and CEO of Send Out Cards, Inc.

"We shower our customers with attention. There is no doubt in my mind that our philosophy can be applied to selling just about anything - from aircraft engines to beanbags." - Jack Mitchell, CEO Mitchells/Richards, author of Hug Your Customers®

I hope this helps.