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Casual Articles - The Hidden Power of Networking
Is it business ethics or just the golden rule? The golden rule holds a universal theme. Treat others the way you would want to be treated. Do it at work, at home, in life and in Hong Kong. It is a bedrock principle of any good company. Keep focus on transparency and emphasis on doing the right thing. This will become your primary reason for superior performance and success.Every reputable profession needs to hold a special position of trust within society. That is to recognize that continued public trust is based on the commitment to high ethical standards within the company and that speaks to the equally high standards of the individuals within the company. This all begins at the top. If integrity is not there it will not exist long at the lower levels. It is the responsibility of the person at the top to m
Here are some possible networking opportunities to think about:
· Your local Chamber of Commerce, BNI group or business club - as well as hosting their normal meetings (which are great networking opportunities anyway) they may hold regular networking sessions which are dedicated to putting business people together
· Government advice agencies – most countries have government
Who needs a Business Plan?Every business needs one. It's not just for start-ups or new product launches or business expansion initiatives.Why? And what should be in one?Documenting a Business Plan is an extremely useful process to focus management and owners on their business concept, strategies, and operating plans. It forces consensus and decision making that might otherwise be neglected. It requires issues to be resolved and the decisions to be reflected in financial projections.A well-documented business plan will help you communicate the most important elements of your strategy and plans to the people who need to know them. Including you.Already in business for years and never needed a business plan? It's still a good idea for all the same reasons. And now is a good time.Ready t
But what is networking?
In its most basic form, it’s word-of-mouth advertising but originated by you, not your customers. It involves taking every opportunity to raise awareness of your product or service amongst the people you meet. At a more sophisticated level, networking can be achieved by taking advantage of the formal networking groups or events that have been arranged purely with the idea of putting potential partners together.
But how can you, as a small business owner, become a more effective networker and take full advantage of the opportunities presented? We are going to give you some key tips and ideas on how to be a better networker.
What are the key advantages of networking?
Networking has some very good advantages over the traditional type of marketing:
· It’s free! Talking to someone costs nothing except your time
· It’s targeted marketing in that it’s likely the person you are talking to has a direct interest in your product or service. Consider newspaper advertising, which will mostly be read by people who have no interest in what you have to offer
· It’s face-to-face marketing unlike direct mail, adverts and telephone calls. You have the immediate opportunity to establish rapport and get an understanding of the person’s problems
· You have the chance to mix with business owners in other industries, which may open the door to new opportunities you had not previously considered
· It’s not only a way of creating business but also a great way to solve problems and seek advice. Why sweat over a solution when someone has probably already experienced and solved the same problem? Ask and find out who can help you
Where to find a network
Finding a place to network, where like minded business owners are present, is not that difficult. Whilst you should be networking all the time – taking the opportunity to promote yourself where ever you can – it’s more effective if you can meet people who are there to do the same thing; you can get onto the same wavelength that much quicker.
Here are some possible networking opportunities to think about:
· Your local Chamber of Commerce, BNI group or business club - as well as hosting their normal meetings (which are great networking opportunities anyway) they may hold regular networking sessions which are dedicated to putting business people together
· Government advice agencies – most countries have government
There’s a series of television commercials currently running for a bank rewards program. It features people who find an unusual way to get out of awkward situations.My favorite is the one where a man and woman are sitting in a fine restaurant when the lady brings up “the talk.” Ladies, you know the one, the “where is this relationship going” speech. The woman in the commercial comes right to the point, “When are we getting married?”The poor guy gets the “deer in the headlights” look on his face and says of the first thing that comes to mind, “Thank you!” Well his girlfriend is so surprised and thrilled to hear these golden words she completely forgets the whole marriage talk.This illustrates in a humorous way the power of those two little words, Thank You.Everyone has a psychological need to
But how can you, as a small business owner, become a more effective networker and take full advantage of the opportunities presented? We are going to give you some key tips and ideas on how to be a better networker.
What are the key advantages of networking?
Networking has some very good advantages over the traditional type of marketing:
· It’s free! Talking to someone costs nothing except your time
· It’s targeted marketing in that it’s likely the person you are talking to has a direct interest in your product or service. Consider newspaper advertising, which will mostly be read by people who have no interest in what you have to offer
· It’s face-to-face marketing unlike direct mail, adverts and telephone calls. You have the immediate opportunity to establish rapport and get an understanding of the person’s problems
· You have the chance to mix with business owners in other industries, which may open the door to new opportunities you had not previously considered
· It’s not only a way of creating business but also a great way to solve problems and seek advice. Why sweat over a solution when someone has probably already experienced and solved the same problem? Ask and find out who can help you
Where to find a network
Finding a place to network, where like minded business owners are present, is not that difficult. Whilst you should be networking all the time – taking the opportunity to promote yourself where ever you can – it’s more effective if you can meet people who are there to do the same thing; you can get onto the same wavelength that much quicker.
Here are some possible networking opportunities to think about:
· Your local Chamber of Commerce, BNI group or business club - as well as hosting their normal meetings (which are great networking opportunities anyway) they may hold regular networking sessions which are dedicated to putting business people together
· Government advice agencies – most countries have government
To so many business executives do not really understand why their company is in business. Sure they have achieved an MBA and they look at the numbers each week and the goals set for the company for sales. They are aware that they need to achieve certain goals in order to please shareholders equity and quarterly profits. However, when we ask these executives in business management teams why they're in business we did an array of answers and that is a little troubling.You see, businesses are in business to make money that is why the do what they do. Now some business management teams believe that they are in business to get customers. Or they believe they are in business to deliver a superior product or service. Or perhaps they believe that they are in business to make the world a better place and also retained a s
· It’s free! Talking to someone costs nothing except your time
· It’s targeted marketing in that it’s likely the person you are talking to has a direct interest in your product or service. Consider newspaper advertising, which will mostly be read by people who have no interest in what you have to offer
· It’s face-to-face marketing unlike direct mail, adverts and telephone calls. You have the immediate opportunity to establish rapport and get an understanding of the person’s problems
· You have the chance to mix with business owners in other industries, which may open the door to new opportunities you had not previously considered
· It’s not only a way of creating business but also a great way to solve problems and seek advice. Why sweat over a solution when someone has probably already experienced and solved the same problem? Ask and find out who can help you
Where to find a network
Finding a place to network, where like minded business owners are present, is not that difficult. Whilst you should be networking all the time – taking the opportunity to promote yourself where ever you can – it’s more effective if you can meet people who are there to do the same thing; you can get onto the same wavelength that much quicker.
Here are some possible networking opportunities to think about:
· Your local Chamber of Commerce, BNI group or business club - as well as hosting their normal meetings (which are great networking opportunities anyway) they may hold regular networking sessions which are dedicated to putting business people together
· Government advice agencies – most countries have government
Ferrari have announced an alliance with SCEE which means that finally you can drive a Ferrari in Gran Turismo! More importantly it underlines how seriously the automotive manufacturers are about leveraging an ever growing audience. With 45 million copies of the game sold it’s a bit of a no brainer that a marque like Ferrari is now involved.Licensing has traditionally been a complex area “Advergaming and Sponsorships” is a great article which talks about all aspects of in-game advertisement and sponsorships in particular the section titled “A Gray Line: Licensing vs. Advertising”.Nissan North America and Microsoft recently announced expansion plans to a long term partnership which originally involved integrating the
· It’s not only a way of creating business but also a great way to solve problems and seek advice. Why sweat over a solution when someone has probably already experienced and solved the same problem? Ask and find out who can help you
Where to find a network
Finding a place to network, where like minded business owners are present, is not that difficult. Whilst you should be networking all the time – taking the opportunity to promote yourself where ever you can – it’s more effective if you can meet people who are there to do the same thing; you can get onto the same wavelength that much quicker.
Here are some possible networking opportunities to think about:
· Your local Chamber of Commerce, BNI group or business club - as well as hosting their normal meetings (which are great networking opportunities anyway) they may hold regular networking sessions which are dedicated to putting business people together
· Government advice agencies – most countries have government
Employment service in Chicago solves the human resources issue of the city. There are huge crowds of job seekers and hiring companies needing each other in Chicago. Employment agencies are performing as coordinators providing employees resource solutions for employers and to candidates providing jobs. They are providing employee solutions and resolving personal issues related to jobs and other obstacles to employment and career success.Services to Job seekers:The services provide full time or temporary jobs depend on the location and the companies other matching criteria. Agencies provide regional staffing service and world openings. There are wide ranges of jobs such as administrative, clerical, accounting, customer service and Light Industrial to technical jobs. Temporary & Permanent jobs are normal operations
Here are some possible networking opportunities to think about:
· Your local Chamber of Commerce, BNI group or business club - as well as hosting their normal meetings (which are great networking opportunities anyway) they may hold regular networking sessions which are dedicated to putting business people together
· Government advice agencies – most countries have government bodies which have the remit of helping local small businesses, some of them may already hold network meetings where they bring together a batch of ‘new recruits’. Check out you country’s small business advice agency web sites to see what support they can offer
· Trade Associations – your industry may have an association which holds regular meetings. Although you are interacting with businesses in the same line you will still be able to find solutions to problems and pick up new ideas. Who knows, if you establish good rapport with another business, they may be happy to refer surplus work to you or tap into a unique specialisation you may have?
· Seminars – keep a look out for seminars being run for small business owners. As well as being informative, they are a great networking opportunity, especially over coffee and lunch when you have the chance to start a conversation going along the lines of, “How do you think you’re going to apply that point we learnt this morning in your line of business?”
In just this one question you will have found out what business they are in and one of the problems they are currently facing. If you’re lucky, you may be able to offer help as well – one extra sale!
· Anywhere and everywhere – remember to network all the time! Never miss an opportunity to tell people what you do. You may only get a successful hit in one out of a hundred contacts, but one sale may be enough to make it all worthwhile!
Where and when are meetings likely to be held?
Formal networking events can be held over breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast sessions are popular because it allows business owners to start the day on a positive note, leaving the remainder of the day free for ‘business as usual’. But how good are you at holding a sensible conversation at 7 o’clock in the morning? If you don’t look or sound your best in the early morning, then you had better find an alternative!
The best networking events are where you are free to ‘work the room’ and not be tied to a table with food being served.
What to prepare
As with any marketing promotion, networking should be thoroughly prepared for. Badly presented sales pitches lead to lost sales; the same goe
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