It is often said that it is not who you know that matters, it is who knows you. Well I would like to extend this statement by saying that it is not only who you know and who knows you, but how well do you know them and they you?
In business, networking is the ultimate form of promotion. It can help you to obtain new clients, a new job, or even help you to move up the corporate ladder. It is the process of building relationships. Any time that you attend a meeting, trade show, or a social function, you are networking whether you realize it or not. It is the relationship that you have with people, a prospect or a client that makes the difference between success and failure.
Often we fail to realize the reasons that we have for doing business with an individual or a company. In the case of products that we regularly buy, what helps us to make the buying decision? There are those that will buy a specific brand of product because they trust that brand to be of a high quality or durability. There are others that will make a buying decision based on price, although this is less frequently the case. Often we simply do business because we feel good about it. In fact most purchases or decisions to do business are based on two things. Trust and comfort. Trust is a very intangible emotion or feeling. How do you measure it? How do you develop it?
Trust is measured by the feelings that are generated by a process of letting someone get to know more about you than just product, features and price. I know a gentleman who provides a seminar on selling to C-level executives. He says that to sell to the C-level executive you have to be more than a salesperson selling a product or service. To sell to the executive level, you have to be more of an advisor. You have to find needs other than the ones that you can fulfill and help them to fulfill these needs. In doing this, you become a "trusted advisor". They feel "comfortable" that you have their interests in mind more than just making a quick sale and a commission.
In our daily process of seeking prospective clients, do we often just look for a person to pitch, or do we spend a bit more time getting to know them before we try to sell?
When we take the time to know a persons desires, dreams, and needs, and make an honest effort to help them realize that these things are important to us, we are really on the fast track to doing business with them. We are building the trust, confidence, comfort level, and most importantly the relationship that is needed to not only make the sale, but to create in them a resource for endless referrals.
As we go into the community meeting people who are prospective clients, we should keep the following in mind. The customer is a person just like me. The customer has needs other than the one that I can fulfill. Until I understand what the ultimate goal or dream of the prospect is, I cannot fulfill it with my product or service.
Selling and networking are about relationships. You sell in everything that you do whether you realize it or not. The time is now for more effective selling. Change the way you think about the prospect and the prospect will change the way that they think about you.
Kamis, 09 Desember 2010
Networking Your Way to Online Business Success
Forums, groups, boards, and loops; they're all synonymous for online locations facilitating online networking. Some are entirely public, where everyone and anyone can click to the URL, read the messages and if they have no interest in contributing, they can just lurk. Some require active participation and others require registration before members can participate. These online forums, groups, boards or loops are different from paid membership sites in that there is no cost to network at these websites.
Some are active, some are sleepy. Some are strictly for online business related topics; some allow more OT (Off Topics) and social interaction. There are forums for every imaginable topic: Entrepreneurs, International online business, Health related fields, Technology, Copywriters, Web Designers, Work at Home Moms, Programmers, Finance, Ebay, Job Seekers, Internet Marketing, Writers, Inventors and Virtual Assistants, just to barely scratch the surface of what's out there on the World Wide Web.
Time management skills need to be paramount when participating in online forums. You can very easily get swallowed up and spend hours and hours online networking with others who have online businesses, yet you miss real opportunities to get some productive work done!
From a online business standpoint, there are two areas you should consider before participating in a loop. It's always good to have a network of like-minded online business people. If you're a web designer, hang out with other designers. You can help and support each other. If you're just starting out, you can learn from the pros.
Don't get stuck though, just hanging out with your own kind. You're not going to be very successful trying to promote your design services to other designers. This is where balance comes in. Pop into the boards, check new posts of interest, ask or answer questions, then get out. Then move onto groups who need your services or products. Who is your target market and where do they hang out? Go there. Word of caution: Do not go to these forums with the sole purpose of SPAMMING the group. You'll be tossed out on your ear quicker than you can blink if that is your sole purpose. People like to do business with people they know and trust – or at the very minimum have at least heard of.
If you're trying to sell your curriculum to a group of home school parents and you just pop in, spew your sales rap all over the boards then expect any sort of return, you're missing the point of online networking. It's networking – not advertising. You need to build a rapport with your other "loopies". Then if a need arises and they know one of their own fellow networkers has that special skill or product, guess who they'll call first? You hope it's YOU.
For starters check MSN, Google, Yahoo, AOL, and Ryze. Inside there are literally hundreds and thousands of groups just waiting for you. Start networking your way to online business success today!
Some are active, some are sleepy. Some are strictly for online business related topics; some allow more OT (Off Topics) and social interaction. There are forums for every imaginable topic: Entrepreneurs, International online business, Health related fields, Technology, Copywriters, Web Designers, Work at Home Moms, Programmers, Finance, Ebay, Job Seekers, Internet Marketing, Writers, Inventors and Virtual Assistants, just to barely scratch the surface of what's out there on the World Wide Web.
Time management skills need to be paramount when participating in online forums. You can very easily get swallowed up and spend hours and hours online networking with others who have online businesses, yet you miss real opportunities to get some productive work done!
From a online business standpoint, there are two areas you should consider before participating in a loop. It's always good to have a network of like-minded online business people. If you're a web designer, hang out with other designers. You can help and support each other. If you're just starting out, you can learn from the pros.
Don't get stuck though, just hanging out with your own kind. You're not going to be very successful trying to promote your design services to other designers. This is where balance comes in. Pop into the boards, check new posts of interest, ask or answer questions, then get out. Then move onto groups who need your services or products. Who is your target market and where do they hang out? Go there. Word of caution: Do not go to these forums with the sole purpose of SPAMMING the group. You'll be tossed out on your ear quicker than you can blink if that is your sole purpose. People like to do business with people they know and trust – or at the very minimum have at least heard of.
If you're trying to sell your curriculum to a group of home school parents and you just pop in, spew your sales rap all over the boards then expect any sort of return, you're missing the point of online networking. It's networking – not advertising. You need to build a rapport with your other "loopies". Then if a need arises and they know one of their own fellow networkers has that special skill or product, guess who they'll call first? You hope it's YOU.
For starters check MSN, Google, Yahoo, AOL, and Ryze. Inside there are literally hundreds and thousands of groups just waiting for you. Start networking your way to online business success today!
Three Steps to Your Ultimate Marketing Message
Have you created a core marketing message to use throughout all of your marketing efforts?
I'm not talking about some catchy slogan or play on words using the name of your business or the service you provide. It's not some meaningless phrase like "we do it right" or "quality service you can trust." Anybody in business can say those things and they're really basic expectations anyway.
A core marketing message clearly and concisely communicates what you're out to do and for who. It speaks to your ideal target market and gets them to respond and seek more information.
So many small business owners and professional service providers never take the time to create this for their own business. Most are creating a new message with every new "marketing campaign." They're constantly trying new ideas. And each new idea becomes a new chance to try and come up with that home run message that gets the phone ringing off the hook like never before.
What you need is an ultimate core marketing message that communicates directly and powerfully to your clients and prospective clients what it is they'll get from your services.
Here are three steps to creating your own ultimate core marketing message:
1. Who do you want to help? Be as clear as you can on who your target market is. Take some time and define with as much clarity as possible who your ideal clients are. If it's not obvious who your message is directed to, why would you expect anyone to get it?<
2. What is the primary problem, issue, or challenge you would like to help someone in that target audience solve? This is really at the heart of your core marketing message. Most people are consumed with their own problems and looking for solutions to address them. So when you can clearly articulate a problem your client is dealing with, they'll listen because you may be able to provide a solution.
3. What is the ultimate outcome or result that you'd like to help your target market produce in solving their problem, issue, or challenge? People what to know what it is they'll get from knowing or working with you. When you're prepared to demonstrate that you're focused on delivering an outcome they'd be interested in, they will pay attention and want to know more.
That's it. Now take your answers and boil it down to one or two clear sentences that you can deliver enthusiastically and passionately. Communicate it in everything you do from a marketing perspective, both verbally and in writing.
Forget the catchy slogans. Create and start using your ultimate marketing message right now.
I'm not talking about some catchy slogan or play on words using the name of your business or the service you provide. It's not some meaningless phrase like "we do it right" or "quality service you can trust." Anybody in business can say those things and they're really basic expectations anyway.
A core marketing message clearly and concisely communicates what you're out to do and for who. It speaks to your ideal target market and gets them to respond and seek more information.
So many small business owners and professional service providers never take the time to create this for their own business. Most are creating a new message with every new "marketing campaign." They're constantly trying new ideas. And each new idea becomes a new chance to try and come up with that home run message that gets the phone ringing off the hook like never before.
What you need is an ultimate core marketing message that communicates directly and powerfully to your clients and prospective clients what it is they'll get from your services.
Here are three steps to creating your own ultimate core marketing message:
1. Who do you want to help? Be as clear as you can on who your target market is. Take some time and define with as much clarity as possible who your ideal clients are. If it's not obvious who your message is directed to, why would you expect anyone to get it?<
2. What is the primary problem, issue, or challenge you would like to help someone in that target audience solve? This is really at the heart of your core marketing message. Most people are consumed with their own problems and looking for solutions to address them. So when you can clearly articulate a problem your client is dealing with, they'll listen because you may be able to provide a solution.
3. What is the ultimate outcome or result that you'd like to help your target market produce in solving their problem, issue, or challenge? People what to know what it is they'll get from knowing or working with you. When you're prepared to demonstrate that you're focused on delivering an outcome they'd be interested in, they will pay attention and want to know more.
That's it. Now take your answers and boil it down to one or two clear sentences that you can deliver enthusiastically and passionately. Communicate it in everything you do from a marketing perspective, both verbally and in writing.
Forget the catchy slogans. Create and start using your ultimate marketing message right now.
Learning How To Get Free New And Existing Mls Home Listings In Your Area
When you are in the market for a new home, the key is to be able to see as many available homes as possible. However, driving up and down the streets is not an efficient way to gauge the housing market in your area. A better way to do it would be access the MLS listing sites that many realtors use. Knowing how to get free new and existing MLS home listings in your area can be incredibly valuable in helping look at a large number of homes and narrow the market down to the ones most suited to your wants and needs.
Though you may be able to find homes by using an internet search engine or directory, your best bet is always going to be to get access to the multiple listing service (MLS) that realtors often use. One suggestion as to how to get free new and existing MLS home listings in your area is to check your local newspaper's website. There, they will often have a link to real-estate where you will have access to homes that are listed on MLS. Using this method to get access will generally allow you to see homes that are for sale by owner as well, which rarely get into MLS at all (due to high listing costs on for sale by owner).
Another piece of advice on how to get free new and existing MLS home listings in your area is to use http://realtor.com. This website actually is made up of all the board listings from the local MLS. The virtual tours, pictures, and listings are all there for you to see. You also know the best listings are there because realtors pay to get listed on the site. It is an incredibly popular site that gets such traffic that realtors consider it a must to be listed there. The only real problem is that while you do have access to the MLS listings, they are often 3 to 5 days behind the MLS listing date
Another method for how to get free new and existing MLS home listings in your area is a little bit of a cheat. If you know someone, have a family member, or are acquitted with a realtor, they can get you on to the site. The problem is that if you are not using them to shop for or buy your new home, they may not be as willing. However, if you can call in a favor you can see all of the listening in your area and detailed information about all of them. That is, you can do it all without actually becoming a realtor or finding backdoor websites.
Finding how to get free new and exiting MLS home listings in your area is a challenge, but oh so worth it in the end. By knowing everything listed, you give yourself a larger pool to start with when you narrow down to the homes you want to actually see in person. The more options you have the more quality you will end up with.
Though you may be able to find homes by using an internet search engine or directory, your best bet is always going to be to get access to the multiple listing service (MLS) that realtors often use. One suggestion as to how to get free new and existing MLS home listings in your area is to check your local newspaper's website. There, they will often have a link to real-estate where you will have access to homes that are listed on MLS. Using this method to get access will generally allow you to see homes that are for sale by owner as well, which rarely get into MLS at all (due to high listing costs on for sale by owner).
Another piece of advice on how to get free new and existing MLS home listings in your area is to use http://realtor.com. This website actually is made up of all the board listings from the local MLS. The virtual tours, pictures, and listings are all there for you to see. You also know the best listings are there because realtors pay to get listed on the site. It is an incredibly popular site that gets such traffic that realtors consider it a must to be listed there. The only real problem is that while you do have access to the MLS listings, they are often 3 to 5 days behind the MLS listing date
Another method for how to get free new and existing MLS home listings in your area is a little bit of a cheat. If you know someone, have a family member, or are acquitted with a realtor, they can get you on to the site. The problem is that if you are not using them to shop for or buy your new home, they may not be as willing. However, if you can call in a favor you can see all of the listening in your area and detailed information about all of them. That is, you can do it all without actually becoming a realtor or finding backdoor websites.
Finding how to get free new and exiting MLS home listings in your area is a challenge, but oh so worth it in the end. By knowing everything listed, you give yourself a larger pool to start with when you narrow down to the homes you want to actually see in person. The more options you have the more quality you will end up with.
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