Many business owners and professionals today have made networking a part of their regular marketing schedules. That’s because  most networking events are low-cost or free of charge and help business owners and professionals gain extra exposure for their business.

     As an entrepreneur myself, I have networked at many different events from chamber mixers to huge international business conferences.  So, I can confidently say I have made every mistake in the book!  But I have also learned some tricks that can truly make networking successful.  As the Managing Director of the Folsom, California chapter of eWomenNetwork, I have made it my goal to share these tips and tricks with my fellow networkers.  Here are five keys that I have found help to improve the effectiveness and profitability of any networking event.

Key #1:  Do Your Research and Choose Wisely.

There are so many networking events out there.  You could easily run yourself ragged going to several each week.  While you may not spend much money to network, you could be wasting your precious time if you don’t do your homework.

Make sure there is enough time at the event to nurture relationships.  What good does it do you or your business if you take time out to attend an event and never get to talk to anyone about what your business can offer? 

Make sure that there will be people in your target market in attendance.  If you can speak with people who can benefit from what your business offers or know people who can benefit, a networking event can be a powerful tool to help your business gain that all-important exposure.

Key #2:  Prepare and Go With A POA (Plan of Action).

Preparation is an important part of any successful venture, and networking is no exception.  Yet many business owners think that if they give out a few flimsy computer printed business cards they will gain business.  What they find is people don’t respond to their impression and so the event is not successful.  This can easily lead to discouragement and often times these business owners feel networking is not for them and they give up.

In actuality, the reason the event was not successful is because the business owner didn’t take the time to PREPARE.  It wasn’t the event’s fault.  Networking is an excellent way to make business and personal connections and get your business out there.  But you can’t do it half-hearted and expect good results.

When you get to a networking event have good business collateral.  This means professionally made business cards with contact information so people can get in touch with you.  Make sure there is space on the back for any notes you want to write about a conversation you had with someone to jog their memory the next time they look at your card.

Have well-designed hand outs, speaker sheets, flyers for upcoming events you will host, or brochures that people can take with them to remember they want to do business with you.  Be sure to have all of the pertinent information on this collateral to make it easy for people to register or contact you about the information.

Prepare an elevator speech.  This is a 15-30 second pitch about your business (See the article “Create An Elevator Speech That Brings You Clients”).  This should be attention-getting.  You should talk about a problem that your product or service solves, what is unique about you or your business, or an upcoming event you are hosting.  Practice, practice, practice it until you are polished.  You will be less nervous to get up in front of the group and your poise will express to the audience that you are an expert at what you do.

Bring a notebook and a calendar or appointment book.  It is imperative that you write notes about the people you’ve met and conversations you had.  If at all possible, make appointments at the event instead of promising to “get in touch” with people you meet.

Go with some goals. How many REAL connections do you want to make? What do you want to get out of the event?  If you say it and plan for it beforehand, you will be more effective in achieving it.  Three contacts, five contacts, seven appointments-whatever the goal, set it before you attend the event and be strategic about achieving it.  Every time I do this it works out well.

Key #3:  Be Present, Persistent, and Consistent.

Being present means showing up, talking with people, making connections.  Make the most of the event.  Don’t just come in, sit down, and do nothing.  This may mean leaving the cell phone in the car.  Leave your family stuff at home.  Leave the office stuff at the office.  Focus on the event and the people there.

Being persistent and consistent means committing to a group and showing up regularly.  If your group meets weekly, go every week.  Make the time to attend events regularly and be sure to show up.  This allows others in the group to keep you in the front of their mind.  When they see you regularly, they will more readily think of you when their business or a friend needs the services you provide.  Remember, networking should be a part of your regular marketing plan. 

Key #4:  Follow Up, Follow Up, and  Follow Up!!

Focus on making REAL connections.  I know you’ve gone to a networking event in the past where everyone throws their business cards at each other, maybe says a few words about their product or service and then goes home.  About a week later you find all those business cards and begin leafing through them.  You can’t remember anyone of those people and certainly not what you talked about.

Keep your goal in mind.  Make those contacts at the networking event.  And above all, follow up!  It just takes a few minutes to sit down the next day with the business cards of the five or so real connections you made and shoot them an email saying it was nice to meet them.  Better yet, make a quick phone call.  Let them know you enjoyed the conversation you had about (insert topic here…after all you wrote it on the back of their card like I taught you in key #2, right?).  Invite them to meet you for coffee.  Begin to build relationships because this is what will increase profits for you.  Remember, the fortune is in the follow up!

Key#5:  Build the Relationship and Keep It Going.

Here’s the thing:  People will do business with you because they like you as a person.  There are probably a bunch of people in your community that offer the same products and services you do.  Networking allows people to get to know you as an individual-and when they like you they will tell others about you and use your product or service themselves.  We do this at our eWomenNetwork events.  During our luncheons, everyone at the table comes up with five things that are unique about them.  Then we go around the table and share those things.  You wouldn’t believe some of the things our members and guests share in common.  Not to mention the amazing experiences of the incredible people who come to the event.  Many great connections, both personal and business, have been made over the lunch table.  Use networking events to get to know other attendees on a personal level as well as sharing your business.

You never know who the people you know know.  Once you make a connection, build the relationship.  The person standing in front of you may never use your service-but they may know several others who will.  And if the person in front of you likes and trusts you, they will undoubtedly share that with those they know, resulting in an increase in your bottom line.

Keep in mind these five tips each time you attend a networking event.  If implemented, these strategies will no doubt help you get the most out of your networking experience and improve your business’ profitability as well.

Julie Anderson is the Managing Director for the Folsom, California chapter of eWomenNetwork.  To learn more about the dynamic eWomen Network members or to find out about events in your area, visit  http://www.ewomennetwork.com/index.html.

Filed under: Business Success, Networking

Filed under: Homeschooling, Relationships

     From as far back as we can remember communication between the sexes has puzzled and confused many. It has been the topic of everything from debates to sitcoms. Even books have been written on the subject. In this issue we will explain some of the reasons for these differences and hopefully enlighten the men and women who read it. For as much as it may seem like it, men are not  from Mars and women are not from Venus.

     Equality between the sexes is something that women have longed for. But, while we strive for equality we need to keep in mind that we are not the same. Physically, hormonally, and most importantly, our brains are different. Note that I use the word DIFFERENT, not superior or inferior. This is not a contest of who is better at what. This is just simply a discussion of why we are different, what causes us to think differently. Maybe if we truly understand the reasons behind these differences, we will be better able to communicate and appreciate the gifts that we all have, male or female.

     So where do these differences start? Six weeks gestation. It is at this point that if the ‘Y’ Chromosome is detected, the brain gets a chemical bath that changes it to a male brain. This will make size differences in 12 areas of the brain! Nine of them will be larger in the man. Some of these differences manifest themselves in the way we do things. For example, one of the most talked about differences is that thing we like to call “multitasking”. Women just seem to do it easier. Why? The Corpus Calosum of the brain, the portion that allows the left side to communicate with the right side, has a much higher number of connecting fibers in women then it does in men. To illustrate, women have a major freeway running from one side of the brain to the other, while men have more of a two lane highway. So basically women can have a lot more ‘thought’ cars driving from one side of the brain to the other, while men can handle only a few at a time. Thus, women can often be seen doing many things at once, while men tend to focus on only one thing at a time. This also allows women to globally process information with more ease than men. However, this takes more energy so a woman’s brain is not as energy efficient. Men, on the other hand, find it easier to laterally process information. So a male’s brain is more energy efficient.

     Another interesting feature that is different between the male and female brain is the size of the Hypothalamus Nucleus. In men, it is on average more than twice as large as a woman’s. This area of the brain is directly related to sexual behaviors. Explains a lot, doesn’t it?

     Ok, so I could make this article pages long discussing the many more brain differences, but we don’t have the space. So the next time you can’t understand why the man in your life can’t carry on a conversation with you while he is putting together that new entertainment center you bought or why the woman in your life appears to not be paying attention to you when you say something to her because she is doing five other things at the same time, stop and remember this information you may find it helpful.

www.YourBestMindOnline.com

Filed under: Relationships

     When you decide to take the wonderful homeschooling journey with your family there are a few brain facts to keep in mind. Each of our brains is as unique as our individual thumbprints. When we teach our children we need to be sure that we treat each one as an individual and not assume that the same teaching methods will be the most effective with all of your children. So consider these brain facts when designing the curriculum to fit each of your children.learning style? Are they a visual, kinesthetic or an auditory learner? This is the way that their brains will process information most efficiently and effectively. Most curriculums come in an auditory format, yet only 20% of the population is believed to be auditory learners. So if you determine that your children fall into the other 80% of the population you have to put some creative input into your lesson plans. gender? There is a definite difference between the male and female brain. Yes they learn, communicate and develop differently. So it is important that you consider this brain fact when you teach.introverted, extraverted or ambivered? This is not whether they are shy or outspoken. Rather it is how much stimulus their brain needs throughout the day in order to function best. How much is going on around them while they are learning can affect how well their brain learns.brain lead? In other words, what area of the brain do they burn the least amount of energy second for second to process a cognitive function? This explains why different subjects tend to come easier to some children. For example, some kids seem to grasp spelling with greater ease then others. While some are gifted in music or art. All of this has to do with energy expenditure in the brain. When you determine where your children function best it helps you to nurture their strengths and be patient with their non-strengths.
For more information on homeschooling check out www.quickestwaytoinsanity.com

     First, what is their learning style?

     Second, what is their gender

     Third, are they introverted or extroverted?

     Fourth, what is their innate brain lead?

     By understanding these brain facts and applying this information in your schooling you will enjoy a much smoother and more enjoyable homeschooling journey.  One that you will never regret having taken.

Filed under: Homeschooling, Uncategorized

1.  Ziploc Bags – Male 

These hold everything in, yet you can see right through them.

2. Copiers – Female

Once you turn them off, it takes awhile to warm them back up again. Also, they are effective at reproducing as long as the right buttons are pushed, if not they can wreak havoc.

3. Tire – Male

These go bald and are often over-inflated.

4. Hot Air Balloon – Male

To get these to go anywhere you have to light a fire underneath it, plus there is a hot air component.

As funny as this is, there are scientific reasons behind them. To learn more about male and female differences, please visit our website at www.YourBestMindOnline.com We illuminate many other differences, and we also help you understand how to deal with them so you can improve both business and personal relationships!

Filed under: Just For Fun

The following came from an anonymous mother in Austin, TX. (Poor Woman)

1. A  king size water bed holds enough water to fill a 2,000 square foot house, 4 inches deep.
2. If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with roller blades, they can ignite.
3. A 3-year-old’s voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant.
4. If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong enough to rotate a 42 pound boy wearing Batman underwear and a superman cape. It is strong enough however, to spread paint on all four walls of a 20X20 foot room.
5. When you hear the toilet flush and the words “Uh-oh” it is already too late.

This is for all parents. If you are past this stage, it is hilarious, if your before this stage, it is a warning, and if you are contemplating at all, it is birth control.

I am a homeschooling Mom of 15 years. I wrote a book on it, Quickest Way to Insanity, Homeschool Your Kids. I loved homeschooling my boys, but like this mother above, just having kids brings forth much insanity!

So, if you want to learn how to enjoy the insanity, please check out my website, www.QuickestWaytoInsanity.com.

Filed under: Just For Fun

The following came from an anonymous mother in Austin, TX. (Poor Woman) 

1. Play Dough and Microwave should never be used in the same sentence.

 2. Super glue is forever.

 3. No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool, you still can’t walk on water.

 4. Pool filters do not like Jell-O.

 5. VCR’s do not eject PB & J sandwiches even though TV commercials show they do.

This is for all parents. If you are passes this stage, it is hilarious, if your before this stage, it is a warning, and if you are contemplating at all, it is birth control.

I am a homeschooling Mom of 15 years. I wrote a book on it, Quickest Way to Insanity, Homeschool Your Kids. I loved homeschooling my boys, but like this mother above, just having kids brings forth much insanity!

So, if you want to learn how to enjoy the insanity, please check out my website, www.QuickestWaytoInsanity.com.

Filed under: Just For Fun

The following came from an anonymous mother in Austin, TX. (Poor Woman) 

1. Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.

 2. Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.

 3. You probably do not want to know what that odor is.

 4. Always look in the oven before you turn it on. Plastic toys do not like ovens.

 5. The fire department in Austin has a 5 minute response time.

 6. The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earth worms dizzy. It will however make cats dizzy and cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.

 This is for all parents. If you are passes this stage, it is hilarious, if your before this stage, it is a warning, and if you are contemplating at all, it is birth control.

I am a homeschooling Mom of 15 years. I wrote a book on it, Quickest Way to Insanity, Homeschool Your Kids. I loved homeschooling my boys, but like this mother above, just having kids brings forth much insanity!

So, if you want to learn how to enjoy the insanity, please check out my website, www.QuickestWaytoInsanity.com.

Filed under: Just For Fun

1. God worried that Adam would be lost in the Garden of Eden because he wouldn’t ask for directions.
2. God knew that someday men would need someone to hand him the TV remote. (Parenthetically, it has been noted that men don’t want to see what is ON TV; they just want to see WHAT ELSE is on.
3. God knew that men would never make a doctor’s appointment.
4. God knew that when Adam’s fig leaf wore out, he would never buy a new one for himself.
5. God knew that men would not remember to take out the garbage.
6. God wanted man to be fruitful and multiply, but he knew men would never be able to handle labor pains and childbirth.
7. As “keeper of the garden,” Adam would need help in finding HIS tools.
8. Adam needed someone to blame for the Apple incident, and for anything else that was really his fault.
9. As the Bible says: “It is not good for man to be alone.”
10. And number 10, (Tada, drum roll, fanfare, ect.) God stepped back, looked at Adam, and declared, “I can do better than that.”

Hope this brightens your day! We here at Your Best Mind do not comment on beliefs of people, but we do help you to see the brain differences between men and women, and make fun of them! If you would like to learn more, check out our website, www.YourBestMindOnline.com. We would love to help you understand, and improve all your relationships, personal and professional. We make our workshops fun and entertaining for you so that you will remember what you learn so that you can apply it in your life.

Filed under: Just For Fun

1. I don’t know what your problem is but I am sure it is hard to pronounce. 

 2. I see you’ve set aside this special time to humiliate yourself in public.

 3. I’m really easy to get along with once you people learn to see it my way.

 4. I’ll try being nicer if you try being smarter.

 5. I’m out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message.

 6. I don’t work here, I’m a consultant.

 7. It sounds like English, but I can’t understand a word you are saying.

 8. I’m already visualizing the duct tape over your mouth.

 9. Thank you, we are all refreshed and challenged by your unique point of view.

 10.  The fact that no one understands you doesn’t mean you are an artist.

11.  What am I? Flypaper for freaks?

Ok, so we all would love to say these things at one time or another, but we DON’T! Part of having good communication is knowing when NOT to say things! You can also improve communication by understanding the other person’s communication style! Yes, communication style! We all have one. Do you know what yours is?

On my website, www.YourBestMindOnline.com, you can download a free sensory preference worksheet. What I mean by sensory preference is how we process information. So understanding how another person, or even yourself, processes information, you can give in the way that they receive, and vice versa. This can improve your communication tremendously.

Filed under: Communication