3 Things I Consider When Going to Networking Events

Sometimes I go brain dead when trying to figure out what to write about and share with you. Whenever this happens, I can always count on my Facebook friends to get me unstuck.

Scott Bradley suggested I write something about networking so here goes:

I've cut back considerably on the number of networking events I attend. Why? Because of the time and costs involved. I use the word cost instead of investment because there are instances when I've gone to things and have left feeling like I wasted my money. In picking and choosing where I go, these factors come into play:

1. THE EVENT BENEFITS A CAUSE

I make a donation in exchange for attending and that donation/registration fee or a portion of it becomes a charitable contribution. It's always fulfilling to give back and this allows me to kill a few birds with one stone.

2. TO DEEPEN RELATIONSHIPS

A presentation I attended in October was facilitated by a lady who happened to have been the room monitor at one of my speaking engagements this summer. After the conference was over, I sent an email thanking her for helping me out, but I didn't get a response. Since she'll be speaking, it gives me an opportunity to see her on stage, show my support, and find out if there's a possibility to broaden our relationship. At the conference she mentioned us collaborating; the talk I presented was Dollars and Sense: Maximizing the Outcome of Your Income and she happens to be a financial planner.  The seminar is being sponsored by the local chapter of the regional conference I attended, so I get to see the chapter president again and strengthen that relationship as well. I want the organization to know I appreciate them choosing me as a speaker and would love the opportunity to speak to them again.

3. LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Sometimes learning trumps the relationship factor when I'm deciding where to go. I know once I'm there some kind of a connection is going to be made. However, "connections" has become a buzzword in both online and offline networking and while it's the first step in the process, it doesn't always mean a mutually beneficial business relationship will evolve.

I see so many people who are everywhere all of the time simply because that's what we're told to do - show up and be seen. But if you're just popping up all over the place and not helping anyone or offering any solutions, then what's the point? You have to do more than what I call, "The Business Card Shuffle". You can't glide into the venue, wait for the opportunity to deliver your pitch, and then cram your business card down someone's throat (I think some folks proudly refer to this as 'working the room').

There's always going to be something going on. Just as you would invest your money wisely, you should make those same decisions when investing your time into networking.

Photo credit: activebob

Judging a Business by its Prize

Last week I had the privilege of attending a women's health and fashion gala. The event planners did a great job of producing a 5-star event. Before the fashion show started I mingled and visited different vendors, tasted desserts, and took photos.

The ladies at a medspa-type booth got my attention when I passed by inviting me to participate in their giveaway. You could spin the wheel and win whatever prize you landed on. Prizes included mini-microdermabrasions, mini-facials, and a few other things. I had my eyes set on winning a microderm, but wanted to know what a "mini" one consisted of.

When I asked the owner, she couldn't really give a thorough explanation and basically stated it wasn't a full microderm, but I could purchase the complete service for an additional $35. She was able to articulate that the mini-facial only consisted of a cleansing.

The pressure was on so I gave the wheel a good spin. Low and behold it landed on, "Take Your Pick".

Yep - I could choose any prize I wanted.

I chose the mini-microderm, got my coupon card, and told the owner I'd be in touch to schedule my appointment. A member of her staff informed me with excitement that for a limited time, I could receive 50% off all services.

PRIZES DO MATTER

The above photo was taken to promote a Hardee's Restaurant $10,000 winner. Congratulations Jacob! Let's imagine for a second that Jacob had no idea what he was winning - he just knew he'd won something from his favorite fast food joint. What do you think would happen if he found out he won 1/2 of a free sandwich? How enthused would you be if you were the grand prize winner of:

• 1/2 a pizza
• one shoe from your favorite shoe store
• 1/2 a haircut
• a 12 hour stay at a resort hotel
• 3 rides at a national amusement park
• 30 minute private screening of a new movie

But what if you had the option of purchasing the entire whatever for an additional fee? Like, what good would one left shoe really do unless you bought the right one? Is it still a giveaway in this case?

NO FACE VALUE - LITERALLY

Once the excitement died down and I had some time to think about the true value of my prize, I decided not to book the appointment. Why? It just wasn't worth it to me. I already have an aesthetician that I love and the business owner did a poor job of selling me on the benefits of visiting her spa. Did I mention that at no point did anyone collect my contact information to follow up with me? Another missed opportunity. The entire experience was sub-par in my opinion. You lure me over to your table with the hopes of winning something worthwhile and before we even establish any kind of a relationship you upsell me. That's the kind of thing you expect from a fly-by-night car dealership.

GIVE SOMETHING GOOD OR DON'T GIVE AT ALL

This statement alone serves as the moral of the story. When thinking about ways to reward your customers, ask yourself if it's something you would like to be on the receiving end of. If the answer is no, more than likely your clients or potential clients feel the same way. Instead of gifting 10 low budget prizes, opt to give away 3 really valuable ones. Put a deadline on when the prize has to be redeemed. Collect the winner's information so you can follow up 1) to send a reminder 2) to have a conversation and find out why they chose not to redeem the prize. This will give you much needed insight to continue on with that particular giveaway or make the necessary adjustments so that future prizes have more value.

Would you have gone ahead and gotten your mini service? Why or why not? Share your thoughts with me.

Photo credit: hardees

Lessons Learned from The Real Housewives of Atlanta: A Forbes Post

In a recent Forbes post, I assessed a few of the business decisions the Atlanta Housewives cast members made. If you open up your eyes, you'll find there are learning opportunities all around us.


What Entrepreneurs can Learn from The Real Housewives of Atlanta

Save Money While Making Memories

I'm really not understanding the Christmas decor and advertisements the day after Halloween. A few days ago I made my usual Thursday morning Starbucks run before heading to the radio station and my latte was served in a cup decked out with red hollies and such. Retailers have done it again - skipped a whole month and planted us smack dab in December. This made for a great show topic and our listeners didn't waste time calling in to give their two cents.

My family started a Thanksgiving tradition 10 years ago when I purchased my first house. My middle sister had the grand idea to have dinner at my new place. About 15 of us piled comfortably into my less than 1000 sq. ft. abode. Since then, we've kept the tradition alive by rotating between houses every year.

As American families continue to face tough economic times, planning holiday get togethers can be challenging. As a result of increased gas and food prices, some family traditions have fallen by the wayside. Here are a few things you can do to save some money and cherish your time with loved ones.

• Host Multi-Family Dinners: Instead of footing the bill alone, invite neighbors and friends over and ask them to bring a dish. This can work in tandem with saving on travel. Too strapped to book a flight out of town? Stay put and celebrate with others who decided to forgo travel.

• Skip the Elaborate, High-Priced Meals: It's going to cost more money to feed more people a gourmet meal. Your family and friends aren't looking for a 5-star experience. Scale back on the specialty items and keep it simple by serving up inexpensive comfort foods.

• Reduce, Recycle, and Reuse: This goes beyond being eco-friendly. Reduce your spending all together by comparison shopping, clipping coupons, and buying early. Create a spending plan (doesn't this sound better than being restricted to a budget?). Recycle items by swapping; you can get rid of something "old" while giving someone else something "new". Buy decor that can be used for more than one season/holiday/occasion. Clear glass votives, vases, and dishes are great. Use colored linens/flowers, etc. to capture the holiday's theme.

These money-saving strategies can be used all year long. What traditions do you have and how do you avoid breaking the bank?

Photo credit: alamedabrad

Kick Butt Collaboration

How many new ideas do you think of on a daily basis? How do you decide which ones to act on? Where do you keep all of those ideas until you're ready to put them into action?

I've come a long way with managing my creative process. The more focused I become on specific goal-oriented projects, the less time I spend going off into total world domination mode - the place where one simple concept morphs into a global initiative.

I'm going to take a moment to show you how my most recent venture came about.

MY IDEA BOOK

This is the sacred place where my ideas get written down. Not all ideas make the cut, however. If it's a thought I can't seem to shake or something that comes to me in the middle of the night, I jot it down. Other factors come into play, but you get the picture. Periodically, I flip through my idea book and cross things off that no longer interest me. I wrote down the idea of having coaching and coffee a few months ago.

CLARITY

Usually when I have a bright idea, that's all I have. I wrote about this in the post talking about fear. Rarely do I have a detailed plan attached to the concept. Just as fate would have it, when all of the pieces need to fall into place, that's exactly what happens. This is especially true in this particular instance. Because I'd briefly brainstormed and ran this by my accountability partners, I did have somewhat of a clue as to how this event would actually look. Sometimes all it takes is a few key bullet points and logistics to move your ideas closer to fruition.


CONNECTIONS

My relationship with the owner began close to a year ago on twitter (I make it a point to follow locally owned businesses and entrepreneurs) when he tweeted a coupon good for new customers only. It was a well executed marketing strategy to get newcomers through the door and coffee happens to be one of my favorite things. My initial experience was fun and personable, just the way service is supposed to be and my barista won me over when he concocted something using my three must-have ingredients: vanilla, cream whip, and caramel - in that order. When I saw Kick Butt's callout on Facebook letting folks know the venue was available for events I immediately sent an email and within 15 minutes, Thomas and I were on the phone. Note: Knowing the decision makers saves you so much time on the front end. About 30 minutes later, we'd worked out all of the details and I was good to go.

Now all I needed to do was figure out how to conduct 5-minute speed coaching. Let me rephrase that - I know how to coach, but I've never actually organized speed coaching sessions. Not a problem. I knew who to call. I got Julie Lara on the phone and within another 10 minutes, she got me all hooked up.

DON'T think you need to have all the answers.
DO surround yourself with other people who do.


REALITY

Today marked my first Kick Butt Coffee & Coaching and the next is scheduled for November 16th. Was it a success? By my definition, yes. Simply deciding to get up and take action was half the battle. It would've been easy to sit back and wait for the "perfect" time to move forward. With very little marketing and the fact that today was election day, three people showed up. My inaugural gig was 1/4 full capacity! I know...most people wouldn't celebrate and share what some would consider a low turnout. The truth of the matter is we don't always come out of the gate and hit our target. We meet our goals by committing to consistency. Slow and steady still wins the race.

Your ideas are the beginning of the journey. No matter when you start, you can't expect to arrive overnight.