Network Central and Business Chicks

Well looking back over the past seven days my time management has take a bit of a backslide - two networking events last week and no entries in the Blog.
So before this week catches up with me I thought I should remedy the situation and tell you about High End Networking at Network Central and Musical Chairs at Business Chicks.
The speaker at this month’s Network Central Breakfast was Julia Palmer from BConsulted. Julia is a business relationship specialist and an engaging speaker with a number of insights on effective networking plus some entertaining stories to share.
One point Julia stressed which is often forgotten is that you don’t have to share business cards with everyone you meet. Networking is about building relationships not becoming a serial card giver or card collector.Business cards are a way of sharing contact details with people you have met that you want to stay in touch with. They should not be treated like confetti and thrown at every stranger you meet. Similarly you don’t have to become a serial card collector with a bottom draw full of business cards from people you will probably never speak to again. The other point Julia made which really stood out for me was to do with building a network of mentors and advisors – people you can turn to for advice, encouragement and support .For small business owners this is particularly important as they are often alone and the benefits of being part of a team are something they often miss out on. (Plus remember don’t just be a taker – who could you help and encourage?)
I am sure we have all played Musical Chairs at sometime or another and Business Chicks Musical Chairs variation on Speed Networking was an excellent innovation. I have attended a variety of Speed Networking events over the past couple of years and this was definitely the best. (Unlike traditional Musical Chairs nobody was out and I got to meet a wide variety of interesting women.) What made it better than other Speed Networking Events? Firstly there was plenty of time for reasonable introductions – certainly time enough to decide whether or not to exchange business cards (no need to become a card giver or card taker). Secondly, and this has been lacking in most Speed Networking Events I have attended, there was plenty of room so quiet conversations were possible without the need to shout over the couple sitting next to you. Thirdly is was well managed by friendly staff who made sure that no-one wasted precious networking time hunting for a partner to talk to.
Overall well done Business Chicks for putting an excellent new slant on the Speed Networking Concept!
Now I have to dive off and do the follow up which also fell by the way side over the past 7 days. It is an alarming statistic that 90% of connections made networking events are never followed up on and I don’t want to become a statistic!
You can find Network Central, Business Chicks and hundreds of other networking groups and opportunities around Australia listed in the Networking World Group Directory. Plus get hints and tips on networking strategies to help you grow your business.

Where in the World is Networking World - American Chamber of Commerce

Delicious lunch at the Crown River Room. Plus a fantastic and extremely interesting speaker - John Fleming Ph.D. is a Principal at Gallup and Chief Scientist for Gallup's Customer Engagement and Human Sigma Practices. What does that mean? Basically it's all about how you can improve your bottom line 2.6 times more than your competitors if you combine your focus on maximising both customer AND staff engagement! Engaged employees X engaged customers = increased profits. And who doesn't want to do that???

Like to find out more Fleming is the co-author of the Harvard Business Review article "Managing Your Human Sigma".


However the other interesting thing I picked up at this lunch was to do with how small business owners need to behave when they are networking with bigger businesses. I had a chat to a couple of bigger business owners and this is the feedback they gave me.

1. Don't talk about yourself - listen, listen, listen and when you do speak - focus on the issues and problems the other person has been discussing. Makes sense huh? This particular person mentioned two examples - one with the sixty second infomercial about themselves - they got absolutely no-where. And another person who spent the whole lunch quietly listening to the conversation - then rang later to discuss the possiblilty of a solution to the problem under discussion. They got the contract.

2. Follow up! the other person I spoke to mentioned someone they met at a lunch. Rapport was built. The person I was talking to was genuinely interested in exploring what the small business owner had to offer. Guess what? He never heard from the other person again!

Really no different from how you should behave wherever you network.

Listen and follow up! What more can I say!

Want to know more about how to network effectively and what questions to ask to make the follow up easy? Visit www.networkingworld.net.au where we help you network SMARTer not harder!

Where in the World is Networking World - Australian Businesswomen's Network

Last night I was inspired and awed by three amazing women who have all deservedly been awarded Telstra Business Woman awards over the past 3 years.

Linda Sorrell - Chief Executive of Melbourne Health and National winner of the 2007 IBM Community and Government Award and 2007 Telstra Victorian Business Woman of the Year.

Diana Williams - Founder and Chairman of the Board of Fernwood Women's Health Clubs and 2005 Telstra Australian Business Woman of the Year.

Amy Sznicer - 2006 Panasonic Young Women’s Award Winner. Amy is now the National Retail Manager for the fashion brand WITCHERY.

The evening was MC'd by Margot Spalding - 2006 Telstra Australian Business Woman of the Year - Co-Owner and Co-Director, Jimmy Possum Furniture Pty Ltd.

This event was presented by the Australian Businesswomen's Network and sponsored by the Telstra Business Women's Awards.

Watch out in the NetworkingWorld calendar of events for other events presented by the Australian Businesswomen's Network.

Where in the World is Networking World - Monash Business Incubator

Jim Stewart from Stewart Media was the guest speaker yesterday at the Monash Business Incubator Learning Lunch. This must be at least the fifth time I have heard Jim speak but I learn something new every time.
Monash Business Incubator Learning Lunches happen about once every six weeks with the next one scheduled for Thursday 1st of May with myself as the guest speaker.
A light lunch, sandwiches, coffee and soft drinks are included and there is plenty of opportunity to network as well take advantage of a range of interesting and informative speakers. Watch out for a full Where in the World is Networking World review of Monash Business Incubator networking events from Networking World in the coming weeks.

Box Hill BEC

Despite the absolutely awful weather and the lack of traffic lights around 20 small business owners (myself included) ventured out to Box Hill BEC last night to network with other business owners and hear Peter Risdale from Beds For Backs speak on how to make Customer Satisfaction your marketing edge.
Wondering what a BEC is?
Business Enterprise Centres (BECs) are independent organisations which provide low cost, assistance to support the development of new and existing small businesses.
Each Business Enterprise Centre has its own identity, however the range of services provided includes Training, Networking opportunities, Mentoring, Counselling, Referrals and Business Incubation.
There are 22 Business Enterprise Centres located throughout the metropolitan and regional areas of Victoria, and a national network of over 130 Business Enterprise Centres.