2 Summer Networking Sizzlers

Sponsored by BNI Maryland and Baltimore Networking

Speed Networking!

Wednesday, June 22

5 – 7 pm

at 7 West Bistro & Grille

7 W. Chesapeake Avenue, Towson

$12 per person (cash at the door)

includes networking, light refreshments and 1 happy hour beverage

Take your networking to a whole new level!

AND

Take Me Out to the Ballgame!

ORIOLES vs. Red Sox

Tuesday, July 19

$36 per person – limited to 50 people, so RSVP IMMEDIATELY!

Networking and Buffet – 5:00 to 6:45 pm at

Sports Legends Museum @ Camden Yards

(216 Emory Street, Baltimore, MD 21230 – walking distance of stadium)

7:05 pm Game Time at Oriole Park at Camden Yards

(game tickets will be distributed when you arrive at Sports Legends)

Note that Parking is NOT available (or included) this evening because of the game. Please make your own arrangements for parking in the area lots/garages or consider riding the light rail or subway.

Please make checks for $36 per person payable to Dawn Converse and mail immediately to 6404 Crestwood Road, Baltimore, MD 21239. Only 42 tickets available!

What Does Your Handshake Say About You?

     As the proud new owner of the Three Bears Bed & Breakfast, Goldilocks set out in the world. A product of her own hospitality, she was well rested and had a full tummy. Her new venture led her to seek new customers.
     Luckily, there was a networking event happening just a short distance down the path. Being new to business, she was a little nervous and wanted to be sure that she made a good first impression.
     So she checked her appearance, put on her brand-new name badge, grabbed her business cards, and off she went to the event. What she forgot to do, though, was practice her handshake, so, as you may have already guessed, it took her three tries to perfect it.
     Her first attempt was too soft. Her hand flopped and she had trouble looking her networking partner in the eye. Appearing to be awfully unsure of herself, she was not taken seriously.
     But Goldilocks was determined to succeed, so she persevered and tried a second time.
     Oh no, her next attempt was too hard! She frightened people away. They thought she was too aggressive as she fiercely gripped their hands.
     Goldilocks was no quitter, though, so she tried a third time.
     Her third attempt was not too soft. Nor was it too hard. It was just right as she remembered to smile as she greeted people and firmly shook their hands.
     People responded to her sincerity and gathered around her. Others began to notice and think she was someone important and rushed to meet her.
     So ….
     You get the point! A good firm handshake says you have the confidence to do what you set out to do. And, like Goldilocks, you want to be memorable. So make sure that your handshake is just right!*


     Is your handshake just right?
     When you shake peoples’ hands, they notice more than just your grip. They check out your face. A smile lets them know that you are friendly and interested in meeting them. Eye contact shows that you are genuine. Your perfect handshake encourages others to take the time to get to know you.

*paraphrased from How to Network for Business Growth: Tips that Work! available on www.WordProcessingUnlimited.com/Services.htm

Power Up Your Follow-Up!

Steve Moore of Ascension Advertising shared a great idea for following up with people. Before Steve meets with someone, he does a little research, including checking someone’s business website and any presence he or she may have on the social networking sites.
     By doing this homework, Steve is ready to participate in a conversation about a variety of topics that are likely to be interesting to his networking partner. This accomplishes a couple of things, including helping to build rapport. It also gives him an opportunity to decide ahead of time what else he might like to learn about this other person and determine what they may have in common.
     Remember that while networking begins with a conversation, you need to have something to talk about in order to begin building the foundation of a relationship. Once you’ve established a relationship, you can begin to find out how you may be able to help one another.

(Excerpt from How to Network for Business Growth: Tips that Work," available on www.WordProcessingUnlimited.com/Services.htm)

What Do Pets and Networking Have in Common?

This has been an interesting week. I used to think Murphy's Law was a joke, until this week. Monday was Valentine's Day - had great plans to make heart-shaped chocolate chip cookies for my family. Could I find the heart-shaped pan? No! My printers and computer refused to communicate so I spent a lot of time restarting. I stayed up late to work on the recording of my book, thinking it would be nice and quiet after midnight. Fat chance. The cat who never plays with toys decided it was the purrfect time to play with a bell! And to top it all off, the chihuahua spent the next afternoon barking - what a headache I had by last evening!

These are not complaints, just facts! And I am going somewhere with this! After all the goofy things that happened this week, I have to admit that the little dog sent me over the edge. The incessant barking was the last straw. Seems that there was a lot going on outside the window that was bothering her. I guess she didn't notice that she was bothering me until we had a serious parent/doggie conversation that included a clip to keep the curtain closed and a threat to utilize the crate! Needless to say, she found a quiet place to spend the rest of the evening. Oddly enough, though, as soon as this little 3-pound barker got up this morning, she came to find me!

So I got to thinking. Does the pup look at each day as a new start, an opportunity to make a new friend? No matter what happened the day before - whether she got treats, spent the day in someone's lap, played with her buddies, or was chastised for over-barking, she always runs to greet each of us every morning like we are her long-lost friends. And even though I sent the noisy cat upstairs the other night, as soon as I sat down to relax the next evening, she climbed in my lap to get her share of attention. This says something about their resilience.

So how does this relate to networking? I'm getting there! Every now and then people will tell me that they are skipping a networking event or meeting because they are having a rotten day. I think that the best time to network is when we are having a rotten day!

By last evening, I really had no interest in going to a weekly planning session. However, I am committed to the cause so I dragged myself there (literally because I had only gotten two hours of sleep the night before and it was already nighttime again!). What I found was that by the end of the evening I had a complete attitude adjustment! Yes, we did our work, but we also had a lot of fun. How many times have we gone to a networking event after a difficult day or week and found that our friends are there to support us? Or, how many times have we gone and met someone new with whom we clicked?

So here's what pets and networking have in common - an opportunity for a fresh start, even it means pretending that you are having the best day of your life and everyone is there to meet you! And they are because you are there to find out how you can help them! There is power in the opportunity to help someone else and leaving the stressors behind really can help you adjust your attitude. It's the helping others that makes us feel better.

So the next time you feel like skipping networking because you are having a Murphy's Law day, think again. Pet the dog or scratch the cat's ears and get moving. New possiblities await, just like a new day offers treats for pets!

Eek, It's the First of the Year Again!

Do you dread the first of the year and the setting of goals? This has never been my favorite activity, even though I realize its importance. For me, at least, it is not so much the setting of goals that is the problem, because I know what I want to accomplish. It is, rather, the thought of this impossible and monumental task of maintaining them. So I am challenging myself this year to actually set the goals and stay on track to achieve them. Here's how ....

Goals are something that should evolve throughout the year as we meet new people, talk with prospects, close business, and learn new information.

So my challenge to myself, and you, in 2011 is to set those initial goals, create an action plan for reaching them, and post them somewhere that we can read them every day. In addition, let's commit to actually reviewing our goals monthly. Our review helps us remember what we set out to accomplish, particularly as we become busy and distracted. The more we stick to our plan, then yes, the more likely we are to reach our goals!

Tracking our progress and checking off completed goals will put our accomplishments right in front of us and save us time and energy, and, since goals are fluid, rather than set in stone, we can revise our goals and action plan as necessary.

To have our best year ever, let's also challenge ourselves to work SMART:

S = Specific

M = Measurable

A = Attainable

R = Realistic

T = Timely

Specific

The more specific and meaningful our goals are, the more likely we are to actually accomplish them, and to realize it when we do!

 

Measurable

Goals that have measurable value, whether it's their dollar amount or the number of items we want to sell, are easier and more meaningful to track. As we record our progress and can actually quantify what that progress means, the more likely we are to stay committed to achieving our goals.

 

Attainable

While we all have dreams, the goals we choose should be something that we can attain or achieve. A plan, with action steps, for reaching our goals is key. It is vital that we know where we want to go and how we plan to get there because without that, we may become stymied, feel overwhelmed, and have trouble moving forward. Our attitude, in addition to our aptitude, and dedication to progressing will determine our success, too.

 

Realistic

As we set our goals, let's include a variety of them, i.e., some easy ones we know we can reach to get us started; some that we need to work harder toward that will keep us challenged and focused; and stretch goals (or some of our dreams) that will really give us a wonderful sense of fulfillment when we reach them.

 

Timely

Putting a timeline on accomplishing our goals will also help us stay focused and show us our progress.

 

Each of us has a different motivator for reaching our goals, and perhaps more than one. We need to figure out what motivates us individually - money, accomplishment, a sense of accomplishment, or something else, because that will also help us stay on track.

And finally, celebrating the achievement of reaching each goal will help us remain motivated. So let's remember to include a few meaningful rewards (commensurate with the value of each goal, that is!) for ourselves as we accomplish our goals or complete the action steps necessary for reaching longer term or larger goals. (Keep in mind that rewards do not always have a monetary value, they can be time we allow ourselves to spend doing something fun!)

 

Let's make 2011 our best year ever. And let's be able, at the end of 2011, to say that yes, here are the goals that we set, and here's what we accomplished!

 

Best wishes for a happy, healthy and successful new year!

Have Fun with Networking!

When was the last time you had a shark swim by you, flirted with a dolphin, or took time to learn about our continuously evolving sea life?

I had the opportunity to visit the National Aquarium with my husband last Friday evening as part of my re-education of the sites and history of Baltimore. Now that I am a CTA (Certified Tourism Ambassador) for Baltimore (thanks to Allison Tran who suggested this to me), I have been out and about and visiting places I had not seen in a long time, or even ever. We had a blast, even though our noses, fingers and toes were numb by the time we reached the Aquarium and then home. (Remind me to do this in the summer next time!)  It was fun to pretend to be young again and ignore the freezing cold as we made our way to the Inner Harbor by way of the Light Rail and Charm City Circulator.

One of the goals of my becoming a CTA was to get back to my roots and learn more about Baltimore, be a good resource to visitors as well as locals, increase my visibility, spread the word about BNI and other networking opportunities, and meet new people. So, I got to thinking - why not have some fun as you network and meet new people? There is so much to see and do in this area that has the potential of introducing us to new people who could become contacts, friends, clients, resources, etc. So get out there and play in your own backyard (on a larger scale, that is) and see whom you can meet!

  

Become a Valued Resource

One of the benefits of networking is that you meet a lot of people. That sounds a little overwhelming. So how is this a benefit?

Well, have you ever had a client call you with a problem that was not in your area of expertise? I think it's safe to say that we have all faced that at one time or another. If you are not a networker, your first inclination might be to grab the antiquated "yellow pages" or search the Internet for an appropriate service provider. Without a personal connection, though, you can only share information, not really recommend the businesses you find online. Perhaps you could take a lesson from a game show and call a friend. Oh wait, you are the friend who was called! Now what do you do? Do you really want to send the client away without any suggestions?

As a networker, you have a tremendous advantage over your competitor who does not network. You can think about the people you have met and gotten to know through talking with them and learning about their services, reading their newsletters, perhaps even using their products/services so you have firsthand knowledge and experience. At the very least, you represent options, which will ultimately save time and perhaps money, and even provide a better product.

Think of how appreciative your clients will be when you and your connections help them solve problems. Who will they call when they need something again? You, of course, because you now have more to offer them than just your own services and products. You are now a valued resource. And, by the way, they will tell others that you are the go-to person when they have challenges, too.

So if you want others to be thinking of you, become a good resource for them.