Some People Are Total Bankers

Last month a I met a fellow who really was a total banker. I went visiting various places around Hull City centre to see if there was any interest in BforB. Now the Hull business community is always unfailingly polite and the vast majority of the visits I made drew a courteous response but no interest. Fair enough.

The banker in question was an exception. I was asked to come back another day and when i came he gave me a nice cuppa and told me straight away that he would not, for contractual reasons be able to participate in a BforB meeting.

He then told me that he had given some thought to BforB and suggested that start-ups might be good place to network. He then told me that his bank had close associations with City Works.  Now City Works offers support guidance and training to people in Hull. It is concerned with employment, ensuring that Jobs are available to Hull folk and supports new businesses.

He offered to phone the two guys that run it and promised to get back to me when he had done so. He did just that and as a result I met Nick and Phil. Now Nick and Phil are two really nice people who gave me free coffee cup after a friendly chat. Nick may come to a BforB meeting soon.

All this stemmed from meeting an employee who was on the ball about local business and employment needs, has strong links to the business and public sector and put a great deal of thought into how my work could offer benefit to, and benefit from, his connections.

Like I said, total banker. To meet like mined business colleagues, check the BforB website for Business networking now

Time for a cuppa

Just got off the phone after chatting to one of the BforB members here in Hull. He told me about a meeting he had with a colleague in the same sector that he had after BforB.

He has been a member since December and his take on things went along these lines:
"This networking stuff works. I went to see colleague over in Leeds, just phoned him up for a cuppa and a chat. Any way there are some interesting possibilities I found out after talking with him."

"I can't see why more people don't do it. I can see what you mean when you keep banging on about Know Like and Trust".

To be honest this bloke is a top BforB man who brings at least if not more to each meeting than he takes away.

But by taking time for his business, away from working in his business and buying into KLT the personal as well as business benefits are accruing.

Its simple: make time for a cuppa, people like meeting people and when you offer something as nice as good company you lose no more than a quid (or more if you are into one shot lattes with chocolate on top).

The BforB Cross-Country Ethos

Somebody I have never met was provided with a lead by someone who I have only met 4 times , via somebody I have only met twice simply because of the BforB ethos of developing Know Like and Trust relationships. What was that? Well here's what happened:

A good friend of a BforB member in Hull who lives on the other side of the Pennines has particular need of specialist Legal Advice.

The BforB member phoned me up and asked if I knew of any solicitors over in that part of the country.

I put him in touch with the  Manchester BforB Regional Director, who gave him a contact number, someone who is a member of his BforB group.

Sorry if the thread seems a bit convoluted. It does involve 5 different people but the end result is simple. A professional colleague has obtained a worthwhile lead because BforB is a network of referral clubs. It was easy for our member in Hull to help locate a suitable solicitor for a friend on the other side of the country.

But more important than that, because BforB teams focus on developing Know Like and Trust relationships this lead came about because people know that they are adding value to their membership by simply talking to one another.

I know a Bloke: Marketing for your Network Colleagues

So you've been a member of BforB for a couple of months, been to 4 meetings, like your colleagues and get on with the group owner well, even if he does bang on about Know Like and Trust a bit. You've met a couple of the guys for a one to one and you've got some business out of it. Your BforB fee is paid for and even in early January when its still dark and you barely got going last week because of the flu, you had no problem getting up in the dark to go to BforB. All good. That's about as good as it gets, right?

Well no actually. When life looks like easy street there is danger at your door. There is a kind of danger period for business networkers if they get too comfortable. There may come a time when the leads are not so hot. You might even get to a point where you seek out another a group, after all if the essence of your business is meeting new people why not?

The essence of a business referral club is that is a just that, a club and as such people share their skills to make the club grow. Bringing guests is certainly one thing but so too is marketing your colleagues and their businesses. The "I know a bloke" technique is the simplest and best.

Small talk leads to people talking about aspects of their lives that does not have a direct on what you and they may be trying to sell one another. Two weeks back I was able to tell a new contact (graphic designer) "I know a bloke" who could fix his gutter. And he did, then my bloke asked him if he could sort out an advertising leaflet for him.

It was all a simple matter of having a chat but also having in the back of my mind the fact that I know a lot of blokes. If your networking club does have a Know Like and Trust ethos (there it is again) then you'll have no trouble mentioning your colleagues once you form a relationship with someone. Like all good things its an easy habit to pick up once you start.

So if you've reached your network group comfort level time to take the lead in marketing. Just remember " "I know a bloke,  keep " I know a bloke" in your mind when your of to meet someone. I'd bet the mortgage that if you do and your one of the first in your group to do it, twelve months your group will not be static and you'll bag more business. And you'll know lots of nice blokes! Follow this link to our business networking site

Lucky 13

Found this link this morning to Susanne Roanne's website where she highlights her "lucky 13" networking tips. Only thing is I can only find twelve of them, here they are:

1. Shift your attitude. Networking is merely helping others; it's a lifestyle and it's reciprocal. It's the way the world works and always has.

2. Assess Your Network. Know who you know. Get paper and pencil and write their names. Don't forget people in your daily lives: the cleaners, hairstylist, favorite waiter, auto mechanic, accountant, dentist and barista. When we limit ourselves to people with "titles" of importance, we forget the people we know who KNOW us and have access to others who would want to help us.

3. Hang out with people of all generations and diverse backgrounds who are good at what they do. They will be wonderful, if not informal, mentors. ASK for what you need; OFFER your help to others.

4. Establish a pre-need network. If you only show up at professional association business events, chambers of commerce and community organizations when you are in transition, that is a huge mistake.

5. Create and maintain visibility. Be seen and be known. "Work" every room. When those invitations or conference brochures or monthly meeting announcements arrive, do what the people who create their own "luck" do. Say YES, to face to face events even when you want to say NO. It's one of the EIGHT TRAITS of people who turn serendipity into their success.

6. Be a matchmaker. Introduce and help people connect with those who can do business with each other. That is the skill of the influential and powerful.

7. Stay in touch with people when you need nothing from them Stay in touch online, in social networks (facebook, linkedin) as well as in person….face to face.

8. Keep people in the loop. Let people who refer you business, ideas or job leads KNOW how the process in progressing.

9. Make small talk. While the snobs and socially inept look down their noses at small talk , the savvy networker know that it leads to BIG TALK and that the art of conversation is how we establish common bonds.
Schmooze
and win!

10. MIND YOUR MANNERS. Being gracious, treating people with respect and acknowledging their contributions and help form the core of savvy networking behavior.

11. "Turn-about is fairplay": support, assist and mentor others.

12. FOLLOW-UP is essential to create a supportive network that becomes your safety net.

BusinessBalls' 8 Pointers for a Networking One to One

1. Preparation - self, environment, knowledge, and who you represent
2. Introduction - key phrases explaining and positioning yourself and your purpose
3. Questioning - help, facilitate and enable rather than assume, sell and push
4. Objectivity - the mark of an advisor - do not sell
5. Listen and Interpret - do not sell
6. Inform and Educate - do not sell
7. Involve and coordinate - do not sell
8. Keep in Touch- keep notes and keep informed - keep ultimate ownership (by now you will probably be selling

I lifted these pointers from one of my favourite sites BusinessBalls. Actually the advice in this section, which is very detailed relates to cold calling. However it struck me that these 8 bullet points are entirely appropriate for networking

120 minutes of Business Coaching

On Friday I went to meet someone who I had met at a recent Federation of Small Businesses Event. We'd spent about five minutes chatting and having exchanged cards agreed to meet for a nice one shot Latte near where we both live. We agreed to meet at 10.30 and spend about half an hour together. We both arrived at 10.30 and left left 2 hours later.  We spent 90 minutes talking about what we had in common: Redundancy, gutters falling off our houses during the recent cold snap, education, family and interests. We spent 10 minutes talking about what we did and then twenty minutes bouncing ideas off each other. At the end I said thanks because one or two things that I had mulling over suddenly became clear and I had a new energy to tackle these issues and greater conviction about my capacity to do so. What we both agreed on was that small business can be a lonely business. The two hours we both spent on Friday was highly productive. As my friend said: "People do business with people".