Does That Visitor Know?

Almost a month in to the new year -- I've already had a couple experiences that help me to think about being ready for networking.

Here is one step that I'm going to implement.  I'm always going to have my introduction (commercial or whatever you want to call it) ready so that a visitor or someone in the audience who has never heard of me, will at least have a figment of an idea of what I offer!

I came to this AHA moment recently when I visited a local BNI chapter to help them get started with the Fast Track program.  Of course, I got to hear all their weekly presentations.  One member delivered a commercial that was three true or false statements that did not guide me by telling what he did nor what he wanted.  This member had been in my BNI Advanced Training for creating such introductions, so I really thought that I had failed as a trainer.

I thought I would find out more so I called him and scheduled a one-to-one meeting.  What I found out was that the chapter president had asked the members to create commercials using true/false statements several weeks previously, but had not asked them to use them.  So my new friend figured he might as well put this introduction to good use at another time....the very time I visited.

Because of that, I left the meeting having no idea of what or how I might even think about helping him.  And actually at our one-to-one I figured out several ways I could help.

With that knowledge, I have made a commitment to myself that I am always going to assume that there is a visitor in the group that doesn't know what I do.  I will have to be really clear with my message and even more specific at what I want. 

Not rocket science, but a good slap to the forehead!

Wasted

The other day at our BNI meeting, a guest was asked to introduce himself toward the end of the meeting. His explanation was, "You guys, already know what (mumble, mumble) is and I've visited one other time, so you all remember me."

Huh!!!

I guess it might have been a day that I had a substitute attend in my place, as I don't remember this young man.

Additionally, because he was unclear with his introduction, I still don't know who he is or what his company name is.

At the end of the meeting I got caught in a conversation before I made my way across the room to meet him, but he was gone already.

Lesson learned here?

Don't ever assume.

That young business person wasted a prime opportunity to have the focus of 35 or so people on him.

It's cliche to say this, but it is like paying for a Super Bowl ad and having nothing in the spot. Well, I guess it didn't cost him 1.5 mil, but you just never know.

Take More Time

This morning I attended my BNI meeting. As part of the meeting we give a short, timed infomercial about our business. To be successful it needs to be within the time limit and it also needs to contain a little bit about what we do and also, specifically what we need.

Last week out of about 25 members, there were 9 specific requests.

Of those nine, I was able to react to 6.

Of those six, one was a "no" answer, two are in progress and the rest were referrals.



This week I am frustrated. Of all the commercials, there were only two specific requests and mine was one of those two. I have fifteen minutes before I have to go to an appointment. If there had been other specific requests I might have been able to be making calls on member's behalf right now. But my co-members wasted their commercial time this morning by not completing their requests. And I don't really have time to do their research, because I have to spend time doing my own. It would be like buying a spot for a TV commercial and then not producing anything to fit that time. Wasted time.

Please, if you want your friends and business associates to help you, you have to know what you want. Do your homework. Figure out who would be a good customer for you. If you don't know, I don't know either.

Helping Each Other

Sometimes we think the only way we can help other business friends is to send business their way. That thinking is nice, but way too narrow!

Wednesday, my friend, Angie Weid and I met at Panera on Dussel to work on our BNI commercials together. Angie is our chapter VP and had expressed how difficult it is to do all the VP stuff and ALSO have a good commercial. I had experienced the same difficulties several years ago when I was president of a chapter.

As a result of that conversation, Angie gave the best, most memorable commercial yesterday. You see, Angie is an engineer, a rocket scientist. She has several patents to her name. Her business is organizing. Up till recently she has focused on the Senior Citizen market helping them when they move from one living arrangement to another.

Serendipity has helped her to see a different type of client to address.

Recently a business owner hired her to clean out the desk of a former employee. This desk was a mess and had been for several months. Using her technical skills, she figured out what was important to save and what she could get rid of. She also created an organized system for all the software disks that were in a jumble in the drawer.

Fast forward to Thursday's BNI meeting. Angie stood, and showed a plaque she had received for one of her patents. She told about some of the stuff she knows (ceramic strength, aluminum something, etc) and explained how this knowledge can help her to clean out the desks of people who work in technical trades. She even asked for a specific referral to the Ford Maumee Stamping Plant, which will be closing in the future and is laying off people. This is the perfect spot for her to make a difference. She can clean out and organize the information these people are leaving behind.

I'm sure Angie could have come up with this idea for her commercial all by herself, but taking the time to do it is sometimes the challenge. Having an appointment to work together helped both of us to think about our commercials in advance.

Thanks, Angie!

What has someone done for you lately?