Networking: A Life-Changer In Your Marketing Plan?

If you knew that meeting just one more person could drastically increase your income, would you step up your networking efforts? Well, that special kind of connection happens more often than you might think and you never know who will blossom next. It could be you. So it’s important to make networking a major part of your marketing plan.

I hope that you’ll find some inspiration in a networking success story from Guy Martin, co-owner of Las Vegas-based construction firm Martin-Harris. The company operates in multiple states and just a couple of years ago was already making hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. In the true spirit of entrepreneurial excellence, company officials kept networking to create new opportunities to grow. A couple of years ago, just one new connection led to an incredible leap forward. That single new relationship led them to a new revenue stream that now accounts for 80-percent (yes, 80%) of the company’s annual revenues!

Guy is just one of many mentors serving in the Clark County Business Development Education Program (CCBDEP), a small business capacity-building program in Southern Nevada. We were hearing Guy’s story as we sat comfortably in a beautiful facility provided by yet another mentor organization, Nevada State Bank (NSB). CCBDEP administrator Tom Akers had met bank representative Rosalee Hedrick while networking. They soon learned that they had common goals and the rest is history. This partnership is yielding great gains for dozens of small firms who now have access to the resources and expertise that the County, mentors and partners have to offer. I am very excited to be among the partners!

TIPS FOR BETTER NETWORKING

Remember, it’s not about overloading on business cards and trying to make a sale. It’s about building solid, long-term relationships. I remember feeling very excited several years ago when I met a potential client who expressed a desire to work with me. I must admit that I began to feel a little discouraged when the work did not materialize as quickly as I had envisioned. Then, about two years after our initial meeting and occasional conversations, I got a call out of the blue–the client was ready. We are now a couple of years into a great working relationship.

I’ve heard many networking experts recommend–and I agree– that the best way to start building a relationship is not by trying to make a sale, but rather to find out how you can be of service to your new contacts. Show genuine concern. Do you offer free newsletters, articles, CDs or other helpful tools that might prove helpful in meeting their needs? If so, making such tools available would be a good place to start. It is great a way for potential customers to sample your work, as they begin building confidence in your ability to help solve their problems and achieve their goals!

Schedule networking as a regular element of your marketing plan. Determine where you will network, when, why and how often. Crunched for time? Try starting with just a few hours per week in settings where many of your potential clients gather and build from there. Here’s wishing you networking success!

If you wish to use this article, feel free, as long as you make sure to include the following: Corporate communication consultant Juana Hart Akers delivers group workshops, coaching and consulting services in marketing, public relations, presentation skills and communicating change. To learn about services, programs and workshops, email info@jhart.tv or call 702-257-6646. To get your free pdf copy of Juana’s eBooklet “Before You Contact the Media” visit the J-Hart Communications website at www.jhart.tv .

Tags: business, marketing, marketing plan, Networking

Five Tips to Make Every Presentation Your Best

1. Know your topic. 

Assuming that you perform your job well, buy into your company’s mission and stay abreast of new trends and developments, you’ve already won half the battle.  You know your business, care about it and have something valuable to offer listeners.  This bit of knowledge can go a long way to boost your confidence and eliminate fears of failing.

2. Develop Strong Content. 

A speaker can claim success when his or her message has enlightened or helped someone.  Take ample preparation time to make sure everyone in the audience will be inspired and learn something new.  Determine why you are giving the presentation and what you would like the outcome to be.  This will help you determine the contents of your speech.  Strengthen your talk with support information such as new research, important statistics (used sparingly  and only to make a critical point) and industry projections.

3. Know your audience. 

Who are you speaking to and what do they value?  While it is important  to keep your overall message consistent from one group to another, different audiences may care about your topic for entirely different reasons.  Your job is to help ensure that the corporate mission is carried out  in each presentation.   You may not be able to make everyone happy all of the time.  But by tailoring your message to acknowledge the needs and concerns of your audience you demonstrate that you genuinely care, which results in greater buy-in.

4. Present with poise, passion and energy. 

There is nothing worse than being trapped in the captive audience of a monotonous speaker.   Practice, practice, practice to ensure that you can deliver with ease.  Maintain good voice control; use real life stories to illustrate your point; inject a little humor—maybe even a joke or two (if you’re not good at telling jokes, make sure you practice on a few friends to get the timing right); avoid distracting habits such as twiddling your thumbs, stalling phrases (“uh, um, you know”) and shifting from one foot to another.

5. Relax!

The best way to ensure that you connect with your audience is to enjoy the ride yourself.  Not because you get to be the center of attention, but because you have prepared well to make sure that no one leaves disappointed.  When your delivery says you are confident, knowledgeable and determined to make a difference your listeners will follow your lead and absorb every word.

What’s your greatest challenge when it comes to speaking in front of a group?

Could Your Fear of Speaking Be a Career Setback?

National surveys have ranked the fear of public speaking as the number one fear among Americans.  Some people are more afraid to speak in front of an audience than they are of dying.  If you’re among this group, beware.  The results can be costly.  People are often denied employment or career advancement based on their inability to communicate effectively.  Fortunately, taking action to improve your communication skills can help you avoid career setbacks and possibly make you a more valued voice in the C-suite.

If you’re a manager or HR professional, your job is to communicate in ways that bring cohesiveness to your team and facilitate productivity.  You likely spend a lot of time communicating your company’s vision and mission to prospective employees, front line workers, partners, supervisors and the public.  It is equally important to communicate effectively with top corporate executives in a manner that reinforces the value of the role you play in the financial success of your organization.  Communicating well could earn you a seat at the table with top decision-makers.

If the thought of speaking to the public and higher-ups makes you nervous, you’re not alone.  Researchers have identified several factors that may contribute to speakers’ anxiety, ranging from negative emotions to social conditioning and fear of rejection.  Although no one can pinpoint the exact cause, one thing is certain.  With a little work and a lot of practice, you can overcome your fears and learn how to win your audience every time.  Coming tomorrow,  FIVE TIPS TO MAKE EVERY PRESENTATION YOUR BEST.

Meanwhile, what speaking challenge would you most like to overcome?

Juana works with organizations and professionals seeking to communicate more effectively with employees, media, colleagues and the public to increase visibility, credibility, productivity and revenues.  To learn about services, programs and workshops call 702-257-6646 or email info@jhart.tv.  To get your free pdf copy of Juana’s eBooklet Before You Contact the Media: 10 Questions to Answer visit the J-Hart Communications website at www.jhart.tv .

Switching Careers? Communicate What You Bring to the Table!

On today’s edition of the radio broadcast Workforce Connections: Strictly Business (KCEP 88.1 FM) co-host Cornelius Eason and I spoke with military employment experts about the many challenges our U.S. troops face while making the very difficult transition back into the civilian workforce.  We found that one of those hurdles is also quite common among nonmilitary job seekers: writing a winning resume that will get you hired.  Many highly skilled, hard-working individuals have trouble translating their previous career experience into terms that prospective employers can clearly understand and appreciate.

When you have spent a considerable amount of time working in a specific industry it’s only natural that you easily understand the jargon and tools of that trade.  But unless you are very careful to describe your accomplishments in layman’s terms, new employers may feel like your resume is written in a mysterious foreign language.  And hard-to-read resumes go straight to the bottom of the pile or, even worse, the trash bin!  Following a few simple tips can help you stand out from the rest and land the interview you deserve.

Tips to Communicate What You Bring to the Table

1.  Know what your prospective employer values.

When two applicants look equally appealing in terms of skill and experience, employee selection often boils down to which candidate seems to be the best fit for the company’s culture.  If you embrace the organization’s goals and values, make sure it shows in your resume by demonstrating how you exhibited similar qualities in your daily activities.  For example, if excellence is a company priority, you might refer to measurable improvements in your performance and/or performance of your team or commendations/awards you received for meritorious service or achievements.

2.  Speak the employer’s language.

One of the most helpful tools these days is the internet.  By visiting a company’s website, as well as the websites of competitors and related professional and trade associations you can quickly get an idea of industry trends and common terminology.  Make sure you gain a clear understanding of any special terminology you choose to include in your resume, using these references only as needed and where relevant.  Misusing words or throwing them in just to impress can make you appear to be pretentious or overzealous–a turn-off for readers.

3.  Clarify technical information from your previous position(s).

Perhaps your last job required you to use highly specialized, industry-specific software or equipment that is unfamiliar to employers in other fields.  First, ask yourself if it is important to list each of these tools on your resume.  If you feel the need to list them, are there similar technical tools used in the field you wish to enter?   If so, try adding very brief (one-to-three-word) descriptions in parentheses such as “similar to Xsoftware” .  You can also use more generic descriptions such as “accounting software” or “tracking device” to help readers understand your technical experience.

4.  Emphasize how the employer will benefit from your past work experience.

Think about all of your accomplishments from previous jobs.  For example, the ex-military workers I’ve encountered in the workplace have an amazing work ethic–arriving early, staying late, following instructions to the letter and not watching the clock.  All make for excellent performance anywhere in the workplace.  Conveying other benefits may require a little more creativity.  For example, while you may not need to fire weapons in your next job, you will need the soft skills developed while working with weapons–skills like learning technical information quickly and adhering to strict safety standards under heavy pressure.  These abilities will definitely serve your next employer well.

5.  Take advantage of expert help, which is widely available free of charge.

For everyone:  One Stop Career Center(s) in your community receive federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA) funding solely for the purpose of helping you succeed in the workplace.  At no cost, you will find expert advice from experienced resume writers who have helped countless applicants win jobs; you will also find skilled career developers, job training opportunities and counselors ready to help you excel in your job search.  Find a One Stop Career Center in your state.

For troops in transition: In addition to your One Stop Career Center, also take advantage of employment services available only to veterans.  Find the nearest Veterans Affairs Office for a full selection of VetSuccess employment services. If you have service-connected disabilities, start here.

Best wishes for a successful transition and rewarding career!

Why Most Small Companies Never Get Free Media Coverage

Almost every small business owner I talk to has something of genuine news value to say.  However, only a small fraction ever take advantage of the visibility and new customers that free media coverage can provide for their companies.  We all know entrepreneurs who are very good at what they do, but who lack extensive marketing, media or public relations skills.

When you are busy with all of the other elements involved in running your business, making time to adopt one more technique can seem overwhelming.  And if you have never dealt with television, print or online media you may also feel a bit intimidated.  The dread of slowing down to explore this new territory keeps many firms from ever reaping the benefits of exposure that helps other organizations grow every day.

Taking a little time out now to learn the basics of a low to no cost media strategy can help your business continuously increase visibility, attract new customers and make more money.

Four Reasons to Implement a Low to No Cost Media Strategy

1.  Contrary to popular belief, you can never be too small or too new to generate free media coverage.

2.  Media exposure can help you reach more customers than your current marketing budget allows.

3.  Chances are your company currently has at least one viable news story that has not been identified–you’re missing opportunities.

4   In just a few hours a month,  it is possible to generate free coverage that can pay off for years to come.

Are you ready to reach more customers?  Get your free pdf copy of my eBooklet, BEFORE YOU CONTACT THE MEDIA: 10 Questions to Answer:  http://www.jhart.tv.  It will help as you prepare to take advantage of low to no cost exposure.

If you plan to be in Las Vegas soon, join me for the workshop  How To Engage the Media (http://www.jhartcommunications.com/MediaTraining.html).

Wish you could change the way news is covered?

Is it just me, or is a huge segment of our population growing increasingly frustrated by the mega doses of negative political campaigning in print, broadcast and online media?  It’s expected and even necessary that we hear different points of view regarding vital issues and candidates for office.  But almost everywhere I go these days, people are complaining (and I often agree) that we’re seeing too much coverage of petty, below-the-belt jabs between political adversaries.   These often unfounded jabs assault our senses while wasting valuable space and air-time that would be better spent highlighting worthy causes with life-changing value.

Having worked in news for many years, I can tell you that reporters are often just as sick of delivering toxic content as we are of receiving it.  But their job is to present what sells.  Media outlets care very deeply about their ratings and circulation–the higher the numbers, the more money they make.  So you can bet that if they’re repeatedly running a certain type of story, it’s because a sizable portion of the available audience seems to have an appetite for it.

We who do not share this appetite often forget that we have the collective power to make an impact on what makes news and what doesn’t.  When we perceive that an outlet is guilty of pervasive sensationalism in reporting, it is important that we let that outlet know.  We can do so in ways that count.  First, simply tune out when offended by what we see and hear.

Even more importantly, if we really want to make a difference, we must become active consumers of news.  In other words, it’s not just enough to complain to each other.   Approach the people who have the power to make changes.  Don’t like what you see and hear?  Pick up your phone, send an email or write a letter to the editor expressing your concerns.   The more viewers, readers and listeners weigh in on their likes and dislikes, the greater chance their voices will be heard.  And the media organizations that respond to those concerns, may well find themselves attracting a larger audience.