Yellow Dog Consulting

Sales & Marketing Consulting for solo-preneurs.

Guest Post: The Holiday Networking Dance

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This week’s guest post is from my friend and master networker – Stephanie Arnheim of Stephanie Connects!

Do you ever find that when November comes and it gets darker earlier, you walk into a store and holiday decorations are everywhere? Your mind goes NO it can’t be!

Halloween is barely done and the stores are filled with holiday gear and yet your mind has to stay focused on business. How are you going to get motivated to go network with all of these distractions?

The thought of networking at this time of year can feel overwhelming yet it is actually a great time to make some key connections to help your business grow. Imagine that you are like the Sugar Plum Fairy and stay on your toes!

Here are some easy and fun ways to make the most of networking during the holidays:

Holiday Cards

Take the time to write special holiday cards to clients, potential clients and referral partners. Tip: Start now so that it doesn’t get overwhelming as your list will be larger than you think. Share something you really liked about working with them or meeting with them.

Events

Remember getting leads for your business can come from many places. A family gathering, a neighborhood holiday party or business holiday event can all be great places to meet potential clients or referral partners.

1:1s

Many networking groups don’t meet as often during this time of year. Take this opportunity to schedule some key 1:1s with people you’ve been too busy to connect with. Show that you are conscious of their time during the busy season: doing a Zoom call is a great way to reach others for a key meeting.

Social Media 

Use Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to wish others a happy holiday. These are great ways to stay in front of people so they remember you even if you aren’t at a networking event.

Be of Service

Many people feel overwhelmed as the holidays creep closer. Rather than concentrating on your business pitch, this is the time to be a good listener and ask questions such as “How can I help?”  This can be very comforting and show that you care and that you are a valuable asset to them, now and in the future, and chances are you will learn something meaningful about them and their business.

Balancing your time between family, fun and business can be a dance. Have fun with this time of year. Reach out to those by phone instead of email. If you have trouble figuring out what to say, where to go or how to do this kind of networking let me know. For other fun tips to help you get through the holidays, download my Holiday Networking Survival Guide to help you make the most out of this holiday time.

Happy Connecting!

Stephanie Arnheim is a Business Networking Strategist and Master Connector. With her business Stephanie Connects, Stephanie educates people on how to reach the next level in their business using simple daily practices. Her clients learn to overcome fears associated with networking and dynamically connect with their key customers and business resources in powerful ways.

Why I Finally Joined My Local Chamber

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Why I Finally Joined the My Local ChamberI’ve lived in Hillsboro for 3 years now. I love my neighborhood and community since the moment we arrived. This past year I got more involved, participating in the Civic  Leadership Academy and getting to know the ins and outs of the (almost) 4th largest city in Oregon! During the program we researched and presented to the City Council a proposal to bring an entrepreneurial incubator space to town. It’s an idea that’s near and dear to my heart from my years with the Seattle start-up community and I have visions in my head of why my town needs this!

During the program I learned a TON about the amazing resources available in Hillsboro and the awesome resources that the chamber is providing to businesses. I knew it was time to stop talking about it and finally join the chamber. So, I setup a meeting with the president to talk about all the opportunities and find where I could best fit in. She mentioned the Small Business and Entrepreneurial Council was going to be looking into our proposal and that it would be a great fit for me. In December I joined the chamber and jumped in with both feet.

I love it. The organization is awesome and the members are fantastic. I’ve talked to other local business owners who haven’t had as much success with the chamber and they’ve owned up to the fact that it’s because they aren’t consistently going.

When you join ANY organization make sure that you talk to the people running the show to learn about all the benefits and opportunities available to you. Take advantaged of the ad in the newsletter, take advantage of the radio show interview, take advantage of that first luncheon free. Do your follow up. Reach out to members and introduce yourself.

With any networking or membership organization you always need to evaluate if it’s the right place for you and your business. I love my town, and the more I can do business with businesses IN my town, the better!

What Resources Do You Need?

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what resources do you need?I met with a new client the other day, they are very clear on what they can do and what they need to outsource. Multiple times they asked “Is this something you can do for me?” Which is GREAT.

I love a client who knows what they can and can’t do. And I love that I know what I can and can’t (or won’t) do. I am grateful to have a fantastic network of resources so when I’m not the right fit, 9 times out of 10, I can refer them to the perfect person to help.

I’m participating in a program with the City of Hillsboro right now and we’re talking about what services and resources are available to the startup community. I’m amazed at the variety of services and resources in our town. Did you know the Hillsboro Library has a Makers Space? Yeah, it’s awesome!

Too often I see people with specific needs not getting access to the resources that would be perfect for them. It’s frustrating. From what I’ve found, it seems to happen for a few of reasons…

  1. People Don’t Know What They Need – “I need someone to setup and manage my social media and keep it on brand and in my voice” can be a different request than “I need social media help.”
  2. People Don’t Know What’s Available – Did I mention the Makers Space? I just learned there’s a new co-working space in town too which might be perfect over the holidays when my house is over run with people and I need some quiet work time and to get out of the house for a few hours.
  3. Services/Resources aren’t Promoting in the Right Places – Okay so you ofter the exact perfect service that small business owners needs. That’s GREAT. But how do they find you? Is it through referral partners? Is it through networking? Is it through your online presence? Don’t network just where it’s comfortable for YOU, network and spend time where your target market is hanging out.
  4. Inconsistent or Unclear Messaging – Jargon doesn’t help when someone isn’t sure what they’re looking for. If you work with doctors then you should use medical terms. If you work with patients then you should STOP USING ACRONYMS I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND. Make sure that your messaging is clear for your target market and that you aren’t alienating them by using too much jargon or have a message that’s not clear and straight to the point.

So how do you find the resources you need?

Ask

I can’t help you if I don’t know what you need. When I started my business over 6 years ago, I met with a friend who had recently started their business to figure out what logistics I needed to consider. I asked a lot of questions of friends and business owners to figure out where to find the resources I needed.

How do you connect with the people who need your services?

Talk to People

Again, I can’t help you if I don’t know what you need or what you’re up to. Make sure that people know what services you have available that work well with a specific audience. For some clients, they need a website right away, and for others they want to wait 6 months while they make some money to pay for said site.

As a business owner, how do you connect with the right clients or find the right resources to help your business grow?