American Business Networks

Principles Of Networking 4 - Keeping Your Integrity

2011-09-01T09:32:00.000-04:00

Temptations are everywhere—especially in business and potential partnerships. The most important thing we can do for ourselves is to keep our integrity.

Sometimes failing to apologize for a mistake or wrongdoing can damage our integrity more than the act itself. Do this a few times and all integrity is lost. You resemble those you hang around and vice versa; sooner or later people of low integrity discover the only friends they've got left are those of equally low integrity.

How Can I Build Trust Effectively?
Empathy and effective listening can greatly assist in this. Following up is vital, and can establish you as a dependable person or quite the opposite if you fail to do so.

You probably know a few people, solid ones, that always keep their commitments and never make a commitment they can't keep. You should aim to be like this. Dependability is critical in relationships, particularly ones involving referrals and recommendations. This is largely because someone else's reputation is at stake.

Note that words like 'reliable' and 'dependable' don't mean that you're always available to everyone. They simply mean that you do what you say you'll do.

Principles Of Business Networking 3 - Helping Others

2011-08-30T23:29:00.000-04:00

In business networking, it's important to prioritize helping others over your own expectations. You have to give in order to receive.

The important thing to remember when joining and networking group is that the effects are rarely immediate. You're probably not going to walk into a room, go the motions for 40-60 minutes, and walk out with a handful of new business. When that's your expectation going into an event, you'll likely be disappointed. Doing good deeds and becoming known as a helpful person grows your reputation well beyond the group you're in. People gravitate toward strong, giving people.

Always try to ask helpful question geared toward the area of interest of the person you're talking to—not yourself. Avoid asking "closed" questions that involve a yes or no answer, as it doesn't offer the person much opportunity to talk (nor does it tell you much). Being creative as well as constructive with how you regard others helps you help them. Conversely, being defensive or making assumptions limits your options and growth potential.

One example would be to view a competitor as a potential ally rather than an opponent. There might be some great opportunities to work together, especially in areas you might be surprised to find you don't necessarily compete. Strategic alliances can also help you and like-minded competitors to pursue bigger contracts.

Principles Of Business Networking 2 - Being Different and Ambitious

2011-08-12T06:25:00.000-04:00

How are you different? If there is no major difference between you and the other providers of your industry, then there is little reason to work with you. If there isn't much of a difference when you get down to thinking about it, you must find a way to create one.

The difference has to be something people will find appealing. If you're having a hard time coming up with ways to be different and offer this competitive edge, talk to your customers (or even competitors). Discover what's missing in your industry or what can be improved. When you find the answer, make sure this difference rings out strongly in your elevator pitch.

As networking goes, your aims should be clearly defined and should suggest what you're looking for. If you can't define this adequately to yourself, there's little point in networking until you can.

Thanks to BusinessBalls.com for the great info!

Principles Of Business Networking 1 - The Elevator Speech

2011-08-09T06:13:00.000-04:00

The commonly referred to "elevator speech" means a pitch that you'd give to someone you've just met at a conference or anywhere else. The idea is that you accurately describe what you do in the time it'd take to ride an elevator up a few floors if you were chatting up a fellow rider (15-30 seconds). If you talk too much, the listener might either become bored or think you're self-centered. Talk too little, though, and you'll look disorganized.

The trick is the be concise at hit all the main points as quickly and effectively as possible. Here are the main ideas:

Introduce yourself by name and look the person (or audience) in the eye.
Give your business name, but don't wait for recognition or ask "have you heard of us?"
State the area your business covers, but keep it relevant to the situation. For example, mentioning a small village is irrelevant if you're a global company.
What makes you special? Your biggest selling point is going to be in explaining how you're different. Explain the outcomes your clients/customers can expect rather than spending time on details. Briefly list what your aims are.

Some networking functions give members 60 seconds, but don't rely on this. Many other circumstances require you to provide the above information in 15-30 seconds. Sometimes your speech is smoother by switching the order of #3 and #4.

End on a firm, positive note, and if possible end with a question. This raises the opportunity for trail-off discussions later with other members that want to know more and gets people thinking.

Remember that the aim of your pitch is to foster interest and not to sell anything!

Be prepared for possible interruptions, as even experienced business people have a habit of interrupting when they see a great opportunity.

Thanks to BusinessBalls.com for the great info!

Ten Essential Principles In Business Networking

2011-08-08T17:49:00.000-04:00

From BusinessBalls.com, we have a list of the ten major elements in business networking to help you plan and develop yourself further in your networking.

Elevator speech - describe yourself concisely and impressively
Be different - aim high and be best at something
Help others - help others and see it come back around
Personal integrity - trust and reputation and paramount in serious networking
Relevant targeting - aim at groups and contacts related to your aims and capabilities
Plans and aims - plan your networking and know specifically what you want
Follow up - following up with referrals makes things happen
Be positive - first impressions and influence affect everything
Sustained, focused effort - be focused and ever ready
Life balance - being balanced and grounded builds assurance

These tips apply to any sort of business networking: face to face, organized events, and even business networking websites. All kinds of professional people outside the business community can be useful contacts, even ones you may not think of immediately. Scientists, educators, and even counselors are people that know a lot of other people.

This post is an introduction of sorts. Stay tuned for a series of posts describing in greater detail each of the ten tips!

A Little About Bruce Lande

2011-08-08T17:33:00.000-04:00

Most that have attended an ABN meeting have met Bruce Lande, but we decided to share some additional information here that you might not pick up in one of the meetings. Here's a quick at-a-glance look at Bruce's experience:

Corporate Experience

Sales and technical management (Digital Equipment Corporation)
Sales and sales training (Service Bureau Company, division of IBM)
Account Management for Eastman Kodak, Carrier, Alcoa
Marketing First Bank System (large regional bank holding company)

Entrepreneur

Founded and managed Lande Professional Systems (Turnkey Computer Systems)
Founded and managed Action Enterprises - AEBIZ (website development company)
Founded and managed American Business Networks (business development company)

Skills and Expertise

Sales and networking professional
Experienced public speaker, presenter, facilitator, coach, mentor, and author
Database development and management
Business accounting and process knowledge

Questions, comments, and thoughts? Send them to bruce@americanbusinessnetworks.com!

Thanks for reading!

How To Take Your Business To The Next Level - A Can't Miss Panel Discussion

2011-07-25T18:45:00.000-04:00

July 27, 11:30am - Big Shots Restaurant (Winston-Salem)

You don't want to miss this event! Make sure to attend the upcoming panel discussion where four business development experts discuss various aspects of the transitioning market! The panel speakers will include:

Algenon Cash
Don Masura
Randy Moser
Steve Rayburn - Visitor From Charlotte (Sales Training)

We had a chance to speak with Don Masura early, and he was kind enough to offer a taste of one of the big topics we could expect: perspective.

"In today's job market, jobs are not the main problem," says Masura. He explained that when it comes to the alarming unemployment rate, many assume that the answer is more education.

"There's nothing wrong with the talent pool, as the range of skills in those looking for work is vast."

Income is the real issue; people that are under-employed are still in trouble and aren't apt to spend money in the economy. Even if we could reduce the unemployment rate to 3%, it wouldn't mean much if it occurred because people were all in the wrong jobs. Proper transitioning is significant.

Special thanks to Don Masura for sitting with us to discuss this and giving us a sneak peek of what to expect at the discussion! Hope to see you there!

Planning For Networking

2011-07-20T13:34:00.000-04:00

Whether you're new to networking or trying to step up your efforts, it's important to have a plan. You need to know what you want—clearly defined—because people are going to ask. First impressions are significant, so you need to have clear answers to direct questions. Any activity without clearly defined expected outcomes is liable to be pulled in all sorts of unwanted directions.

Pull out a sheet of paper and ask yourself the following for each networking group you are considering:

What is my aim?
What are my ideal connections? (Be descriptive)
What are the group profiles/interests and how are they relevant to me?
What is my elevator speech? (What can I offer these people?)
What do I want from this group? What are my expectations?
How do these expectations compare with my other marketing activities?

Staying focused keeps you moving forward. When evaluating potential groups to join, or even re-evaluating ones you're in, it's important to investigate the tactics successful members are using.

Asking these questions and truly knowing your expectations can save you from attending time-wasting events or browsing time-wasting websites. Business networking can be a very time consuming activity, and you'll be stretched thin if you try to attend every meeting or group you hear about. Instead, target the groups that best serve your growth needs. This may be due to one group having more like-minded people, a process that works better for you, or merely that the aim is more in line with your own.

Once you've selected groups to attend, the last minute preparation involves a narrower list than above. At the very least, make sure you're clear on the following two items:

Elevator Speech - Can I sum up what I do and hook people's interest in 30 seconds? Have I rehearsed it?
Expectations - Who am I looking to meet today and what outcome am I hoping for?

If you can nail these two things coming into a group, you'll be off to a strong start.

Key Questions To Ask New Connections

2011-07-20T13:11:00.002-04:00

Networking group members that tend to flourish are ones that ask new connections the right questions. When they meet someone new, they make a concentrated effort to properly understand the business by asking the following questions:

What are your products and services?
What is a good referral for you?
What are you doing to set yourself apart from your competitors?
What makes your customers buy from you, and continue to buy from you?
What is your most important competitive edge?
Who is your ideal target customer? Can you describe them?

Asking these types of questions will help you square away very quickly how you can help this new connection. Ideally this step would be taken over a lunch meeting with ample time and less distractions, where both parties can develop a clear understanding of how they can help each other succeed.

These questions can also be useful to the person you're asking, as it's not uncommon for a business owner to have trouble answering some of them. One may not be aware of the holes in their plan until key questions are asked and they find themselves staggering for an answer. It's an excellent growth opportunity for all involved.

Keys Relationship Building

2011-07-11T18:57:00.001-04:00

With networking, some people simply get it, while others do not. In fact, they have their modus operandi backwards. They want to "get" immediately, or at least within a week or so of having made a new contact. Certainly before they expend a lot of time and effort on the other person.

They are easy to spot. They talk incessantly about themselves and seem to consider it an interruption if you ask a question—even about them! They walk away from a conversation without knowing much more about you, and may not even care. They also are the people who call or e-mail you and within 10 seconds are telling you they what they are looking for: a different job, a lead into a certain company, and so on. Seldom do they ask how you are doing.

The better approach would be to reach out to people and ask them about them. How does their business work? What do they sell? What is their ideal referral? People will appreciate your caring about their business and taking an interest in how you can help them, and if you can prove useful in this regard they'll be much more likely to keep an eye out for referrals to send you.

Relationship building takes time, care and commitment, which can be too much work for those who expect instant gratification. Rome wasn't built in a day; neither is a good network. Here are some good reasons why you should stick with the tried and true networking process to reap solid, future benefits:

Warm calls (those backed by a referral from someone else) produce at least 80 percent more results than cold calls.
At least 85 percent of all jobs are found through referrals.
Each of us knows about 300 people to whom we could refer others and to whom others can refer us.
We are only six people away from anyone in the world we want to do business with when we proactively let people know.
Networking greases the skids so we can slide easily into the door.
In the beginning, it's whom you know and not what you know. Once inside, you need to be the "what" expert.

Building Relationships That Last

2011-07-11T18:37:00.001-04:00

Relationships forged in networking are based largely on mutual interest and must be developed by trust. You're not going to relate to everyone you meet, but those that would make good referral partners and/or those that complement your skills should be leveraged fairly.

There are four major questions you must ask yourself with any new connection in order for the relationship to last:

Can I trust you?
Are you committed to excellence in what you do?
Are you dependable?
Do you care about me?

Trust is the foundation, as is making sure that the new connection shares the same values in business that you do. As far as dependability is concerned, does the person consistently show up when they say they will? Do they go the extra mile? Can you count on them to be there when you need them?

As referrals go, there are few things more disappointing than trying to connect two people and having the person you're referring not show up. This leaves the friend/partner you told to meet with them confused, and it's also wasted their time.

4 Tips For Effective Networking

2011-06-22T09:10:00.000-04:00

1. Have specific objectives in mind beforehand. As obvious as this may seem, many well-intentioned networkers tend to just show up and shoot from the hip. The misconception is that being present, introducing yourself, and handing out a bunch of business cards is enough.

Decide who you'd like to meet ahead of time. Ask yourself what types of businesses complement your own and who would make good referral sources. For example, if you're a mortgage lender you might want to make it a point to meet local realtors.

2. Be deliberate. You don't have to go out of your way to personally meet and shake hands with every person at the event. Be patient and scan the room, watching it evolve, and decide who you'd most like to meet. The most influential people are usually those with others waiting to talk to them, and if you approach properly you may get a few minutes to decide if a follow up meeting is mutually advantageous.

3. Be an advocate. Look for new members or those who seem inexperienced at networking and make it a point to introduce yourself to them. After, act as an advocate and introduce them to others. They will remember you for taking the time to make them feel welcome, and will be more likely to take time to give referrals or introduce you to people they meet or know that would make good connections for you.

4. Utilize your connections. The reverse of the previous point is to ask someone you have rapport with that is also attending the event to introduce you to some key people. This is especially useful if you're relatively new to the group or see that there are a bunch of new/unfamiliar people. Even if you're a pretty well-connected person, there's no telling who others you know might be able to introduce you to. A personal introduction is a lot more memorable than a random one.

Announcing Action Business Centers, Inc.

2011-06-18T16:39:00.000-04:00

American Business Networks, Business Owners & Sales Professionals Achieving New Levels of Success and Lighthouse Business Solutions, Your Guiding Light in Turbulent Times are pleased to announce the opening of Action Business Centers, Inc. in Hanes Mall, the Largest Mall in North Carolina.

This communication is a Pre-Release Announcement being sent exclusively to American Business Networks Members and Selected Others. Act now to Reserve Your Space and Grow YOUR Business!

After July 1st, this offer will be extended to other Business Owners and Sales Professionals. Our objective is to provide price points that make the center available to all members at some level or another depending on what you can afford and how you would like to Maximize YOUR Business Potential.

Action Business Centers evolved from the Business Advisory Board and is designed to provide access to all the Business Services, Products and Support a Business Owner or Sales Professional in a single location.

Leverage Your Time, Improve Your Effectiveness and Enhance Your Professional Image.

Authorized Selling Partners (ASP’s) will be offered space in the center at below market rates and will benefit from the over 1.5 million visitors (people) to the mall each month. And remember, business owners and their employees are people! There will be new prospective clients and customers presented to you every single day.

The center will also be hosting and sponsoring regular business oriented events including referral meetings, seminars, workshops, training, before and after hours events and more. There will be countless New Selling Opportunities Every Single Day.

The center will also offer Shared Office Areas designed to reduce your travel expense and commute time, maximize your selling time and improve your professionalism, opportunity to interact with other business owners and sales people to share contacts and information, use of professional meeting areas and office services, administrative services and more.

The center is located on the main floor near Sears. Although this is subject to change, our plan is to have between thirteen and eighteen 8’ x 10’ Shared Office Areas (SOA’s) which will include a desk, a Member Lounge Area, reception area and two Conference Rooms. Our agreement with Hanes Mall also calls for a shared revenue strategy which is very common in the retail arena. Rental units will therefore also have a Revenue Generated from Center (RGC) requirement.

Members of Action Business Centers will have an excellent alternative to the noise and distractions of public establishments to conduct business with current and prospective clients and customers. The Members Only Lounge is available to all Members Of Action Business Centers at Very Affordable Monthly Rates. Meet your clients and other members in a relaxed and controlled environment.

Meeting Rooms are available for YOUR Business Meetings, Seminars, Workshops, Training Sessions and Small Parties at very affordable hourly and daily rates.

Finally, and perhaps most exciting of all depending on your products and with full support of Hanes Mall Management we will be launching a Retail Incubation Center (RIC). For a very affordable rate, start up retailers will have an opportunity to offer their products to mall shoppers at a fraction of the cost of a traditional store front or Mall Kiosk.

We are accepting pre-build commits and invite you to respond to this email with your intentions as soon as possible as the space will go fast. Scheduled opening date is between July 15 and August 1, 2011.

Leasing and Membership Plans (First and Last Month in Advance)

Authorized Selling Partners (ASP’s)

SOA Industry Exclusivity - $500/Month Plus 10% of RGC
SOA - $300/Month Plus 10% RGC

Shared Office (SOA)

SOA Shared by 2 Members- $150/Month Plus 12% of RGC
SOA Shared by 5 Members - $100/Month Plus 12% of RGC
“Space Available” SOA Plus Full Center Access - $75/Month

General Memberships

Non ABN Member Full Center Access Including Member Lounge - $50/Month
ABN Member Full Center Access Including Member Lounge - $20/Month

Retail Space

Front Window Exclusive Use for Approved Retail Products - $1000/Mo + 10%
Front Area Kiosk or Retail Business Unit (RBU) – $175 – 350 + 15% Depending on Size

Send us an email with your intentions — bruce@americanbusinessnetworks.com — i.e. I want a $300 Shared Office Area or a $20 ABN Special Membership. Membership is open to all American Business Networks Members but Shared Office Space and Authorized Selling Partner Opportunities will go fast.

Joining Your Local Chamber of Commerce

2011-06-16T12:51:00.000-04:00

While $100-400/year may sound like a hefty expense to a small start up business, joining your local chamber of commerce can be a great first step in your marketing efforts. Most area chambers have frequent networking events during lunch times and afternoons, and there are even after hours events if you can't make it out during regular business hours. This can be a great way to get to know some other local business owners and form mutually beneficial relationships.

If you're planning to host an event or presentation, many chambers also offer conference rooms of various sizes for use by their members.

Many of the other members you'll meet at a chamber of commerce will have gone through similar challenges in the early stages of their businesses, which makes them a resource in another way outside of referrals. Being able to share ideas and experiences with like-minded individuals is a plus for everyone.

Being Willing To Invest - Starting Your Own Business

2011-06-08T09:31:00.001-04:00

If you're really serious about starting your own business, it's time to cut the cord and quit your day job. It seems risky, but the best way to kick start your business is to jump in with both feet. That being said, presumably if you've been planning for having your own business you've likely begun amassing some savings. It's wise to have at least 9 months of expense money saved up prior to making this move, as well as cash to cover start up costs.

Commit To It

Having this savings does more than simply secure some peace of mind as you launch your new business. By not having to worry about your expenses for awhile, you're not constantly thinking about that job you could always fall back on if things don't work. When you convince yourself you can always fall back on a job, you're not mentally committing to your new venture. This can also hurt your chances for success.

Aside your living expenses savings, you should be willing to invest at least $1000 right off the bat into starting the business. This will cover equipment, supplies, and maybe some initial marketing. If you're unwilling or unable to invest this money, you'd probably be best staying with the day job.

Make an Impression - The Easy Way

2011-06-06T10:49:00.001-04:00

Fellow Member,

Mary G. Mora, owner of MGM Speakers Bureau and Independent Distributor for SendOutCards, is one of our members in W-S. She has a gift for you that you can't pass up.

Send someone a card today on her - FREE! Log on to: www.sendoutcards.com/maryg - Welcome to SendOutCards! You can remember people, share appreciation, motivate, uplift, encourage and truly make a difference in someone's life every day. SendOutCards Prints It, Stuffs It, Stamps It and Mails It.

Two new programs: $9.80 per month for 20 points or pay as you go! How easy is that!

Regards,

Click the ABN Link to Register for FREE Networking Tips Newsletter

Keeping Score in Networking

2011-05-30T08:34:00.000-04:00

Many networking are obsessed with keeping score of how many referrals are created - how many are given and received by each person in the group and how much business has been generated. I'm really not sure how valuable that information is. We at American Business Networks do track referrals but we do not report them. We have in the past and maybe we will again but for now, we have decided to not make a big "todo" about it.

We are most interested in who is not receiving referrals on a regular basis so we can help that person. Our mission is to help business owners and sales professionals achieve new levels of personal and professional success. That means helping every individual member receive value from every meeting. If someone in the group is not receiving any referrals then something is wrong and it is our job to figure out what it is and fix it.

Sad News

2011-05-30T08:09:00.001-04:00

“You Will Never Make It on Your Own”

That’s what they told us when we started our business. Maybe they said that to you, too. For a while we ignored them. But we quickly realized that we were doing things the hard way – we were, in fact, trying to do it on our own.

Every Lone Ranger Eventually Dies . . .

We finally got smart and began seeking “wise counsel” from trusted advisers – people who knew more about certain facets of business than we did; people who had gone before us and paved a road with their own blood, sweat, and tears.

When we started listening to them speak from their personal experience and wisdom, we were able to access a much smoother road they had worked so hard to pave. We were able to shave 10 years off of our own business growth timeline just by learning from and leveraging off of the experiences and wisdom of others.

So we ask you – aren’t you tired of “going it alone” in your business? Are you realizing that reaching the next level of success may require some outside help but you don’t know where to find the help you need?

You’ve heard the statistics and now you know firsthand how difficult it is to get through the first three to five years of a new business venture. You’re plagued with questions like:

“Why are we constantly competing on price?”
“How can we attract more qualified prospects?”
“Are we investing our limited capital in the right places?”
“How can we move from survive to thrive?
“Where can we go for help that won’t cost us so much?”

But who can you trust with your deepest, darkest business challenges? Who can you talk to about how to overcome those challenges? Who can you trust to have your best interest at heart? We discovered that if the only ones answering the tough questions was us, we would always get the same answers!

You need Trusted Advisers – people who are “in your corner” who have valuable insight, new perspectives, and objective viewpoints of your business from the outside. You need a whole panel of them. But assembling your own professional board of advisers takes time and money.

How could you afford to pay them enough to even want to help you? They say the worst advice in the world is free advice. So what can you do?

What if instead of spending your time and money building your own board of advisers you could simply join one that was already meeting on a regular basis? What if this board of advisers already had all the experts you needed “in your corner,” from marketing to sales, to accounting, insurance, management, etc? And what if you could access that board of advisers for a mere fraction of the cost of assembling your own board?

Real People, Real Results, Real Time

Experienced Small Business Owners Just Like You – Not “Retired Executives” or Academics. Real People who live in the same trenches you do - every day.

Well, there is a solution that will give you just that – the Business Advisory Board of American Business Networks. You see, ABN isn’t just a “referral group” company. In fact, there’s so much more to it than that, you would be surprised. And one of the greatest services ABN offers is the Business Advisory Board.

Dave Fredrick of FCM Services had access to just such a board and within weeks he discovered a way to save over $20,000 every year and launched a whole new division that will generate extra profit within the next 3-6 months!

The Business Advisory Board is composed of serious minded business owners who are interested in helping each other achieve new levels of personal and professional success. We develop a high degree of trust amongst our carefully selected members and operate under full non-disclosure.

We take turns serving as the President of the Board and draw on the expertise and experience of others. It is one part Master Mind Group, one part Board of Directors and one part Business Round Table, all for a very affordable annual fee.

Angela Spangler of S&S Professional Services has completely redesigned her company image as a result of her tenure as President and is already recognizing a 30% increase in revenue even during these very difficult times.

Larry Johns of Lighthouse Small Business Solutions is launching a new Results Based Telemarketing Division that will become the cornerstone of a whole new business venture. He has ten brand new customers already and is staffing to service an incredible number of new prospects generated as a result of his time as President of the Board.

There are two boards in existence now that you could join – one in Greensboro/High Point, and one in Winston-Salem. (See meeting details below.) Each meeting is open to visitors, so feel free to come check it out one week. We will simply ask you to sign a letter of non-disclosure when you come.

But you should know there is a waiting list to be the President of the Board each month, so if this is something you want to benefit from sooner than later, you need to act now – it’s first come, first served!

You can reserve your spot on the waiting list even before you’ve visited or become a member of the group. That way you can put your name on the list now, come visit one of the meetings in the next couple weeks, and if you decide to join you’ll be that much higher up on the waiting list when you finally become a member.

To get your name on the waiting list immediately, simply send an email to Bruce@AmericanBusinessNetworks.com with your contact info and subject line “Advisory Board Waiting List Request” and we’ll handle the rest. Your email will be dated and time stamped to ensure your priority over others who aren’t as quick to respond.

Whatever you do, don’t be a Lone Ranger – you’re only going to get so far in business that way. Wouldn’t you rather seek advice from others and avoid spending the next 10 years figuring it out on your own. This could be the best investment you’ve made in a very long time.

This invitation was sent to 124 other business owners just like you, so emailBruce@AmericanBusinessNetworks.com immediately to get your name on the waiting list before anybody else does.

Click here to see a list of current Advisory Board members in your area.

We only want to see you succeed in business, and this is one of the most effective ways we know how to help you. If nothing else, simply come visit one of the Advisory Boards and be a “fly on the wall.” Who knows, you might just pick up that one little idea that will help you take your business to the next level.

Whether you come or not, we’re here for you. If there’s anything we can do to help you and your business, do not hesitate to reach out to us – that’s what we are in business to do! So I hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,

Sue & Bruce Lande

American Business Networks

P.S. Every day you delay is another day gone by that you could be using to move your business forward. Draw on the expertise of others and shave 10 years off of your growth curve. TAKE ACTION and email Bruce@AmericanBusinessNetworks.com right now.

Meeting Times:

Greensboro Business Advisory Board
Meets 1^st and 3^rd Tuesdays of each month.
9:15am – 10:45am
Sandler Training Institute 4000 Piedmont Parkway, High Point

Winston-Salem Business Advisory Board
Meets 2^nd and 4^th Tuesdays of each month.
9:30am – 11:00am
The Piedmont Club 200 West 2nd Street, 19th Floor, Winston-Salem

Have any Old Electronics Laying Around?

2011-05-22T04:43:00.001-04:00

American Business Networks Member Communicom of Charlottre, NC recycles Electronic Waste and Metals. President Steve Maginnis is a senior level person with excellent credentials and actually pays his customers for stuff they normally just throw away.

If you have senior level or middle manager contacts for companies with less than $50 M in revenues in the following industries, please contact Steve directly. Please copy me as a CC if you do send someone to Steve and Thanks for helping a fellow member.

Telecoms
Cable
Security Alarm Companies
Aviation
Semiconductor
Outsourcing
IT
Data Centers
Medical Imaging

“We want what you don’t”

Creative Profit-sharing Recycling Program

Steve Maginnis

- Best Pricing for New/Refurbished Equipment

- Reselling Excess/Surplus/Obsolete Materials

- Recycling e-Waste

smaginnis@communicominc.com

www.communicominc.com

803.371.5436 (cell)

American Business Networks Website Redesigned

2011-03-29T09:55:00.000-04:00

American Business Networks

Redesigned American Business Networks - Click the link above. Sharing of meeting schedule is now a click or a button and following, linking, connecting, liking etc. much easier. At this level, it is all about making the connection and the relationships will follow. We provide opportunities for Business Owners to make connections, build relationships and reach new levels of personal and professional success. Our mission is clear, our infrastructure is in place and we are ready to move!

Ready, Fire, Tweak - The importance of setting objectives

2011-03-28T12:20:00.000-04:00

I have been hanging around computers all my life and though I was admittedly very late in catching onto social media, I am now diving in with both feet. Saturday evening, I set a goal for myself that by the end of the quarter I would have 500 Twitter followers, 500 Fan Page Likes and 500 Linked In Connections. All three were @ or about 200 when I started.

As of about ten minutes ago I have already more than doubled all three and in RELEVANT areas. I want to attract Business Owners and Sales Professionals to our Business Networking and Professional Development company.

Although I am a firm believer in the power of a personal, face to face connection, I have now learned the power of online social networking and am just getting started. So what I learned is this:

Set a goal, get ready and FIRE - The tweaking will come later as I begin to understand how to use this new phenomenon to extend our reach.

Lessons in Life from a Dirt Farmer and His Wife - Tracing True Grit

2011-03-28T10:57:00.001-04:00

Ryan O'Connor is one of 22 great grand children of Art and Dot Burghardt. He demonstrated the true grit that has been passed from generation to generation last Saturday in a soccer game which personifies his attitude towards life. He is only seven years old yet has already positioned himself as the "go to guy" when the game is on the line.

That trait has been handed down from a couple that have never seen the spotlight nor enjoyed the trappings of conventional success. They are humble, hard working examples of what Tom Brokaw called "The Greatest Generation" and this series is about the continuing impact their descendants have on the world around them.

It as at the end of a season where he has already scored 13 goals and led his team to victory after victory. He is NOT a "ball hog" yet seems to always be where the ball is and does what needs doing. He shares with others, passes, saves and does all the things that make us proud but when the game is on the line he transcends time and takes charge.

We have all seen it in others - The Larry Birds and Jerry Wests and Michael Jordan's of basketball. The Joe Montana's and Bart Starr's of football. The stories are everywhere around us. When the game is on the line, the "go to guys" get it done. Well, Ryan is destined to be that go to guy.

There was 1 minute and 27 seconds left in the game when Ryan looked at the clock and you could actually see him say to himself, "there has not been a single goal scored in this game, time is running out and I need to make it happen." And make it happen he did. He got the ball, dribbled through traffic and delivered the winning goal.

What lessons can we learn from a seven year old? Never give up. When the game is on the line, be focused and do whatever it takes. I look forward to learning more life lessons from my seven year old grandson. A direct descendant of "The Dirt Farmer and His Wife."

Oh, and the subtle fist pump for his Dad after the winning goal was scored? That must have come from the other side of the family - Not seeking glory, just getting the job done. That is an O'Connor trait I have witnessed first hand. Father Mike is a go to guy for whatever needs doing.

Life lessons all around us from people of all ages and all generations. Tune in and take the time to realize that our collective spirit will once again rise above whatever challenges we face as a family, a town, a company, a country and a world.

Hopefully video to follow.

Lessons on Life From a Dirt Farmer and His Wife

2011-03-28T10:08:00.000-04:00

I have ended up creating multiple Blogs. Maybe I will come back and synthesize them at some point but for now will keep plodding (or is that bloggin) forward. This particular post does not necessarily belong here and I will probably move it later.

Lessons on Life From a Dirt Farmer and His Wife will become a book someday. It will be built from the posts made by others on the lessons they learned from the Greatest Generation.

Lessons in Life - Humility

2011-03-28T09:05:00.000-04:00

Realizing that we can't do it alone & we don't know it all is often the first step towards the ultimate success nearly everyone of us seeks. This is being written at a time that for only the third time in NCAA men's basketball history, there are no number one seeds in the final four. No, not a single one of the pre-destined teams will be playing for the grand prize.

I watched the humility on the faces of the coaches and players as they were all overtaken by teams that had "less than stellar" seasons but caught fire at the right time, in the right place with the right people.

Now, most of the players and coaches who were "dethroned" are at the top of their game and I am quite certain they will learn one of life's most valuable lessons - Just when you think you have it all figured out, someone will come along and provide you with a different ending - as they say in college basketball - "That's why they play the game!"

So, take a message from the 2011 NCAA Road to the Final Four to heart. It is when you realize there is ALWAYS somebody out there who knows more than you do and is willing to help that you can cross over into the success you seek.

Two of my favorite people in the whole world are the most successful every day people you will ever meet and yet they are as humble as they can possibly be! Dad never went past the eighth grade in school yet is one of the smartest people I have ever met. Art Burghardt (my father-in-law) left home at 13 because his parents could not support him. He fought his way through more adversity than most of us will ever face and today at 84 is still living on and off the land he and "Dot" purchased in 1951.

That land was initially a dairy farm that may sound like a glorious occupation but the life of a farmer is one of the hardest lives you will ever encounter. Up before the chickens, working from dawn to dusk ("a farmer may work from sun to sun, but a farmer's wife's work is never done").

Mom worked nights and evenings as a Registered Nurse and then worked days and week-ends on the farm and the riding stables. I was not there for the early years but I have heard the stories of floods, dad hurting his back so that he was no loner able to run the dairy farm. They had to sell the entire dairy herd just to survive.

Next, the land became home to Scenic Valley Riding Stables where the whole family worked to literally put bread on the table opening their home to strangers and taking out trail rides for $5 per ride.

In later years, the trees on the land were harvested to support him in retirement. They never, ever took a handout from anyone and in fact would resist being treated to dinner even on their birthdays. Some may think that was about "pride" but we know it is the humility that stands out the most. They never talk about their success but it is all around them in the children, grand children and great grand children who love them.

They are the first to say they do not have all the answers yet everyone of us has "returned home" at different times and we got to them whenever we need help or guidance on nearly anything.

He is a self taught engineer, horticulturalist, electrician, plumber, carpenter, veterinarian, salesman, business owner, and wel you get the picture. That old fashioned farmer and his wife represent a generation that learned humility from the ground up. It is written on their faces and etched in their hands. Ask others, figure it out, never give up.

She is a nurse, mother, wife, grandmother, great grandmother, confidant, cheerleader, coach, mentor and all those things that now have whole occupations built around what she just did because it was in her nature. Many of us owe everything to what Tom Brokaw called "The Greatest Generation", and I would extend that to include the "Families of the Greatest Generation" We have all learned from our parents and their parents, for our children and their children.

So, actively seek the support of others, listen to their advice, implement what feels right and you will go a long way in this game called life. Lessons learned from the generations of the dirt farmers and big time college basketball players can serve us all. Humility is the cornerstone for success in life.

Back to Google Blogger

2011-03-11T16:51:00.000-05:00

I moved my main website to a new hosting environment and in the process lost the wordpress blog so will come back here for awhile.

http://www.americanbusinessnetworks.com/

2010-05-12T01:38:00.000-04:00

http://www.americanbusinessnetworks.com/

2010-03-21T03:21:00.000-04:00

Networking Your Way to Success
Courtesy of Zan Zeige and Used with Permission
What is Networking ?

•Using your relationships to compound your effectiveness and exposure in the market.
•Increases your worth, and credibility with your client
o You become a one stop resource for their needs
o You become your client’s “Yellow Pages
• Builds relationships for your future
• Networkers give more leads than they receive
• Networking is NOT simply coming to a meeting to pick up your leads.

A Checklist for Networking

• Do you carry a Card Caddy with you that contains people whom you can refer?
• Do you mention at least 3 members of your networking group on each appointment?
• Do you ask if one of your networking partners may call your client just to
introuduce themselves in case your client should ever need their services?
o Or even better per Jim Blaylock of Sandler Sales Institute, do you ask your
client if they have a need for your partner’s service and if so arrange a three
way meeting for you to introduce your partner?
• Do you go on appointments with other networking partners? Do you ask them to
evaluate your presenation?
• Do you meet with one of your networking partners each week, outside of the
regular meeting?
• Do you let your networking partners know who you have as a good client and offer
to arrange a meeting?
• Do you ask your networking partners if they have ever met with a potential client
that you want to meet?
• Have you provided a list of people you would like to meet?
• How many handwritten Thank You Notes did you write last week?
• Did you mention one of your partners in the note?

Personal Success Checklist

• Do you have a self-improvement DVD or CD in your car’s stere system right now?
• Have you read a self-improvement book this month?
• Do you have a subscription to a self-improvement magazine?
• Have you attended a professional sales training seminar in the past 6 months?
• Do you have a written goal for this month, year? Is it quantifiable, verifiable?
• Do you use a weekly tracker to evaluate your progress?
• Who is your mentor? Have you talked with them this week?
• Do you “sell” or “sort” your prospect lists?
• What animal best identifies your business demeanor?
• Do you enjoy hearing the word “no”?

The ABN Value Proposition

2010-03-21T02:32:00.000-04:00

“We help our MEMBERS Make More Money. We create Trusted Strategic Relationships which lead to Qualified Referrals and Sustainable Revenue.

Our MEMBERS are Business Owners and Sales People who understand the Value of Relationship Selling.

We provide Contacts, Leads, Referrals, Relationships, Coaching, Mentoring and Consulting - all aimed at delivering a consistently High Level of Value to our MEMBERS.”

Networking Never Goes Out of Style

2010-03-06T10:58:00.000-05:00

Gordon Skeeters of The Phoenix Company, an insurance provider since 1932 commented to me that we are going back to the networking style of the 50's and 60's. There was a time when networking was displaced by cold calling and telemarketing but savvy business people have always realized the importance of building relationships and the wheel is turning back to that style of selling and prospecting.

As Gordon says, "we need to be there when our prospect is ready to buy and the best way to accomplish that is to be as many places as we can - to see and be seen."

Thanks for the insight.

Business Cards are People!

2010-03-04T16:51:00.000-05:00

I was just sorting through the business cards I have collected in the past several days and had a startling revelation. Every one of these cards represents a real live person with hopes and dreams, problems and aspirations, etc.

This may all seem pretty obvious but our approach to these "business cards" is going to be that as a member of ABN, you will be creating life long business relationships that over time can evolve into life long personal relationships.

Our commitment is to help every single member in every way that we can to grow their business. "Whatever it takes."

I certainly would like to hear from anybody out there who has ideas and suggestions on how to grow our business.

BTW, I resigned from my day job today and going full time into building ABN into the absolute best business networking organization in the world. We may not be the first and we may not be the biggest, but we can be the best!

Sales qualifying

2010-03-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today's buyers are sophisticated, savvy and want to deal with professionals who will not waste their time. I therefore waste no time in qualiying them and pretty much let them know I am doing it.

I want to know these basic things when starting into a sales conversation:

1) Does this company have a need for my product or service and is there a good fit
2) Am I dealing with someone who can make the ultimate decision or how do I get to that person?
3) Can they afford what I am selling them and/or is there a current budget in place?
4) Are they likely to buy within the timeframe that makes sense for the size of the opportunity and sell cylce required to demonstrate our solution
5) Are they really likely to buy from me or are they just shopping price or gettin comparitive information to justify a decision they have already made?

Once I have these items in place, I am much more willing to invest my time which is my most valuable asset as a sales person. If I do not know the answers to the above questions, I either need to get them or move on. It makes no sense to waste my time or the time of my prospect only to discover that they could never enter into a buying relationship with my company in the first place!

What do you think? What other ideas do you have for qualifying?

Prospecting - It's all about timing and attitude

2010-03-01T07:40:00.000-05:00

One thing that sales people hate to do but understand must be done is prospecting. No matter how good we are and how full the pipeline, the time inevvitably comes when we look at our prospect list and realized it needs refreshing.

So, its back to the phones, or the emails or the networking groups or whatever means we use to bring in new prospects. Ideally, we have word of mouth working and we get some referrals from networking groups but what if the only way to fill the pipeline is through good old fashioned cold calling?

Having been cold calling off and on for nearly 30 years, I can offer some insight. Note I did not say "proven techniques" because I have yet to find anything that works consistently excpet just getting it done. Yes, to some extent it is a numbers game but I do think we can improve our odds if we do have the right attitude and approach.

And yes, it is most often about timing. If you happen to contact someone who is considering a purchase of your product or service at the right time, they are 90% more likely to respond. If for no other reason to get a competitive quote. I am actually OK with that "getting another quote" idea if I get a chance to actually meet with the prospect because much of the sales cycle has already been accomplished.

See my post on qualifying which will follow this one.

So we have at least a semi qualified prospect who picks up the phone and we must actually assume that is the case every time we initiate the contact. So the attitude goes like this:

1) Put a genuine and confiddent smile on your face and in your voice - people respond much better to a positive and upbeat message
2) Have a script available to make sure you cover the key points of your message but avoid reading it. Vary it so that it stays fresh but score your key points in one fashion or another:
a) What is this call about - what are you offering?
b) Why should they consider buying from you - how are you different?
c) How do you want them to respond - call, reply to an email, visit website?
d) Who are you?
3) Make the "presentation" of your offering brief and to the point and then,
4) Turn control over to "VITO - Very Important Top Officer" because they like to be in control.

So, an initial contact may go like this:

Hello gatekeeper this is Bruce from American Business Networks. We are a business networking company that helps businesses grow one referral at a time. Is Mr. Barnes (Owner of other VITO)available? If not, could I please have an email address to send him some introductory information?

If you get Mr. Barnes on the phone, repeat the who we are message and then ask a pointed question;

Are you currently a member of a referral organization or have you considered joining one?

Yes - That's great, may I ask which group you are with and since you understand the value of such groups would you like to attend our next meeting as our guest to learn more about ABN?

No - Would you like to attend as your guest to learn how the group may benefit XYZ company?

I am a firm believer in getting right to the point, being absolutely up front and honest about why I am calling and if the time is right and the attitude is right and you do it enough times, good things will happen.

Stand Out in a Crowd

2010-02-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

Have you designed your business in such a way that you are ONE IN A MILLION or one OF a million? According to Paul and Sarah Edwards in their book , Getting Business to Come to You, "too many people who become self employed...proudly define themselves as being one of a million. What they need to do is let the world know they are ONE IN A MILLION."

Some Immediate Things to Do

2010-02-15T08:14:00.000-05:00

1) How maximize the face to face networking of ABN with online networking?
2) Have created this Blog, a Facebook account, Twitter, updated linked in (do we need an ABN linked in account), and am exploring other avenues.
3) Make ABN a resource for networking knowledge and tools
4) Find the tool (dandy something?)that feeds all the social media at one time
5) Rationalized my linked in accounts
6) Leverage aplastic contacts - at least get the links there
7) Build traffic - Web Position Gold?, Joomla SEO, Directorty submissions, relevant backlinks

American Business Networks Blog

2010-02-14T17:57:00.000-05:00

American Business Networks is a Business Development Company helping Business Owners and Commissioned Sales People achieve their Business Goals and Objectives.

Members create and nurture Trusted Business Relationships for Mutual Gain and help each other Make More Money converting Contacts into Relationships and Referrals into Revenue.