With a New Year fast approaching it is time to stand back and view business with a critical eye; it is something that I have done over the last few weeks and it has occassioned me to come up with some plans for next year. No vast changes in the way of operating but a few additions that will enhance the service that Members receive.
Networking Masterclasses will be run on an occassional basis in order that new members can themselves learn but also so that existing members can be sure that the new members know what is expected at a network meeting.
To help deliver the Business Link contract that we have received we will be holding a series of men only and ladies only meetings to see how business is different for the opposite sexes. What makes business tick for you? What pains are you going through? What help would you like and who do you think could provide it?
We shall also be holding a series of business focussed seminars to help with our Marketing and to promote word of mouth awareness and also to introduce you to the expertise of some of our members.
So, have you taken any steps to take a critical look at your business and what if anything will you be doing differently for 2010 ?
Monday 28 December 2009
Thursday 26 November 2009
Networking Master Classes by The Rural Meeting Place
The Rural Meeting Place has added another product to its portfolio for its Members to access, the Networking Masterclass.
Over the last few months more people have started to network but have been unsure of how to go about the process to bring the best returns for their business, so we decided to help with an hours Masterclass before a network meeting. The first event proved to be a success and drew people together who had not networked before and who were apprehensive about the whole idea of networking.
We went through the process of the people who throw business cards around like confetti expecting them to stick somewhere and wondering why they get no business from an event and stop attending, to those that work the room naturally and carry with them a host of potential contacts for those they engage with by means of their own extended network.
The pleasing part of the Masterclass was when one of the attendees said 'Its all about relationships'
We also had the benefit of having a successful networker come along to tell people how he has made networking work for him and his Utilities Business.
The Masterclass is held before a regular network meeting and then gives people a chance to try out their new found skills at a live meeting whilst things are still fresh in their minds.
These events will now be held regularly so that new Members to the Rural Meeting Place can quickly start to discover how to market their business effectively through networking.
Over the last few months more people have started to network but have been unsure of how to go about the process to bring the best returns for their business, so we decided to help with an hours Masterclass before a network meeting. The first event proved to be a success and drew people together who had not networked before and who were apprehensive about the whole idea of networking.
We went through the process of the people who throw business cards around like confetti expecting them to stick somewhere and wondering why they get no business from an event and stop attending, to those that work the room naturally and carry with them a host of potential contacts for those they engage with by means of their own extended network.
The pleasing part of the Masterclass was when one of the attendees said 'Its all about relationships'
We also had the benefit of having a successful networker come along to tell people how he has made networking work for him and his Utilities Business.
The Masterclass is held before a regular network meeting and then gives people a chance to try out their new found skills at a live meeting whilst things are still fresh in their minds.
These events will now be held regularly so that new Members to the Rural Meeting Place can quickly start to discover how to market their business effectively through networking.
Friday 9 October 2009
Developments on Twitter
Since I last blogged about Twitter things have developed quite quickly. Who would have thought that I would join forces with my Web Site designers to go on and do Seminars on using Twitter for business? I will talk about the benefits of this at a later date.
I find that having had success through this mode of Social Media I can confidently encourage others to use it as well. By success, I mean that businesses have signed up to www.theruralmeetingplace.com as members, others have come along to meetings and also I have been able to promote the products that I have available to a larger audience. Success in the means of a much increased profile and all for a short time each day.
Joining conversations on Twitter and learning about the people that you follow and who are following you is just a form of online networking. Some of what you say is interesting to some of your followers just as in the same way you are not always interested in what all the people you are following say all the time.
I find it very useful to tailor my Tweeting to the time of day I am online. Lets face it , at 11 o'clock on a saturday night are you going to take any notice of details of a networking meeting on wednesday lunch time? No, neither would I be, but, you might have a conversation about a TV program that was on or a book that I am reading.
Twitter is a good form of networking and is an arena where it pays to let your true personality shine through after all we all do business with people we like and whom we have interests in common.
Follow me on Twitter if you wish @carolermp say hello and mention that you saw the Blog.
I find that having had success through this mode of Social Media I can confidently encourage others to use it as well. By success, I mean that businesses have signed up to www.theruralmeetingplace.com as members, others have come along to meetings and also I have been able to promote the products that I have available to a larger audience. Success in the means of a much increased profile and all for a short time each day.
Joining conversations on Twitter and learning about the people that you follow and who are following you is just a form of online networking. Some of what you say is interesting to some of your followers just as in the same way you are not always interested in what all the people you are following say all the time.
I find it very useful to tailor my Tweeting to the time of day I am online. Lets face it , at 11 o'clock on a saturday night are you going to take any notice of details of a networking meeting on wednesday lunch time? No, neither would I be, but, you might have a conversation about a TV program that was on or a book that I am reading.
Twitter is a good form of networking and is an arena where it pays to let your true personality shine through after all we all do business with people we like and whom we have interests in common.
Follow me on Twitter if you wish @carolermp say hello and mention that you saw the Blog.
Monday 24 August 2009
Effective Tweeting
Last week I gave an over view of Twitter for Profile which I will take further in this Blog. After spending time viewing what was happening in the Twitterverse I decided to put some plans into action. I decided that I wanted to use it as a social and business tool for www.theruralmeetingplace.com
Initially I set about finding people in my catchment area to 'Follow' in the hope that some of them would follow me back to enable me to have an audience to speak to as well as to have an arena for conversation with the people and businesses that I was following.
To achieve this audience I set about viewing the followers of people whose Tweets I enjoyed and selecting those that I thought I would enjoy following. One quick click and the base of 'Followings' started to grow.
I found that there were some very interesting conversations happening and that people were posting some very relevant Links to articles, websites etc so as well as having some Social Discourse I was actually learning at the same time. When people started 'Following' me and responding to my Tweets that just increased the conversational possibilities which in turn increased the possibilities for me to highlight the role of The Rural Meeting Place. Some people are interested in joining, some in the Events that are listed in the Calendar and some in the Marketing opportunities that the site can offer and some were interested in chatting generally and becoming friends on a social level.
All in All this is a long term Marketing strategy for The Rural Meeting Place and the other accounts that I am setting up for other projects.
Next week I will discuss what I have achieved so far and how I did it.
Initially I set about finding people in my catchment area to 'Follow' in the hope that some of them would follow me back to enable me to have an audience to speak to as well as to have an arena for conversation with the people and businesses that I was following.
To achieve this audience I set about viewing the followers of people whose Tweets I enjoyed and selecting those that I thought I would enjoy following. One quick click and the base of 'Followings' started to grow.
I found that there were some very interesting conversations happening and that people were posting some very relevant Links to articles, websites etc so as well as having some Social Discourse I was actually learning at the same time. When people started 'Following' me and responding to my Tweets that just increased the conversational possibilities which in turn increased the possibilities for me to highlight the role of The Rural Meeting Place. Some people are interested in joining, some in the Events that are listed in the Calendar and some in the Marketing opportunities that the site can offer and some were interested in chatting generally and becoming friends on a social level.
All in All this is a long term Marketing strategy for The Rural Meeting Place and the other accounts that I am setting up for other projects.
Next week I will discuss what I have achieved so far and how I did it.
Monday 10 August 2009
Tweeting for profile
Recently I have discovered Twitter. This has been a revelation in the field of marketing and is used by many to promote their business as well as to socialise on line. Its another form of networking both online and offline. There are friendships made and regular Tweetups arranged in local areas where you can meet the people you are making friendships with.
Why should you want to Twitter? It is a free (apart from your time) form of marketing that makes you say in 140 characters what you want others to 'hear' and is a very good way of honing your spiel for your 60 second introduction at Network meetings.
Before Tweeting sit back and take a few moments to think what you want from this form of marketing. 'Follow' people and groups that interest you and are relevant to your business and to your interests.
Promote your offering and offer advice and knowledge to your fellow Twitterers.
Over the next few weeks I shall be letting you know about my travels on Twitter and imparting advice to you, following on from my trials.
To follow me on Twitter go to www.twitter.com/carolermp
Happy Twittering.
Why should you want to Twitter? It is a free (apart from your time) form of marketing that makes you say in 140 characters what you want others to 'hear' and is a very good way of honing your spiel for your 60 second introduction at Network meetings.
Before Tweeting sit back and take a few moments to think what you want from this form of marketing. 'Follow' people and groups that interest you and are relevant to your business and to your interests.
Promote your offering and offer advice and knowledge to your fellow Twitterers.
Over the next few weeks I shall be letting you know about my travels on Twitter and imparting advice to you, following on from my trials.
To follow me on Twitter go to www.twitter.com/carolermp
Happy Twittering.
Monday 2 February 2009
Tranferring new skills.
Over the past week I have developed new skills that adapt into the work environment. Through helping a friend negotiate a house purchase I have sharpened observation, learned to scrutinize what has been said before responding with a higher bid and to analyse the result of the conversation to ensure that we have responded correctly to the information that was supplied. Although it was an exciting time it was very tiring but caused a time for reflection on how the skills can be used in every day working life. I am sure that this will make me a sharper operator on a daily basis. Some times you need to do something different to appreciate how you normally approach a sale, client etc and that you can change your response attitude for the better.
To develop this further there are also grants available for developing skills and they are backed by the government through Business Link and the Learning and Skills Council. In this current economic climate it makes sense to train your staff and yourself with transferrable skills rather than to employ new staff that take time to induct and who may not necessarily be in it for the long term, however I also appreciate that there are also some very well qualified people on the job scene who are looking for new opportunities.
To develop this further there are also grants available for developing skills and they are backed by the government through Business Link and the Learning and Skills Council. In this current economic climate it makes sense to train your staff and yourself with transferrable skills rather than to employ new staff that take time to induct and who may not necessarily be in it for the long term, however I also appreciate that there are also some very well qualified people on the job scene who are looking for new opportunities.
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