Before attending networking events, you should certainly be prepared. What does this mean? First, make sure that you have a short, 60 second pitch ready for anyone who asks you what you do. This will allow you to articulate your business offerings and model without being long-winded or disjointed.
Keep your goals in focus when attending a networking event. While it is always fun to hang out with friends and associates you already know, this will not help you to promote your business. Assuming you aren’t targeting just one person with whom you want to speak, make sure to circulate throughout the event. If you spend 5-10 minutes with various people, you’ll be well served and will get your message out there.
Make sure you have loads of business cards with you and be ready to hand them out. If the networking event is important enough, you might even want to make cards that are specifically for networking purposes.
Most of us dream about finding a get-rich-quick scheme so that we can sit back with a drink in our hands and relax. Sadly, this is not going to be the destiny assigned to the majority of us. It is possible, however, to make it with an online business. You will need to follow a number of steps to reach your goals.
First, spend time thinking of your creative ideas and planning how you will build an online business. Do a lot of market research with your ideas. Would your friends buy this product? Would they buy something similar? Why or why not? Once you have decided on your business model and your products, set very specific goals. Establish a plan to reach your short term, medium and long term goals.
Decide on how much of a personal investment you are willing and able to give to this venture. How much money and time can you invest today? In a month? In a year, etc? Revisit your vision and your plan every three months and adjust it as necessary. Always have a safety net and a Plan B, and be flexible enough to move towards them, should you need to do so.
Every business can benefit from viral marketing. Dr. Ralph J. Wilsom offers a definition of viral marketing. “Viral marketing describes any strategy that encourages individuals to pass on a marketing message to others, creating the potential for exponential growth in the message’s exposure and influence.”
This is a difficult item to acquire in a business, because it’s completely intangible. The idea is to create a buzz about your business or your product. Some people today try to achieve a following with YouTube videos. These are commonly seen with flash mob videos.
Another way to create a buzz is simply by being fantastic. If you have exceptional customer service, or your product is far and away the best, people will start to talk about you. I have a good friend who is an executive coach. She has never, in her 15 year career, put out one advertisement about herself. And yet, she is booked for the next year and turns down clients every day. That’s viral marketing at its best.