If you’re…
– tired of the online noise
– eager to make your breakthrough and share your gifts and talents with the clients you can serve
– already getting out locally, to network, connect over coffee or wine
Then consider taking advantage your local networking to be seen, be heard and make a bigger impact on your income.
How?
Here are three places where you’re ALREADY networking…and how to leverage them differently…
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1. Meetups – psychographic vs demographic
Most people search for meetups to attend based on demographic data…male/female, business, career, entrepreneurs, small business owners, 20-30 years old, over 40, over 50, etc.
Consider taking the psychographic approach…what are the shared interests of the people in this group. For example, dog lovers, golf enthusiasts, runners, cooks, artists, etc.
When you’re focused on a shared interest, it’s easier to build a solid (and trusting) relationship with the members and find opportunities to be referred and even “let in” to small private groups you would not otherwise find.
This opens up your potential pool of prospects and your income possibilities.
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2. Chamber of Commerce – attend and then join (and do join)
Back when I initially launched my business, I was advised that Chambers were not conducive for service professionals who were building their business. However, when I moved to Austin, I found it to be much different. So if you have thought of or considered a Chamber for networking, do attend one of their events and check them out.
Chambers THRIVE on new and fresh members, so they hold events to give you access to the kinds of programming they share with paid members. You certainly want to go and see whether it’s a group you want to invest in joining — both with your money and your energy.
And because you MAY be the only one in your business category to join, but at a minimum you’ll be the only one who is YOU, you have an opportunity to stand out and attract more business than you thought.
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3. Associations – find skill based, then attend, then join
Associations gather together like-minded professionals who want to connect at a higher level than “what do you do.” So this is an opportunity to not only build skill in your profession but to connect with those interested in reaching a higher level in their careers, lives and businesses. This translates to a willingness to invest in themselves…and that’s a room you WANT to be in.
I held many communications roles in my corporate career and found the Women Communicators of Austin Association and it has proven to be a powerful opportunity to stand out and attract more business. Look at your resume and find an association that you would like to either attend a meeting or become a member of and go. You will be able to have an instant rapport because of the shared interests and that again opens the door to more opportunities and a greater income.
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Just using one of the three approaches above can open your world up to a ton of new business opportunities and income streams, without the noise and constant “competition” that you face in the online marketing arena.
So choose one and get started today.
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Chris Makell works with organizations and small business owners to get out of their own way to accomplish more and dramatically exceed your business goals. As the founder of Courage in BusinessTM she works with you to design and deliver business and marketing strategies that serve to strengthen your client’s, prospect’s and suspect’s view of you as their top solutions provider.
An international speaker, she is expert on the topics of courage, mindset, strategy and marketing and is author of the books A Smack Upside the Head: Your Insider’s Guide to Blazing Business Success (www.asmackupsidethehead.com) and Courage Is The New GREEN: The guide & journal for women business leaders ready to unleash their courage and transform the world (www.courageisthenewgreen.com)
Connect with Chris at www.ChrisMakell.com or info@ChrisMakell.com,or via social media at the links below:
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/chrismakellfans
Linked In: www.linkedin.com/chrismakell
Twitter: www.twitter.com/chris_makell
