Wednesday 28 August 2019

How to get the best out of networking


HOW TO GET THE BEST OUT OF NETWORKING 

5 tips to improve your on and offline networking. 

Networking – whether on or offline – is important (in some businesses it is an essential part of the Business Development lifecycle).

But to many, it is an occupational hazard with breakfast included!

We have been there – going along to a networking event for the first time.  Everyone is chomping their way through an obligatory bacon sandwich and standing in pairs, chatting like old friends to the exclusion of everyone else.  You linger a little too long at the coffee machine hoping that someone will come and speak to you, but when you realise that this is not going to happen, you turn to face the room.  The easy option is to go and stand in a corner.  The brave thing to do is to approach a fellow networker and strike up a conversation.  It is tough.  And believe me, it never seems to get any easier to do

However, if you are serious about growing your business, then networking is a necessary evil.  Follow these 5 essential tips to make the most out of your on and offline networking opportunities;

  1. Choose your event carefully.  Make sure that it is likely to be attended by people who would be interested in your and your services whilst having something to offer in return.  Don’t rule out smaller events with the misconception that no-one will buy what you have to sell (and on that note, a word of caution; nobody goes to a networking event with the intention of buying a product or service – so don’t try an immediate hard sell.  It will only serve to put off the people who you meet and you may notice that they start to avoid you in the future).  Remember also that exchanging a business card is not a guarantee that you will work together – all business relationships take time and effort
  2. Get engaged.  Don’t just be interesting – be interested.  Engage with your network.  Be visible (both on and offline).  Try asking open questions and engage people in conversations.  
  3. Never eat alone.  If your event is during a mealtime, this is an excellent opportunity to meet new people – and the great thing is, you will have something to talk about (food!)  Be prepared with some interesting topics of conversation as there is nothing worse than an awkward silence!
  4. Give and Take (but mainly give).  Relationships are built on trust.  It is unlikely that you will build trust if you immediately go in for a ‘hard sell’ with someone that you have just met or just connected with  – try offering something to your new found connection instead (this could be an introduction to another connection, an offer of a catch up over coffee etc)
  5. Location, Location, Location.  Some of the very best networking opportunities are at events that are not specifically designed for networking.  Take every opportunity to network.  Get outside of your comfort zone (even just a little bit).  Carry your business cards wherever you go and hand them out freely.  Make sure you follow up

No amount of tips are going to take away the nervous feeling that you get when you are heading into the unknown of a networking event for the first time – we are only human after all.  But remember, once you are comfortable at the event, try and reach out to newcomers who may be experiencing those first-timer’s feelings that you once felt!

If you are serious about growing your business but are struggling to make the first steps in developing a business strategy, then give us a call. Connect with us on LinkedIn (or any other social media platform). Come and speak to us at a networking event or drop us a line – all of our contact details are below.

Thursday 28 September 2017

Feeling Uber exposed?





You would have to have been living under a rock over the past year to have missed the amount of news that has been flying around about Uber – the company that has revolutionized the way people book and pay for taxi rides – but incase you missed it, with a flourish, Transport for London have revoked Uber’s licence to operate in London – potentially putting 40,000 cab drivers out of work.
Such a bold move has been met with mixed reactions – some people are annoyed, saying that Uber is the best thing that has happened to the taxi industry.  Some people are happy – saying that Uber have been operating outside of the law for too long.  Whilst others could not care less
I like Uber.  I like the concept.  And even though I live in an area which has yet to see the revolution, I appreciate Uber when I am in a place that they operate – I even have the Uber app installed on my phone
I can understand people having really strong feelings about companies like Uber – but the way I see it is - if you don’t like them, if you believe that they are unsafe, if you don’t like their business ethics and you disagree with the way that they treat their drivers – then the answer is simple – DON’T USE THEM!
Personally, I think that banning them from operating is a step too far.  They have been given 21 days to appeal the decision – and since the initial announcement, the conciliation process between Uber Chief Exec and The London Mayor (who also sits on the panel of Transport for London) has begun – so maybe it isn’t all over just yet.
But what happens if the ban is upheld?  Will other cities around the world follow suit?
But this email isn’t about Uber – it is about your business and the potential risk you might be in.
Uber not operating in London means that over 40,000 licenced drivers will potentially be out of work.
They will see their main source of income swiped from under their noses without much warning.
And if you are like many small to medium sized business owners the same thing could happen to you
Stop to think about this for just a moment - If your business relies primarily on one client for the majority of its income, what is stopping that client from leaving you tomorrow?
If you rely on one employee within your business to bring in the majority of work, what is stopping them handing in their notice and going to a competitor?
If you rely on just one method of bringing in new leads and clients, what’s stopping it from becoming less effective next week and your lead flow drying up?
The answer to all the above is, of course NOTHING!
No matter who you are or what sector you work in.
And the only solution to this problem is to build a business that generates new leads and new business on demand - so you will never rely on just one client, you will have all the business you need plus a waiting list of prospects wanting to work with you.
You will never have to rely on just one employee because the more leads your business generates, the better your company will perform and all of a sudden, your underperformers become better performers. 
And you will never have to worry about your lead flow drying up because you will have leads coming in from a variety of sources and across a range of channels.
Sound good?  I know, it sounds like common sense – so why do so many business owners fall into the same trap?

If you want to learn how you can make your business Uber-successful (get it?) and how to limit your exposure to the risk of having one major client, then call us now to have a chat – we are a friendly bunch and there is always someone available to talk

Call Consultancy on 084 3289 3288 and Recruitment on 08456 894 894.  Alternatively, you can email us at enquiries@blueboxconsultancy.com or hello@blueboxrecruitment.com

Or if you just want to check us out and find out what we do and who we do it with, then go to our websites at www.blueboxrecruitment.com or www.blueboxconsultancy.com

Until the next time, take care, be bold, and do good business


 

Thursday 13 April 2017

What we can learn from Mickey Mouse

At this time of year, most people are starting to think about summer holidays – in truth, most people have been thinking about summer holidays since the Christmas holidays…

A couple of years ago I took my family to DisneyLand in Florida – to be fair, it was not my first choice of holiday destination, but the kids wanted to go, and I am a sucker for an easy life…

However, I changed my mind, and now I would absolutely say that If you’ve never been to Disneyland, you should go!
  
And…..if you can, you should leave the kids at home!
  
Sure it’s marketed at kids in the main.
  
But you’ll have more fun going without them - trust me!
  
You’d be mistaken if you thought Disneyland was JUST another theme park - far from it.
  
You can actually learn a lot from the way Disney operate as a business.
  
There are not many places in the world that can boast a bigger average spend per person than Vegas – but Disneyland can!
  
And that’s including the Legal and Illegal activities  both in and outside the City!
  
(I refer to the activities of Vagas rather than Disneyland, of course)
  
There are many reasons they’re able to do this....
  
Firstly, they NEVER fall into the trap of thinking that their clients are ‘above’ or 'too sophisticated' for marketing.
  
Some of the businesses we work with believe that their clients are too sophisticated for their marketing and that their clients are too important to ‘fall for’ the marketing techniques that work on the rest of the world!

  
Disney don’t make this mistake - they know that as long as you’re selling to human beings, regardless of whether you are a child or an adult, whether your are old or young at heart, whether you are male or female, fat or thin, a stay at home mom or a busy executive - they have the same core factors of influence and the same emotional pulls
  
If you don’t believe me, then go to Disneyland and you will see that big important CEO of that blue chip corporate firm, that’s “too sophisticated” for marketing walking around in a pair of Giant Goofy shoes and Mickey Mouse ears, queuing to have their picture taken with Donald Duck (or rather, queuing to have their picture taken with some guy in a Donald Duck costume)
  
Don’t seem quite so sophisticated now do they?
  
One of my clients was recently surprised that he was able to connect with big important CEO’s' so easily on LinkedIn
  
Why?
  
He, like a lot of other business people thought that CEO’s would somehow be ‘above’ that sort of thing.
  
They’re not – we  are all humans
  
We all have red blood
  
We all breathe
  
And we all use the toilet.
  
I repeat - as long as you’re selling to human beings, regardless of children or adults; males or females; fat or thin; a stay at home parent; or a busy C level executive… They have the same core factors of influence and the same emotional pulls

So, if you want to kickstart your marketing effort and connect with the people you really want to do business with then call us today
  

You can contact us in all of the usual ways – by phone on 08456 894 894 for Executive Recruitment or 084 3289 3288 for Management Consultancy – by email at hello@blueboxrecruitment.com or enquiries@blueboxconsultancy.com

Or if you just want to check us out and find our what we do and who we do it with, then go to our websites at www.blueboxrecruitment.com or www.blueboxconsultancy.com

Until the next time, take care, be bold, and do good business

PS Ask us about our £800 Business Rebate which is being launched at the end of April*









*terms and conditions apply