San Diego Networking Guide – The Blog

The conscious networker would not be without The San Diego Business Journal.  Why is that?  The SDBJ is a part of my workshop.  I bring in an issue and we discuss how they can use it to:

• Stay current on events to facilitate networking conversations 
• Share information with your “Links”
• Learn about the “Movers & Shakers”
• Find events/seminars for yourself and others
• Learn of future “Awards” events and nominate someone
• Learn the top companies in major industries
• And more!

For the proactive, creative thinker there are several pieces of useful information in every issue.  Did someone you know get a promotion? Send a congratulations card! Did you notice a business meeting that will pull in a certain audience demographic?  Share that information with others! When it comes to speakers, the more influential the speaker, the more influential the audience.

My only wish is that they beef up their Business Events calendar.  Several months ago they re-vamped it by taking out all of the weekly networking events..most of them BNI meetings. (I did not mind…those type of events are covered in my event calendar.)  They do list industry association meetings, free educational seminars sponsored by various companies (usually for lead-generation purposes), workshops, trainings etc. There is no cost to be listed in their Business Events Calendar.

The SDBJ recently sponsored the 2007 Economic Forecast breakfast.  It was a beautiful morning at the Harbor Island Sheraton and there must have been nearly 500 people there. Here are some pictures which includes some of the slides about the forecast.  (The control buttons will appear when you mouse-over the lower right corner.) 

As I sat at a recent Chamber of Commerce breakfast, we came to the part of the program where the attendees get to do their 30-second promotional, commonly known as the Elevator Speech.  Type those two words into Google and it will spit back 1,290,000 hits on the good, bad & the ugly of this venerable staple of the networking process.  Some say “Can the Canned Speeches!“, others offer formulas… another has you plug in answers to their questions, click *here* and Tah-Dah!…Their handy-dandy program creates your perfect 30-second speech!

Needless to say, there is not much I can write that has not already be said before, but I will relate this experience and offer some guidelines so you need not read the 1,290,000 Google offerings.

As I listened to everyone as they went around the tables (I was spared…they had just listened to me talk for 35 minutes), I found myself lulled by the repetitious nature of each introduction.

 ”Hi…I’m……., I am a (realtor, loan agent, business coach, printer, jeweler)  or 
My name is ……The name of my company is…..We sell…….. I’m looking for…(this type of client to buy my product or service).  I’d be happy to talk to you about my product or service.”

Then a man stood up and said,

“80% of all business owners DO NOT have a plan for leaving their business and moving into retirement.”

Huh?  And I snapped to attention. I have a business…I need to think now about leaving it?

He continued:

“I work with successful individuals, business owners/principals and professionals helping them design, develop and implement strategies to secure their financial future.  All I ask is the opportunity to gather the right kind of information to determine the needs and desires of my clients. (dramatic pause) A one hour meeting with me, could make a difference for a lifetime…”

I immediately thought…there’s a man who knows how to get your attention.  And isn’t that what this process is all about?  Getting the audience’s attention?

The remaining attendees repeated the same; My name is…… my business is… I’m looking for…

A training I took a couple of years ago boiled it down to a few simple rules.

1.  The first word out of your mouth when adressing this type of audience should not be “I, me, or my”.  Instead, start with a fact, a statistic or a thought-provoking statement. Remember, half of the audience is probably rehearsing their own speech in their heads, the other half are thinking, “Darn,  forgot to mention…”, which means they are not 100% focused on you!  Start with a strong statement to bring the room’s attention to you.

2.  Then, tell them what value you bring to your type of client
3. Give them an action step on how to learn more.   

Sample: 

Those who attend networking events lose thousands of dollars in missed opportunities because they have not been taught solid connection skills.  I’m Mindy Selinger, publisher of the San Diego Networking guide and event calendar.  I teach The Link System, a high level networking and relationship-building skills-set that has been taught to companies like Merrill Lynch, Wachovia and Morgan Stanley.  If you would like to receive The San Diego Networking Guide via email, give me your business card and write a Y on it.  If you would like information on how you can upgrade your connection skills, see me after the meeting. I have some free resources for you to learn more.

Ideally, you want different “soundbites” for different occasions.  I would not say that to someone who asks “What do you do?”  In a one-on-one situation I may say, “I teach networking skills”.  Then if possible, I may position myself so that I am standing side-by-side with them and motion towards the crowd and say,  “Someone in this room is worth thousands and thousands of dollars to you…but not as a client, as a business relationship.  I teach you how to find them”.

At a normal networking event, I rarely go into more detail than that.  The principles that I teach have you take the conversation in a different direction, one of pre-qualifying and gathering information. 

The whole point is to be able to be concise, informative, and effective in getting out the message you want to your target market.  You know that you have been successful when they declare their interest by wanting to know more.

Oh…about the man who declared “80% of all business owners DO NOT have a plan for leaving their business and moving into retirement.”

That was Bill Dutton of Northwestern Mutual Financial Network

OK readers…I am asked quite often of those who receive the San Diego Networking Guide… “Is your calendar just for women’s groups? It seems like all the events you talk about are for women!” My “keeping-it-light” response is usually, “Can I help it if there are so many dynamic women doing great things in San Diego?”

Let me set the record straight. The San Diego Networking Guide is most definately an equal opportunity calendar!! Unless the word “Women” is in the title of the listing…chances are good that it is a co-ed group.

However….let’s not miss out on a very important point here. Savvy businessmen know the value of networking with pro-active business women. There were men at the Women’s Symposium…there were several men at Dee Sanford’s Business Women’s Celebration of Women Luncheon in March. Mardi Boone changed the name of her events from Women’s Abundance to the Abundance Network because of its appeal to men.

I met a very important connection when he was the sole male at the Orange County eWomen’s Network luncheon last year. I could go on, but I hope I have made my point.

So, men…. go forth and “boldly go where few men have gone before!”

I’ve been hearing a buzz about Meetup.com so I checked them out recently. This social networking site has meetings for just about any type of social, hobby, sport, or business interest group out there.

They are loosly structured groups for a low cost. There are 753 groups listed within 50 miles of San Diego with membership ranging from just a few to several hundred.

There are some networking groups too, but not all of them appear to be active. However, the largest one, the San Diego Entrepreneurs Meetup Group , meets on the 2nd Monday of the month for a speed networking event. The group’s organizer is Doug Means who I have known for years as the host of my favorite online community, the Baja Nomad Discussion Board.

For someone who wants to organize their own group they may want to take a look around Meetup. There is one group, The Carlsbad Business Networking Meetup Group, that 54 people initially joined. It needs an organizer or it will be dissolved. There is no charge to join but organizers are charged $12 – $19 a month. (??)

In my experience, it is the less structured, lower cost groups that struggle the most. I guess it is human nature to place less value on lower cost activities…People are more likely to stay involved when they have an investment on the line…thus, $$ = committment. Of course there are exceptions to every rule. You just have to investigate for yourself!

What a party! Dee’s events are full of passion and lots of smiling and laughing people supporting each other.  This is a group shot of us with Dee (bottom center) and San Diego’s top Networking Women representing 16 different networking  organizations.

You will notice two women that I have spotlighted in this group as well…Gail Spivey, President of the Black Business Association and Michelle Butler, President/CEO of the Women’s Business Center of California.

To see the whole album, visit http://tinyurl.com/36gldv 

Every month on the 3rd Friday, Dee hosts the African American Business Women of Vision Breakfast.  On Sept 7th, they will be celebrating 10 years! More Information