Business | Lesley-Anne On The Go

Posts Tagged ‘Business’

Have you been “Locked out”?

July 16th, 2010 | Author: admin

Having been on the networking circuit now for just over 2 ½ years one of the mysteries I will never understand is why some networking groups have a “lock out” rule. By this they mean that if there is already a member in the networking group who provides a specific service another member in the same field of business cannot join. The theory behind this principle is that you will get all the business from the group instead of having to compete with a rival. It seems to me that there is something fundamentally flawed with this principle. It is basically – wrong! (said like a large bell ringing). Why? Because people buy people. As a small business we want to surround ourselves with business partners that we get on with, people who have similar understandings to our own and people we generally like doing business with.

If I join a networking group I want to be able to have choice. If I don’t have a choice then I will have to look outside of the network should I not particularly “click” with the only person in the room providing the service that I need.
The advantage of not adopting a “lock out” policy is all about the variety of characters you meet in the room – hopefully vibrant characters with their own little quirks and idiosyncrasies. How boring it would be to sit in a room where there is only one type of person from each field/service. Now when I say ‘how boring’ I must confess that I haven’t witnessed the situation personally because as I don’t agree with the principle I don’t join those types of group. I have however, often been at networking events where there have been over 5 or 6 Virtual Assistants in the room with each of us providing very different services but still under the banner of “Virtual Assistant”. When this happens, rather than feel threatened, it’s useful to find out what services your competitors actually undertake (that you might not) and use the situation to ask them if they would be willing to promote your services or form a collaboration – which in turn extends the services that you are able to provide.

I was recently contacted by a gentleman who was seeking the services of a Virtual Assistant providing all the services of a PA i.e. diary management, letters, flight bookings etc. As I don’t provide all the services he required I was pleased to be able to pass him on to another VA who does exactly what he was looking for – therefore providing a solution to his request. How disappointed he would have been if I had been the only VA in the group unable to provide the service he wanted!

There are, no doubt, some networking groups where this lock out practice may well work. For example in situations where the attendees are from large organisations and sending representatives on their behalf – so there is no point in having 3 or 4 reps from the same company. However as most networking groups are designed for small businesses let’s keep the new characters coming in and let’s keep the doors open to every sector – allowing everybody more freedom of choice.

Posted in Networking, On The Go Blog | Tags: Business, business partners, choice, collaboration, Networking, networking group, people, service, small businesses, Virtual Assistant | 2 Comments »

Self-employed and lonely? Get a life! – get networking!

June 4th, 2010 | Author: admin

There is something rather special and exciting about running your own business and being your own boss. If you previously worked as an employee then getting away from the usual 9-5 regime where every decision is being taken by your boss can be like being set free from a kind of prison. So what happens when we decide to go it alone? Most of us set up our own office (usually the spare room in the house or, in some cases, a converted shed in the garden) Then once our office is established we make sure we have all the necessary equipment to run the office; computer, phones, faxes, Skype access, headed paper, website etc.

OK, so now everything is in place. Now we need to find some customers! Gulp! So what do we do? Firstly we put an ad in the local paper, splash out on a glossy magazine advert, sign-up to on-line directories, tell friends to tell friends that we have set up our own business – and then wait for the orders to flood in. For some reason, whether through naivety or concern, we are shocked to realise that the phone doesn’t suddenly start ringing – so we move on to the next option – Networking! (Here are a few of my preferred networking groups – 4Networking – Business Village – Wiltshire Business Club – Business Scene).

This ‘Networking’ in itself brings on a hot flush (for us women) and perhaps an uncertain wariness for the men in so much as initially we don’t really know what to expect. Networking means talking to people face-to-face instead of on-line – and, let’s face it, although we might feel confident when we are saying what we feel via a keyboard, it’s very different when we have to look people in the eye to promote our business. We suddenly become very tongue tied – well at least I did!

When we work on our own we tend to become encased in our own little world producing endless post-notes, reminders and task lists and generally keeping busy just for the sake of being busy. In some cases we end up talking to ourselves because we don’t have anyone else to bounce ideas off and there are no office corners to huddle and talk in.

Well all I can say is thank goodness for Networking and on-line social networks! Attending Networking events is brilliant because it actually gets you out in front of people that may well be looking for the services that you can provide. Even if they don’t need your services right away they may provide something of use to you – or even someone you know. Either way you have made another valuable contact. Just by having to stand up and give your pitch, not only are you promoting your business but you are confirming to yourself out loud what it is you do. Suddenly you find that your social skills need to be brought back to life because you will get a direct response, whether positive or negative, and that is very useful.

On-line social networking provides instant access to companies, products and people. It is a global resource for meeting people, gaining knowledge and a first class medium for promoting your business as well as referring others. It is a life-line for the SME and sole trader enabling interactions each and every second of the day. In the old days we had “pen pals” but today we have on-line friends who keep us connected, not only socially, but through business too.

I have met some amazing people over the past couple of years who have helped me both in my business capacity as well as socially. These are friends that I would never have met had Networking face to face or on-line not been available.

So the message is very clear. Yes, working in isolation can have its pitfalls and the occasional sense of loneliness. But don’t despair. The world is still out there waiting for you and it has never been easier to communicate with thousands of like minded people through some inspiring face-to-face network forums or through on-line communities.

So get out there and join the revolution. I’ve already embraced it and believe me – it’s definitely worth doing!

Posted in On The Go Blog | Tags: 4Networking, Business, Business Scene, Business Village, Networking, on-Line communities, Skype, Social Networking, Wiltshire Business Club | No Comments »