Marketing Vocabulary
Who recommended: Cristina Favreau
, The Savvy Entrepreneur
What I am reading: Get Clients Now by C.J. Hayden
Where in the book: page 31
Why I am reading: To make the most of my marketing
Which quote: “Prospects are people you attract using a visibility strategy…Contacts are people you meet through outreach strategies like networking…leads are people you identify through research…referrals are people who are referred to you by contacts, clients and others.”
How this quote adjusted my thinking:
Prospects, contacts, leads, referrals…I thought they were one and the same. Can you tell I do not have an MBA? Or a business background for that matter! I did learn how to organize my actions to handle each category. For example, I learned that when I participate in a business online showcase I am attracting prospects. When I exchange contact information with someone on LinkedIn, I am networking. I am collecting referrals when I follow up with someone you recommend. This was a tremendous help to me.
Networking that works…
Who recommended: Lynne Waymon
What I am reading: Make Your Contacts Count (Networking Know-How For Business and Career Success) by Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon
Where in the book: page 21
Why I am reading: Learning how to network. Cause believe me, I have no CLUE!
Which quote: “Give without strings, without expectations of getting-that is the way to create a network that works.”
How this quote adjusted my thinking:
I stumble on this quote. I think I understand what she is saying. She is saying if you go to a networking event where the only reason you would give is so you will get in return. What makes me grapple with this quote is I am the type of person that always gives without expectation. At what point do I cut my losses because I am giving more than I receive? I struggle with finding balance on this theory.
Not as a customer…
Who recommended: Cristina Favreau, The Savvy Entrepreneur
What I am reading: Get Clients Now by C.J. Hayden
Where in the book: page 26
Why I am reading: To make the most of my marketing
Which quote: “How do clients usually select a service like mine?’ If your immediate answer is ‘by referral,’ you will probably find advertising to be a waste of money.”
How this quote adjusted my thinking:
There are moments when I think: “I should advertises like that!” As I glance at the slick ad that caught my eye, I ask myself, “Did the company who paid for the ad get my business?” My response is almost always no. If advertising does not effect me when I am a customer, then what makes me think advertising will benefit my business?
Network Before You Have To…
Who recommended: Lynne Waymon
What I am reading: Make Your Contacts Count (Networking Know-How For Business and Career Success) by Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon
Where in the book: page 19
Why I am reading: Learning how to network. Cause believe me, I have no CLUE!
Which quote: “Absolutely the worst time to begin networking is when you need to-after you decide to changed jobs or lose your job.”
How this quote adjusted my thinking:
I can see how this would be true. If people sense you are desperate they are wary that you are networking for one purpose. Once you reach your goal-obtaining a job-you will move on. Then people feel used. You got what you wanted and did not stay to help others. However, when you network before you need the job you get the opportunity to showcase your skills, invest in the group by helping others and you prove yourself.
It’s all about strategy…
Who recommended: Cristina Favreau
, The Savvy Entrepreneur
What I am reading: Get Clients Now by C.J. Hayden
Where in the book: page 17
Why I am reading: To make the most of my marketing
Which quote: “Every strategy is made up of one or more tactics, or to put it another way, you use specific tactics to execute a chosen strategy.”
How this quote adjusted my thinking:
This quote resonated with me because I feel like I am blindly selecting things to do. I know I am supposed to be marketing so I just pick something. I do things randomly. I never give a thought to the effectiveness or the impact.
Evaluating the definition of Networking
Who recommended: Lynne Waymon
What I am reading: Make Your Contacts Count (Networking Know-How For Business and Career Success) by Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon
Where in the book: page 17
Why I am reading: Learning how to network. Cause believe me, I have no CLUE!
Which quote: “Networking is the deliberate process of exchanging information, resources, support, and access in such a way as to create mutually beneficial relationships for personal and professional success.”
How this quote adjusted my thinking:
I like starting with a definition because all too often I march into a situation thinking I know what I am doing only later to find out I could have had more positive results if I had understood the definition. For example, marketing. I thought marketing was making a logo, buying some advertising and calling it a day. I have since learned “marketing is telling people what you do over and over.” (I learned that from C.J. Hayden’s book Get Clients Now)
So networking to me is a time when I have to listen to one sales pitch after another. I think of a networking event as a chance to see a new product, learn about a new book in a presentation format. In other words, I am in the audience and I am watching a demonstration.
I never thought of networking as a deliberate process. I never thought of networking as a support group. Now, I am intrigued to learn more about what networking really encompasses.
Advertising v. Marketing
Who recommended: Cristina Favreau , The Savvy Entrepreneur
What I am reading: Get Clients Now by C.J. Hayden
Where in the book: page 17
Why I am reading: To make the most of my marketing
Which quote: “If you are wondering whether to plunk down a large sum of money for an ad special, ask first what that money would buy if you spent it on promoting yourself as a public speaker.”
How this quote adjusted my thinking:
I thought all marketing was advertising. I thought it was a matter of choosing which advertising you were going to buy. However, this made me realize there is a difference. You can advertise on a broad impersonal level or you can market on a selected personal level.
Oh Geez..My networking skills are less then desireable
Who recommended: Lynne Waymon
What I am reading: Make Your Contacts Count (Networking Know-How For Business and Career Success) by Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon
Where in the book: page 15
Why I am reading: Learning how to network. Cause believe me, I have no CLUE!
Which quote: “If you find that you were stymied by a majority of the statements, you may decide to start at the beginning of this book and read straight through to the end.”
How this quote adjusted my thinking: I will read the book from cover to cover instead of jumping from chapter to chapter. I completed all the assessments in Chapter 1 and my networking skills are below average. “Being Strategic” and “Observing Netiquette” are the areas where I need the most improvement. Almost every answer of mine was in the 20% – rarely range.
Let us see…
When “Observing Netiquette”
I rarely discover reasons to hand out my business card.
I rarely figure out a way to give my business card. However, I frequently figure out a way to get someone’s business card.
Sometimes I am able to sense when I can talk about what I can offer.
Rarely am I comfortable joining a group of people who are already talking.
I always consciously work at talking only about 50% of the time.
I frequently find interesting ways to say thank you when someone gives me a resource or referral.
If a contact doe not reciprocate, I rarely am able to skillfully and tactfully point out how she can help me.
When “Being Strategic”
I rarely have a strategic plan for my networking efforts in each organization I belong to.
Sometimes I will join an organization because of my strategic business/career development plan.
(Now this assessment questions was a real eye opener. I do not even have a business plan – never mind it being strategic or developmental.)
Frequently before I attend an event, I will think of specific resources/tips/trends I have to offer people I will see there.
Rarely do I initiate a networking meeting.
Rarely do I let people know the types of problems I can solve, so they refer exactly the right kinds of opportunities to me.
Rarely am I comfortable telling my contacts what I want or need.
Looks like I have some goals established for myself!
A comment about posting a pic on your business web site…
Who recommended: Cristina Favreau
, The Savvy Entrepreneur
What I am reading: Get Clients Now by C.J. Hayden
Where in the book: page 14
Why I am reading: To make the most of my marketing
Which quote: “People do business with people they know like and trust.”
How this quote adjusted my thinking:
I have heard this phrase used a lot lately. The snake oil salespeople of internet marketing want to sell “techniques” to fast track this process. For example, some internet marketers will say put your picture on your web site. You know, so people will “know, like and trust you.” However, I think you should consider the other side of the issue before you take that advice. When I visit a website and the first thing that greets me is the artificial, perfectly aligned, perfectly white toothed smile of the owner of the website I immediately think the owner is arrogant. They put themselves first. They put themselves before the visitor of the website. They put themselves before their business. I am at their website because of their business NOT because of who they are. Trust me, I click away as fast as I can.
Please do not get me wrong. There is a place for the website owner’s picture. If I choose to click on the “About Us” link or the owner’s profile or bio, then I do not mind a professional picture. I think it is appropriate because at my click on the “About Us” link I have chosen to get to “know, like and trust” you.
My starting point…
Who recommended: Lynne Waymon
What I am reading: Make Your Contacts Count (Networking Know-How For Business and Career Success) by Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon
Where in the book: page 8
Why I am reading: Learning how to network. Cause believe me, I have no CLUE!
Which quote: “You have limited hours and dollars to spend in the marketplace, and – without a plan – you’ll sink down into aimless activity that doesn’t amount to anything.”
How this quote adjusted my thinking:
This is my starting point. I feel like I am engaging in aimless activity. Honestly, I am not sure what I have to show for it. I am reading Make Your Contacts Count so I can develop a plan for more productive or meaningful networking. Having a plan will make my progress towards my goal happen in larger steps instead of the baby steps I am taking now.
Lara Nieberding 