TNNW BULLETIN, MARCH 2009, WEEK 4

Major Developments, Forward Motion, Events and Actionable Items.

March 23, 2009

Bulletin # 9

"PUTTING THE 'BULL' BACK INTO BULLETIN"

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I. LEFT JUSTIFICATION

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Greetings Friends, Colleagues, Featured Columnists, Bureau Chiefs (and their Bureau Indians), Subscribers, Members, Advertisers, Affiliates, Sponsors and Networkers.

We are delighted to announce that the Bulletin has been re-formatted to avoid centering headings, opting instead to put them on the left, where people are more likely to read and remember them. Interestingly, people also tend to prefer to see pictures and photos on the upper right-hand side of an article. This has to do with how our brains physically process and store certain types of information.

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No inference should be drawn about our politics, which are all across the board. We are all members of the International Networking Community, and our goal is to help each other to increase our financial and professional success.

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II. SPAM FILTER WARNING

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Our new Newsletter format will be featuring a greater number of illustrations, photographs, and hyperlinks, PLEASE...be certain to clear our mailing address with your spam filter so that we don't wind up in your spam box! I am constantly going through my spam box to retrieve important correspondence that people have sent to me -- but because of pictures and hyperlinks, these wind up in my spam filter. Even though I receive enough spam hourly to cater a VFW picnic, I comb through the filter to find these lost gems. Be certain that your spam filter settings allow us into your IN Box.

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III. CRUCIAL REMINDERS

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If you are have gotten a forwarded copy of this Newletter, please get your very own FREE subscription by 1) going to http://subscribetothenationalnetworker.blogspot.com/, and clicking a subscribe button, and 2) going to http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com/ and clicking on your choice of delivery by either RSS feed or dail EMAIL. You must choose one (or both) in order to get all of the news, opportunities, invitations and other communications between published weekly editions of the TNNW Newsletter.

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If you are already a Subscriber or a Member, PLEASE -- go to http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com/, and choose your delivery method immediately...RSS, EMAIL or both.

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IV. ADVERTISERS AND AFFILIATES

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Click on http://tnnw10.blogspot.com/ and have a look at what some of our advertisers and affiliates are offering. Their ads are posted here (with special terms and benefits for TNNW Subscribers), but will also be featured on every Newsletter, and on the revamped TNNW Website.

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These offerings are not to be confused with the services which we offer exclusively to our Members (see Site Index, which follows). It is worth upgrading from Subscriber to Membership just to take advantage of these amazing services...webcasts, broadcasts, podcasts, mini-interviews, press releases, publicity, text-messaging, and a host of others!

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V. ORIENTATION (SITES TO SEE!)

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TNNW now has in excess of a dozen (which is almost twelve!) blogpages and websites for you to be able to explore. Please save a copy of this BULLETIN on your heard drive, and explore each and all of our sites as soon as you have a moment. They are loaded with valuable information, newsfeeds (especially on http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com/), and service offerings to ensure your success. Don't miss out on a single one. The OMNIGADGET TOOL appears on many pages, and will help you to navigate about, in the event you get lost in the TNNW web. Here's a convenient site index tool:

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TNNW SITES: TITLES AND LINKS --

*INDEX/ SITEMAP http://tnnwindex.blogspot.com/
*ARTICLES, RSS FEEDS AND RELATIONSHIP CAPITAL TOOLKIT http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com/
*PRESS RELEASE, PUBLICITY AND PR SERVICES http://tnnw1.blogspot.com/
*TNNW MINI-INTERVIEWS SERVICE http://tnnw8.blogspot.com/
*ADVERTISEMENT AND ANNOUNCEMENT SERVICES http://tnnw9.blogspot.com/
*WEBINAR AND BROADCAST SERVICES http://tnnw3.blogspot.com/
*MEET OUR ADVERTISERS AND AFFILIATES http://tnnw10.blogspot.com/
*INTERNATIONAL AGENT/ DISTRIBUTOR SERVICES http://tnnw7.blogspot.com/
*MEMBERSHIP PAGE/ MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS http://tnnw2.blogspot.com/
*CUSTOM TEXT-MESSAGING SERVICES http://tnnw4.blogspot.com/
*CALENDAR OF EVENTS http://tnnw5.blogspot.com/
*TNNW IN THE NEWS! http://tnnw6.blogspot.com/
*TNNW SURVEYS http://thenationalnetworkersurveys.blogspot.com//
*WEBSITE http://www.thenationalnetworker.com
*WEBSITE/ INTERNAL BLOG http://thenationalnetworker.blogspot.com/
*THE TNNW OMNIGADGET http://thetnnwomnigadget.blogspot.com/
*LINK TO THE NATIONAL NETWORKER http://linktothenationalnetworker.blogspot.com/
*SUBSCRIBE TO THE NATIONAL NETWORKER http://subscribetothenationalnetworker.blogspot.com/

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Now go out and visit every site! Make yourself at home.

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VI. EXPANDING SUBSCRIBERSHIP - IT'S IN EVERYONE'S INTEREST

A copy of some recent correspondence follows. The part that seems to grab everyone's attention is the one that refers to "If you put a link to TNNW on your site, we'll put a link to your site on ours." That gets savvy ecommerce folks very excited. WE WILL HAVE 100,000 SUBSCRIBERS PRIOR TO THE CLOSE OF THIS YEAR.

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VII. MEMBER NEWS!

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THE NATIONAL NETWORKER (TNNW) is honored to invite you to a radio show featuring an interview with TNNW Member CHRISTINE SOTMARY, author of the newly-released and critically-acclaimed book LIVING ON THE VERGE OF INSANITY.

The show, hosted by Paul Morris, will be aired Wednesday, March 25th, from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm (Eastern Time) at www.blogtalkradio.com/the-self-bonding-hour.

You can order Christine’s book directly at http://christinesotmary.blogspot.com/.

More info?: Click for download http://www.mediafire.com/?ynnzgbgyk2m

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Member ELAINE INGIS has formally incorporated SENIOR MEETUP, LLC. and is aggressively commencing work on a website to be situated at http://www.srmeetup.com/. The site will serve the interests and needs of the growing generation of Baby Boomers over 60 years of age, and will be a membership-based community, serving the the New York metropolitan area.

Please take a look at Elaine's blog (which is currently under construction, but which is already capturing the flavor of BOOMERVILLE. Click on http://srmeetup.blogspot.com/ . You will be very impressed with what you see.

VIII. THE AGE OF THE ENTREPRENEUR/ NETWORKER

Networkers -- this is your time! This is our time! Read what follows, if you haven't already read it!

THE NEW AGE OF THE ENTREPRENEUR/ NETWORKER
Monday, March 09, 2009, 3:12:07 PM douglas.castle@yahoo.com (DOUGLAS CASTLE)
THE NEW AGE OF THE ENTREPRENEUR/ NETWORKER. Originally published by Douglas Castle in THE GLOBAL FUTURIST (3/09/09)

---Dear Friends:

There is no avoiding the cloud that hangs over us. We are in a deepening global economic recession -- a condition that touches all of us financially and emotionally. It forces us to change our plans, to conserve limited resources, to become increasingly introspective...to feel the twinge of our own smallness in the confines of a giant universe, and to re-examine our values and our very mortality. We become more internalized, less robotic and more frantic, if paralysis doesn't seize us first.

The bulk of the world's non-agricultural workforce is dependent upon either conventional private sector (corporate, institutional or professional) employment, or government work. During the course of the last ten years, an increasing percentage of the G-8 workforce has been absorbed into the conventional or governmental works. This is not surprising, as healthcare and other costs continue to rise, retirement becomes an increasingly expensive proposition and the economies associated with larger employers make it possible for them to cover the needs of these individuals far more economically than through individual arrangements. Employee benefits constitute an increasing percentage of employee compensation, as well as motivation. It is increasingly the perception of the masses that entrepreneurship is too fraught with uncertainty, long hours, and very hard work to be a sensible calling. As commoners, we flock to the time-honored protection of the "conventional career path."

The conventional career path, by definition, creates apathy in the crucial areas of entrepreneurial skills and disciplines. As I write these words, an indolent, dependent, uncultivated layer of "middle management" and labor is being displaced as their former protectors scramble for the protections afforded them by bankruptcy or government aid (I think that this is a swell euphemism for other terms such as "bailout," "welfare," "subsidy," or "bridge loan," which last term has actually come to mean a unilateral capital infusion without requirement of guarantees, collateral, constraints on application of proceeds, accountability, a plan for repayment, or an incentive for change in the status quo.").

When I recently discussed the notions of "companies that are too big to fail," and "the government's systematic and expected rewarding of poor corporate conduct with 'free' money," with a friend, she explained to me (in a kind, but slightly condescending manner), "but Douglas, we have no options!" I disagree.

I believe that as long as we are alive we have options. The very perception of "no options" is either paralytic, or is apt to cause very poor, short-term decision making.

A world of displaced, emotionally devastated and fiscally insolvent "worker bees" have been let down by a system that had to fail. They do not know how to promote, to build, to innovate, to re-invent themselves, to run businesses and to network beyond their cronies at the office. These brothers and sisters are in deep trouble -- and no one can just bail them out. They must be re-tooled to be entrepreneurial, networking vital people.

As entrepreneurs and networkers, as globalists and futurists, we must help them to find new ways to survive...to restore their finances, to develop a sense of purpose and a successful attitude, and to rediscover and activate their skills.This is now the AGE OF THE ENTREPRENEUR/NETWORKER. We need to re-dedicate ourselves to be more entrepreneurial, more imaginative, more innovative and more efficient networkers and socializers than ever before.

Now is our time. And if we are kind, we are ethically obligated to help create hopes and opportunities for those less fortunate persons who fell under the thrall of the conventional career path. I am recommending (strongly), that we, each of us, forward this article to everyone whom we know.

Now is the time to spread the word, build membership, circle our wagons, and to come out fighting!

As stated previously: THE FUTURE WILL NOT MAKE US -- WE WILL MAKE THE FUTURE. AMEN.

.....FURTHER, WE WILL BUILD THIS FUTURE TOGETHER...AS A COMMUNITY, AS A "COUNTRY" UNTO OURSELVES, AND AS A CIRCLE OF DEDICATED, LOYAL FRIENDS...WHEN WE ARE 100,000 SUBSCRIBERS STRONG, IT IS OUR INTENTION TO MAKE OUR MOST VALUED PARTICIPANTS INTO STAKEHOLDERS.... A TRUE INTERNATIONAL DEMOCRACY, AND WITH ADVANCEMENT BASED UPON MERIT.....The prospects for our combined prosperity, quality of life and achievement are mind-boggling! Come with us.

We Invite you to enjoy the wonderful and informative articles which follow.

With very best regards to and for all of us,

Adam J. Kovitz
Douglas Castle

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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER.

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TNNW BULLETIN, MARCH 2009, WEEK 4

TEAMWORK: BUILDING TEAMS THAT WORK: Who Will Lead?

Teamwork: Building Teams That Work with Douglas Castle

Dear Readers:

Teams are cooperative units constructed of persons with complementary skills who are each and all working toward the attainment of a common objective -- whether that objective is to build subscribership of 100,000 in readers for a fabulous publication and resources provider (I will not use any names here, and in particular, I shall make no mention of "THE NATIONAL NETWORKER," "TNNW," "We ARE Networking," at all -- I treasure subtlety and discretion, and seek to exemplify these attributes at every opportunity), or building a toolshed.


While the skills of each of the members are indeed critical, as is their ability to interrelate and focus on the mission at hand rather than on personal or irrelevant issues, every team requires a leader to serve as its person of ultimate responsibility and coherent and cohesive focus. Without leadership, entropy (disorder) can rapidly destroy teams that comprised of even the finest participants.


It is critical to understand some of the most significant attributes of a leader, and I've provided a quick summary of what these are. If you do not personally embody these attributes, you should not lead, and you should find a replacement who better "fits the guidelines." In exceptional cases when we are dealing with a very determined individual, many of the attributes of leadership can be developed through diligent training. Some interesting "shortcut tools" to becoming a better leader can be found at http://www.internalenergyplus.com/ .

At any rate, becoming a better leader requires becoming a better person, and a better personal example.

What is required and expected of every leader:

1. Clarity of vision, and the ability to explain and assist others in seeing that vision;

2. Passion for the mission...a dedication to the mission objective over any personal concerns;

3. Absolute, laser-like focus on the mission objective;

4. Constancy and reliability -- the ability to exhibit stability under pressure;

5. Maturity -- no childishness;

6. Decisiveness -- the ability to make clear, defined decisions, and to be certain that all members are aware of their respective roles and responsibilities in any decision which affects the attainment of the mission objective -- leadership involves tough choices;

7. Communicative Ability --A leader must be able to clearly and concisely put his or her thoughts into words, and to help others visualize the mission objective;

8. Integrity -- A leader who either cannot be trusted or who is a hypocrite will lose the respect of the team and foment desertion or rebellion;

9. Tenacity -- a leader is not permitted the luxury of weakening in his or her resolve to succeed;

10. The ability to listen, as well as to speak. Every Member has a need to be heard, understood and appreciated;

11. Assumption of command and authority -- a leader who is reticent, hesitant or skittish about his or her assumption of the role of leadership will fail;

12. Professionalism -- subversion of the personal ego (but not necessarily the personality) to the promoting, monitoring and leadership of the team toward the successful achievement of the mission objective.

It pays to develop your leadership skills and to keep them sharp. Ironically, true leaders can indeed make excellent teammates, provided that the ground rules and roles are clearly understood at the outset of the mission.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle

DOUGLAS CASTLE

THE NATIONAL NETWORKER- We Are Networking

BRAINTENANCE - Stay Razor Sharp
INTERNAL ENERGY PLUS - Human Potential
THE INTERNATIONALIST PAGE
THE GLOBAL FUTURIST
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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER.

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TEAMWORK: BUILDING TEAMS THAT WORK: Who Will Lead?

POWER THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Networking Power Self-Assessment, Part 4

Power Thought of the Week with Patricia Parham, Ph.D.

Visibility

How “visible” are you in your networks? Do you occupy a place of prestige and honor or do you reside in the rank and file? What have you done to make yourself “known”? What could you do to increase your visibility? Describe the leadership positions that you have taken. Once you are in the right networks, act to ensure that the spotlight shines on you in a way that shows your products and services to their best advantage. Be creative and help people to think positively and talk about you!

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POWER THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Networking Power Self-Assessment, Part 4

THE STRESS OF SUCCESS: Perspective is Key to Building Connections

The Stress of Success with Sifu Cinda Hocking, LMSW

We operate within many types of interconnected systems. Our planet is part of a solar system, and the earth is web of diverse living biological systems, social networks, organizations, and internet communities, to name a few. From our largest all-encompassing systems to our smallest personal relationships, there exists a multitude of intersecting and overlapping points.

One of the factors that most influences an individual’s ability to recognize, explore and develop their connections with others is simply what lens they are looking through, what perspective they choose to use in their search.

When we look at something through a microscope we see the details: we may notice how similar the building blocks are that make everything around and within us, but we also are able to see how the smallest differences in these building blocks can drastically alter appearance and functioning. The danger in this perspective is that all our differences can get magnified.

When we look through a telescope, we see the big picture we are all enmeshed in. This viewpoint can make the small differences seem far less important. Our focus may shift from the unique expressions of individual elements to the laws and principles that guide the whole. The danger in this perspective is that important small differences can be overlooked or minimized.

When we look at what is right in front of us through our eyes we see our routine everyday connections in our family, community, and workplace. It is tempting to think this perspective is the most accurate because it is the one we experience most frequently. It is the world as we are accustomed to seeing it. Our activities of daily living are the focus from this perspective. The danger in this perspective is that our vision can get a bit blurred so we only see what we expect to see, and resist anything that doesn’t fit.

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All these perspectives provide valuable information, and all create limitations when used alone. When you are creating and cultivating connections with others you need to understand what makes you the same, AND what makes you different. What makes you the same gives you a frame of reference, a common language and, ideally, a bond of shared experience. What makes you different gives you what you can learn from each other, what there is of value you can exchange, and how the relationship can contribute to mutual growth.

Ask yourself if you have been limiting your connections to those who are most similar to you. This group is comfortable and easy to be with, and it feels good to communicate and reflect shared values, ideas, and topics with them. This group is an important support network to have while building your skills, but they will not teach you to communicate with those whose life experience is substantially different.

Look for the links you have with those whose lives are different than yours. These links do exist, and can provide a foundation to build ongoing relationships. However, it is equally important to discover what there is of value to be shared in the differences between you. What do you need to learn from each other and what can you each provide in the relationship? In networking, you need to work to realize where the differences and diversity can be used to build something new, build bridges, and build something mutually beneficial.

Put on your microscope, your telescope and your glasses. They all provide you with information. Used together, they can provide an integrated view that creates amazing relationships.

Cinda Hocking, LMSW
Wellness Counselor and Internal Energy Plus Consultant
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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER.



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THE STRESS OF SUCCESS: Perspective is Key to Building Connections

U.S. MID-ATLANTIC: Beltway Networking - An Evolving Business Networking Site

by Bruce Newman, U.S. Mid-Atlantic Bureau Chief
(New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington, DC)

I recently ran across Beltway Networking, a rapidly evolving business networking site that covers three states (Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia). With over 3,000 members, it is growing rapidly and constantly adding new functionality to its site. For this article, I spoke with its enthusiastic and dedicated founder, Chris Doerr. To Chris’s credit, he preferred that I focus on the site and its capabilities and minimize his role in its creation and development.

Chris, when did you start Beltway Networking?

Beltway Networking was launched on February 14, 2007 – Valentine’s Day. The launch date has nothing to do with my love for networking, it was just a coincidence. I wanted to launch on a Monday and February 14th was a Monday.

What was your motivation to create the site?

There are so many networking groups in the Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia area that I found myself spending a lot of time visiting many different websites to find events I wanted to attend. In some instances, I even missed networking events because I found out about them after the fact. To solve this problem, I created Beltway Networking – a central site where all networkers can visit and discover their next networking opportunity.

What is the main function of the site?

The main function of the site is our event calendars. We provide three separate calendars: one for DC, Maryland and Virginia. This allows visitors to search for events by geographic location. Along with the calendars, we also provide business articles, tips on networking and connecting with other members through our Networker’s Forum. All of this information and services are available at no cost to all our members.

Why is your membership free?

One of the main goals behind networking is providing a resource for all members and a dependable means to obtain quality referrals. It is our belief that people should not be charged for that referral; doing so would violate our operating paradigm as a free resource for all networkers.

Chambers of Commerce are notoriously reticent about listing their events with external sites – sites that are not their own. Did you also find that to be the case?

Yes, we did. Chambers were slow at first to use our site. However, having now been around for more than two years, Chambers have increasingly used it to promote their events and increase attendance.

It is also important to note that we’re not in competition with any Chamber, business group or lead share for two reasons. Most importantly, we don’t host our own events. Secondly, we support all business networking opportunities by promoting them as best we can.

Beltway Networking is a useful resource for any organization conducting a network event – and it’s a free service. Event postings stay up forever – one feature that helps distinguish us from other event listing sites.

Do you do any follow-up of events to measure their success?

We don’t do any event follow-up for several reasons. First, that would be judgmental, certainly not where we want to be. Second, how do you even define success? It’s very subjective. If one person comes away from an event with two excellent contacts, they may consider the event to be highly successful even if it was sparsely attended.

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While we don’t evaluate the events, last year we conducted our first ever Networking Group of the Year contest. This was an open competition for all networking groups and Chambers of Commerce. Nominations were submitted by our members during the month of October. In November, the ballot was posted on our site and members were allowed to submit their vote for one of the nominees. Out of 26 nominated networking groups competing for the award, BNI Maryland received the most votes.

Besides the calendar of events, what other functionality do you provide?

Our goal for Beltway Networking is to be the ultimate resource tool for business networkers. We offer several useful functions that we are constantly improving and new capabilities to help our members. Visitors to the site can gain expert advice on networking, learn about why and how they should network, and read articles written by some outstanding professionals.

In these trying economic times, people are increasingly looking to use social networks as a part of their employment search. To help them, we offer free job postings and position wanted ads on our site. Similar to the event calendars, a job posting or position wanted ad will remain on the site until the poster gets a job, the position is filled or the poster asks us to remove it.

We also offer a Networker’s Forum. This allows members to chat with one another to ask questions, share leads or offer networking advice.

Visitors to our site can also select our recommended Book of the Month to gain further knowledge on networking and business.

That is quite a number of functions. Since they are all free, how do you generate income?

We generate income from several sources including advertising. We’re very grateful to our advertisers.

Another area that generates income is a section on the site called Rent for Your Event. For a small fee, businesses can promote their goods and services to inform the networking community about their offerings and how they support networking events.

Finally, we have established an affiliate relationship with Amazon.com for our Book of the Month.

Do you plan on expanding your coverage into additional states?

Not at this time. First, we’re very busy expanding the site’s capabilities and reaching out to the many networking groups in our demographic region. Second, we need to be more profitable before we can seriously consider expanding.

What are your site analytics?

We average over 3,000 unique visitors a month. That’s very good considering we have only been around for two years and we’re in a niche market with a limited geographic footprint. What is interesting is that on average, visitors click through 14 pages of content on each visit – significantly greater that the industry average. That really says a lot about the value of the content and service we provide.

In the two years you have been in operation, have you noticed any changes in technology?

We have noticed a huge increase in two social media sites: Facebook and Twitter. Currently, we use Facebook extensively, almost like a second website. We have over 2,000 Facebook friends and we use this site to provide them with a listing of upcoming events and our featured articles. Our Twitter presence is small but growing. We are still trying to figure out how we can leverage Twitter to increase our exposure and connect with more people.

What additional functions do you envision on Beltway Networking in the near future?

We want to make Beltway Networking a positive experience in which people constantly access the site for information about a multitude of things. Think about all the stages involved with networking and events – that’s what we want to address.

Having a goal of being the ultimate resource for business networkers is aggressive, but it is one we can achieve.

Chris Doerr can be reached at beltwaynetworking@beltwaynetworking.com Their website url is: http://www.beltwaynetworking.com/ .

An Announcement
The Productivity Institute’s (PI) Newsletter has just passed 5,000 opt-in readers! We’re growing incredibly rapidly. Why? Because each content-driven edition is designed to help business become more productive and contains at least five articles by writers with different areas of expertise. To receive to this free, opt-in/opt-out newsletter in which Content is King, subscribe here. Maybe you could even write an article for us. To view the current newsletter, click here.

Bruce Newman, a consultant guru is the mid-Atlantic editor for The National Networker and the Vice President at The Productivity Institute, LLC which matches the consulting needs of companies to the expertise of rated outstanding consultants. Rated outstanding consultants provide excellent value and productivity – in both the short and long term. Finding consultants can be a very time consuming job and once you find one, how do you know how good they are? At The Productivity Institute, we do the work for you - at no cost to you! And, we constantly rate our consultants to ensure that their work remains outstanding. Find us at: http://www.prodinst.com/ .
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U.S. MID-ATLANTIC: Beltway Networking - An Evolving Business Networking Site

THE CONNECTED BRAND: Creating Community, Build Your Tribe

The Connected Brand with Maria Elena Duron

I am the moderator of BRANDCHAT. A fast paced, streaming interactive conversation that happens every week via Twitter. We chat of everything about branding and drill down to the specifics that focus on the human factor of branding – be it for an individual, soloprenuer, professional, small business owner or corporation wanting to ensure that their employees deliver on the corporate brand promise with authenticity.

In the chat, we “high five”, challenge each other’s beliefs, share resources along with knowledge and change minds and have our mind’s changed. Another great chat I participate in is JOURNCHAT, a conversation between journalists, bloggers, editors and PR agencies and people. It’s a great place to find out from the sources themselves what the challenges, tips, discussions and focuses are of newsrooms everywhere.

I love that we are in a hyper-connected time where we can reach across borders, time zones, cultures and communities to interact with someone with common goals, the same frame of reference, values with common ground and common interests. And, while there are as many subgroups as there are stars in the heavens those splinters of groups gather together even in greater numbers using the tools that new technology bestows.

To “connect by doing” does not mean to confuse activity with accomplishment and one also must be cautious to think that connecting means having “great numbers” of followers, friends, or links. Great connections have to do with quality of the interaction, relationship and trust.

No longer can we measure ROI (return on investment) by mere numbers of page views, customer counts or eyeballs. We now look deeper into the quality of the relationship and the length of interaction. Thus, we see even the “big brands” creating communities of customers and contacts and listening to their conversation instead of only broadcasting theirs.

How can you create your community?

First, decide who your community consists of.

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Next, develop a strategy around where your community already is. Where do they spend time? Is there a place that they are at or reviewing in great numbers?

Decide on the tools to reach them. It could be:

• A newsletter
• A networking event
• Monthly meet-ups or tweet-ups
• A Ning.com or SocialGo.com community
• A tweetchat room with a weekly conversation
• A tweetgrid focus for conversation
• A Facebook group
• A Facebook fan page
• A Facebook business page
• A LinkedIn group
• An online of offline forum

Now, be the great facilitator for them by fostering conversations, listening intently, and providing resources. Now, is not the time for presenting – it is the time for being present.

Author:
Maria Elena Duron is chief buzz agent & identity coach of buzz2bucks | a personal branding + word of mouth firm. and blogs about connecting your personal brand and SMART Connections. She is also the creator and moderator of brandchat: a live streaming branding discussion on twitter. Follow her on Twitter for daily updates or connect with her on Facebook.

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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER.



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THE CONNECTED BRAND: Creating Community, Build Your Tribe

CANADA: Life on MaRS -- A New Way to Network in Toronto for Technology and Social Entrepreneurs

by Kensel Tracy, Canadian Bureau Chief

Welcome to life at MaRS, one of Canada’s most unique networking organizations, which is now starting to redefine how networking is changing from individuals trying to find individuals, to groups of individuals trying to help each other all in a common way? This is the way they network; at MaRs.

MaRS is a non-profit innovation centre connecting science, technology and social entrepreneurs with business skills, networks and capital to stimulate innovation and accelerate the creation and growth of successful Canadian enterprises.
MaRS connects the communities of science, business and capital and fosters collaboration among them.

Networking happens physically since research labs, companies of all sizes, business advisors, investors and professional services are all located within the MaRS Centre and then networking is supported broadly through hands-on, advisory services, special events, entrepreneurial programming and through structured networks and an expanding electronic community. In this process, there are many opportunities for entrepreneurs to network, share ideas, combine talents and to support one another to learn and grow.


Located in Toronto’s Discovery District, (two square kilometres that have been designated as the city’s centre of innovation) the MaRS Centre is the gateway to Canada’s largest concentration of scientific research, anchored by major teaching hospitals, the University of Toronto and more than two dozen affiliated research institutes. The Centre is also close to the Bay Street financial district, provincial legislature, key government organizations, arts and cultural attractions.

MaRS is not an acronym. It was originally a file name and the words "Medical and Related Sciences" were later attributed to it. Since MaRS promotes the convergence of a full range of science and technology disciplines, they dropped “Medical and Related Sciences” from their name so now it’s just MaRS. MaRS is also part of many networks and consortia, but it did not emanate from any pre-existing partnership. MaRS is a new and autonomous entity.

MaRS Advisory Services lies at the heart of its mission. It helps Ontario-based companies commercialize early-stage innovations in information and communications technology, nanotechnology and clean tech, life sciences, med-tech and beyond. MaRS also helps a range of social entrepreneurs build and grow their businesses and to generate specific social or environmental benefits as well as revenue.

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Their team of professionals includes experienced entrepreneurs, tech-savvy strategists and market analysts who work with hundreds of clients across Ontario. They offer advice, including business strategy, investor readiness and mentorship, education and through a range of MaRS-produced events. This also includes peer-to-peer offerings and their flagship the CIBC presents Entrepreneurship 101 program. Other services include market Research, which provides access to a range of proprietary databases and skilled market analysts and money, through funding from Ontario’s Ministry of Research and Innovation for business projects and investments of up to $500,000 in seed capital.

MaRS can also help businesses prepare for and provide contacts to angel networks and other venture capitalists. MaRS advisors deliver this range of services in-house through MaRS as well as through the: market Readiness Program (MRP) – a provincially funded partnership assisting entrepreneurial technology companies to accelerate their business growth and Social Innovation Generation (SiG) – a national partnership helping social innovators cultivate organizations, initiatives and companies in Canada.

So if you are a science, technology or social entrepreneur in Canada and wanting to meet a network of individuals, to start, grow, or build a business, it makes perfect sense --- just go to MaRS.

For more information or to contact MaRS, phone 416,673-8100 or email, marsdiscoverydistrict@marsdd.com.

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Kensel Tracy is a Senior Partner and The Marketing Coach with the Corporate Coachworkz Inc. a professional marketing and coaching company located in Ottawa Ontario and Chelsea, Quebec. Kensel is also President of Business over Breakfast
(BoB Clubs) of North America a face to face breakfast business networking and referral organization expanding throughout North America.

If you have an interesting story on networking in Canada, he can be reached at kenselt@sympatico.ca


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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER.



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CANADA: Life on MaRS -- A New Way to Network in Toronto for Technology and Social Entrepreneurs

POWER THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Networking Power Self-Assessment, Part 3

Power Thought of the Week with Patricia Parham, Ph.D.

Referrals

You know that people understand your business when they make referrals. These are based on familiarity and trust – trust that you will deliver the quality of products and services promised dependably. Close relationships with members in your network lead to referent power, e.g., you gain from the reputation of those with whom you associate and they gain from being associated with you. Be a wise choice and choose wisely, for it is true that “birds of a feather, flock together.”
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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER. To subscribe for your free newsletter, go to www.TheNationalNetworker.com. For the complete National Networker Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free, continuous RSS feed (available either by traditional RSS or by direct email), go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com. You are also invited to click our buttons:


Forward/Share This Article With Colleagues And Social Media:

POWER THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Networking Power Self-Assessment, Part 3