Your Secret Weapon

Mastering the Membership Maze with Glen Gould

Perhaps the best-connected people at the chamber of commerce are the staff members. Being top of mind with the chamber staff can be your secret weapon in success. Read on!

Have you ever noticed that there are some members of chambers of commerce and other business associations that just seem to get all the attention from staff? These special few seem to get all the accolades, all the recognition, and yes, all the referrals. How does this happen?

To be certain some of this attention goes to those members who have longevity; they have been members for a long time. Some attention goes to those who are new as well and some goes to those who have been the most active recently. There is one way that you can leap past all these peers and land in a class all your own. This is your secret weapon. It's the power of a referral.

Often times we forget that the chamber is a business not unlike ours in many ways. Every business has the same goal: Attract, convert and retain customers. Chambers call their customers members. And chambers are always looking for new members.

Chambers are subject to many of the challenges small businesses face. They need a steady stream of prospects in the pipeline, they need new customers coming on board, they need to retain their customers, and all the while they need to deliver an outstanding product. A great membership experience is their great product.

When you give the chamber staff a referral, you have given them the life-blood of their business. You've also given them a valuable vote of confidence in the service they are providing. What you may not consider is that you are also giving the company you referred an excellent opportunity to grow their business. When you refer clients you show them you are thinking of them and how you can bring more value to them.

If you put a plan in place to regularly provide qualified referrals to the chamber staff, you will find that you will always be on their mind when referral opportunities arise. Those members who enjoy the chamber and refer their business contacts, vendors, and associates to the chamber find that their success grows exponentially. Give the chamber referrals and watch your business grow!

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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER. To subscribe for your free newletter, go to www.TheNationalNetworker.com. For the complete National Networker Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free RSS feed, go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com.
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Your Secret Weapon

Don’t Shotgun Your Sales Message…Sharpshoot It Instead!

Networking Success with Dr. Ivan Misner
Ivan's section is sponsored by qAlias.com

You may perform a wide variety of services or offer a broad range of products to your customers, but for a referral, your description of what you do should be narrow and detailed, focused on a single aspect of your business. Yes, you may offer the most elaborate assortment of office furnishings available in your part of the state, but that doesn’t mean much to the prospect who is looking for a truckload of one specific type of high-tech desk for a new technology company.

Your referral sources will find it much easier to get you an appointment with a prospect if you have provided information that will help them address the prospect’s specific needs. You’re an office-furniture wholesaler? No help. One of your specialties is custom-designed, made-to-order desks, shelves, and file cabinets in large lots? Bingo. You’ve snagged an appointment.

It seems counterintuitive, but in reality, the more laser-specific you are, the more likely you are to get referrals. People tend to say they “do everything,” because they want to catch everyone. They want to throw as broad a net as possible. The problem with a really broad net is that there are big holes in it. When you say, “I’m a full-service printer; I do everything,” that doesn’t mean anything to your prospects, or to those who refer you to them. What they’re thinking is, I don’t need a full-service job. All I need is a particular kind of print job. If I’ve come down with a serious illness, it doesn’t help me much to know that there are three hospitals in town. What I really want to know is, in which hospital will I find the specialist who can cure me?

When you tell a referral partner you’re a full-service provider, you’re asking her to mentally sort out all the people she knows and cross tabulate what they do against all the things you do. That does not work; people aren’t computers. Yes, a referral partner needs to know the full range of products or services that you deal in—eventually. But more immediately, she needs to know with some precision the specific needs you can fulfill, because that is what the customer is focused on in any given instance.

If you say, “Who do you know who is a sports enthusiast? Here’s how he can use my product,” then you’re letting your referral source do a simple, easier kind of mental sorting. The more you can educate people about different things that you do—one at a time—the more likely you are to get referrals in the long run. And getting referrals in a specific area doesn’t mean you can’t continue to offer other products or services.

When operating in a referral network of some type, your immediate goal is not to close a sale…but to train a sales force. You’re training people to refer you, and saying that you’re a full-service provider and that you do everything doesn’t train anybody at all. You wouldn’t tell a salesperson for your company, “Just tell them we do it all.” You need to be as specific as possible. As a specialist, you can more easily articulate to your referral sources what you do and how you do it, and they can in turn articulate it more readily to other people. Saying that you “do everything” sounds desperate—as though you have to do it all because you’re not successful in any one area.

Someone who professes to be a generalist, who “does everything,” is not only less likely to get good referrals—she’s also likely to be considered a “relationship assassin” within her referral group. Suppose an insurance agent who’s just joined your group comes up to you and says, “I can cover all of your insurance needs. I have life insurance, medical insurance, auto, home, business, and every other kind of insurance you’ll ever need. I’d like to be your one-stop insurance shop.” But you already have coverage from five or six different agents, most of whom you have solid business and personal relationships with. What she’s asking you to do is dump all your relationships and replace them with one relative unknown—herself.

A better approach for her would be to say to you, “I’m a life-insurance agent who specializes in executive benefits, specifically for tradespeople. My passion, in my insurance practice, is to deliver executive-benefits packages to owners and managers of contracting firms so that they’re able to retire effectively with tax-protected investments and be able to sell that business.” In this way, she’s addressing a specific need you may have, but she’s not trying to assassinate all of your long-standing relationships. She’s presenting herself as an expert in an area where you need expert advice, rather than a generalist with broad but superficial knowledge.

You may still not be convinced that narrowing your focus is a good idea. You may be thinking that, if you present yourself as a specialist, you are limiting your potential referrals and your future business; that is, you can’t do business outside your niche. The truth is, whether you’re a true specialist or a generalist presenting yourself as a specialist in order to facilitate easy referral, you’re not limiting yourself by doing so. People are actually more likely to refer a specialist than a generalist.

If you’re like most specialists, although you generally do only one or a few kinds of business, you can still offer many other products or services that are closely related. Yes, you’ve narrowed down your business to the things you like to do or are able to do best, or that bring you the most profit, but you can do other things as well. And one good way to attract long-term business is by stepping outside your niche and taking on the occasional odd job that can win you a loyal customer for future business.

One last point: If you sell everything, you’re not selling on value; you’re selling on price. That makes you a provider of commodities. And that strategy can work for you—but only if you’re Wal-Mart.

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Called the “Father of Modern Networking” by CNN, Dr. Ivan Misner is a New York Times bestselling author. He is the Founder and Chairman of BNI (www.bni.com), the world’s largest business networking organization. His latest book, the 29% Solution can be viewed at www.29PercentSolution.com. Dr. Misner is also the Senior Partner for the Referral Institute, an international referral training company (www.referralinstitute.com). He can be reached at misner@bni.com.

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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER. To subscribe for your free newletter, go to www.TheNationalNetworker.com. For the complete National Networker Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free RSS feed, go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com.
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Don’t Shotgun Your Sales Message…Sharpshoot It Instead!

Reconnecting with Feminine Power

By Ann Barczay Sloan

Women's Networking Editor

Ann's article is brought to you by The Joy of Connecting

Intoducing:

Rachael Jane Groover

Creator of

The YIN Project

Our Vision is a world where both the Yin, the feminine principle
and Yang, the masculine principle
are equally honored and valued.

This month, yet again, a unique, talented, passionate, and extraordinary woman ─ a woman on a mission! ─ has come my way. Her name is Rachael Jayne Groover.

Here’s what her web site, http://www.TheYinProject.com, tells us about Rachael:

Rachael has worked in the field of education and training for ten years, as a teacher and workshop leader, most recently in the area of Performance / Presentation skills and Personal Growth. During her 3 years as Director of Education for the Conversations with God Foundation she developed many programs and courses that were strongly attended and highly praised. She has an international practice as a Life Coach, and now works with both men and women on understanding the importance of the feminine principle in intimate relationships and in shifting global consciousness. From this passion she has created The YIN Project.

How I first got to find out about Rachael

I was introduced to Rachael by a long-time California friend, Marilyn Helgeson, who for many years has been doing marvelous liaison work on an international level with women’s leadership groups, especially women leaders in Russia. Marilyn met Rachael through their involvement in an innovative publishing program for authors, Messenger MiniBooks ─ http://www.MessengerMiniBooks.com ─ in which I am now also a participant. I find a lot of pleasure in such ever-expanding connections that follow along a track where we seem to effortlessly move forward from dot to dot!

As I spoke to Rachael by phone and also explored the offerings on her web site, I found myself intrigued by the passion and style with which she approaches the topic of reconnecting with feminine energy.

Now ─ here we are, Rachael and I, connecting and exploring. So I ask her:

How would you briefly describe what you do ─ your so-called elevator speech?

For a woman, her feminine energy is the forgotten key to finding lasting love, passion and living her life’s purpose. My company, The YIN Project, works with women who want to reconnect to their feminine side, and their authentic selves.

So tell me this, Rachael: What makes your company unique? In other words, what’s the so-called Unique Selling Proposition (USP) of your enterprise?

The YIN Project offers a variety of free personal growth resources, empowering women to reconnect to their feminine power; as well as spiritual life coaching and Women’s Retreats. These and our other programs are explained in detail on our web site, http://www.TheYinProject.com.

The fact is, in the pursuit of power, many women have taken on a masculine role without realizing it, and without understanding the consequences. We are about raising awareness of how women have rejected their feminine side and how they can connect to their femininity and become even more powerful, peaceful and attract more of what they want.

Tell me more about balancing feminine and masculine.

When any aspect of our nature is disowned or under-valued, our lives suffer. If we don’t acknowledge all parts of us (and our society), then those parts we have hidden away in dark corners will start fighting for attention. By disowning the Yin we are now seriously challenged with an environmental crisis, humanitarian crisis, and a gender identity crisis.

To create a positive world-wide shift we must return to the balance that we have lost. To lead a fulfilling, healthy and passionate life where we create what we want for ourselves and our communities, we must start adding the Yin back into our experience to compliment the strong and unwavering YANG.

So ─ what exactly is the primary goal / mission of what you do?

The YIN Project mission is this:

Through personal growth and development resources we encourage compassionate, creative, collaborative feminine leaders, who inspire peaceful, joyful and sustainable communities.

My personal mission is this: To move people emotionally so they can feel their deepest longings and greatest potential by being an example of a strong, creative, healthy, joyful, feminine woman with an unwavering commitment to being the best I can be for the world’s future.

And I see you incorporate your artistic activities in your Project as well!

Yes, I am also a singer songwriter who has joined my performance skills with my seminar/retreat leader skills to develop.

Sounds interesting ─ in what way are you blending these elements?

For example, we have created The YIN Project – IN CONCERT.

This is an entertaining and thought-provoking look at why it has become so confusing to know what a powerful feminine woman should look like.

The cross-genre music in this concert includes tunes that you know and love, as well as original songs. The music helps us understand how we have looked at feminine and masculine roles and passionately encourages the audience to play more of an active role in how we define power – particularly feminine power.

Please describe briefly how you got started in all this, Rachael, and how you arrived where you are currently.

I moved from Melbourne, Australia to Ashland, Oregon in 2002. It was almost to the day of my move when I was first introduced to the concept that we all embody masculine qualities and feminine qualities – with some people having a much stronger masculine core and others having a stronger feminine core. This didn’t strike me as weird at all; I had just never heard it put in that way. A few days later a new friend handed me a book proposing that many men have rejected aspects of their masculinity, while many women have rejected aspects of their femininity, in order to avoid being the typical macho cave man and dependent helpless woman the culture once encouraged us to be.

With short consideration I admitted that this dynamic was going on in my own life; I had abandoned many aspects of my femininity. This also made sense as I looked from the outside at many of my friends. Within another few days I found myself at a dance workshop, after being gifted a ticket by a friend. I was not aware of what the workshop was really about until shortly into it, when I found out that it was all about how we can fully embody our feminine and masculine qualities and how being in your own natural feminine or masculine core affects your relationships. Powerful lessons often come in threes.

And these “lessons” led you to…?

These three simultaneous events were what first ignited the strong fire in me that still burns brightly today. I jumped quickly and passionately into exploring my feminine side, how I can use it to enhance my life, and how I had disowned my natural feminine qualities in many ways and this was having an effect on what I was creating and not creating in my life. I have enjoyed my own personal research and experiments, endless discussions with respected friends and the inspiration of other writers who are questioning the feminine and masculine differences.

Which of your projects are you currently most excited, most passionate about?

At present time, it’s definitely these two:

1. The Quiz: We just launched a free quiz that women can take on our website to see how connected they are to their feminine energy. The questions may surprise some women. Hopefully they will! It is our intention not only to reflect back to you how much women embody and express their feminine qualities, but also to encourage contemplation about what feminine power really means. To access the quiz, visit: www.TheYinProject.com/yin/quiz.asp

2. The Conscious Feminine Woman Podcast: We have also just launched the first episode of a weekly podcast show called: “The Conscious Feminine Woman.” Every week I interview an author and teacher in the area of conscious living, relationships, shifting global consciousness, and the feminine. To access this free podcast visit: www.TheYinProject.com

How much of your work is focused specifically toward women?

All of my work is focused on women. Even though it is important for men to understand the power of the feminine within themselves, I love working with women on their own.

What are some of the ways you promote The YIN Project?

My business is primarily promoted through the Internet. I work with other organizations doing complimentary work to set up joint ventures that help all parties create a win-win to promote their latest personal and spiritual growth offering.

I also promote my work through my public speaking. I am an accomplished speaker and singer and present keynote-concerts for women’s groups, events, conferences, etc.

Whom /or what does your network currently include? How far does your network extend?

I currently have about 2,000 women participating in some YIN Project initiative or program. I feel very blessed to have a wide network of other authors, speakers, trainers in my close circle of friends. We help each other to brainstorm and get clear on what it is we want for our work in the world, and how we can promote it. My network extends throughout the world, from the days of working with Neale Donald Walsch (author of Conversations with God) traveling the world as his Director of Education – to now working with women from all over the world, as most of these programs you can do by phone or the Internet.

What has been the best about building a network: Positive experiences?
Benefits, expected and unexpected?

I have loved experiencing how most people genuinely want to help me in this endeavor. I also hold a strong intention that I want to help others achieve their goals. When I can be the source of inspiration and support to others, it comes back to me ten- fold.

What challenges (if any) have you found in your networking experiences? Unexpected events? Any benefits emerging from challenges in the long run?

I have found that networking groups do not always work. In the beginning of my business I joined local women’s business networks, but they didn’t give me many referrals or business at all. I believe effective networking is about continually nurturing close business relationships and strong friendships with 10 key people, rather than trying to meet as many people as you can to give your pitch to. People can intuitively feel it when you are just wanting to get through the small talk to give your elevator speech. My advice to anyone would be to create real rapport with someone before you even talk about business.

Bottom line – What do you feel is really working well for you / your company?

When I join with others to do joint promotions or ventures they are more exciting and financially profitable. It’s wonderful to experience first hand that collaboration, cooperation and interdependence (the energy of the feminine) works successfully in business and not just in a woman’s personal life.

Besides networking, how else are you promoting your company? Which do you view as the primary vehicle and what makes it more important than the other(s)?

My primary vehicle is the Internet. I got very clear early on in my business that I wanted to reach as many women with my message as possible without excessive travel and to be able to work from my home. This meant the Internet was the best vehicle for me. It’s amazing to see people joining my email list and participating in our programs from every continent.

What’s the achievement or accomplishment you’re most proud of at this time?

I was suddenly struck down by a crippling back injury, lost my job and because of that was “guided” into my own business that was up and running and financially successful within 2 months. I was committed to making it work and fast because I had no income coming in. It’s amazing what you can do when you have a motivator like no money coming in.

What an accomplishment, Rachael ─ sounds so inspiring to me! Now, what are your plans and goals for the future: organizational, personal, especially in regards to networking?

The biggest goal I have at the moment is completing my book; The Feminine Factor, which should be released in the next few months. I am also looking forward to offering a young women’s Feminine Leadership program (for women between 15-25 years).

I have done a lot through the Internet over the last year – all my classes and coaching have been over the phone or Internet. Now I am looking forward to getting into rooms with people again, so I can see them, and touch them. I particularly want to network with other organizations that are doing similar work to see how we can work together. I also want to do more networking with event coordinators so I can increase the amount of the special keynote-concerts that I do. I love speaking and presenting and want to do more of that.

Anything else you would like to add here? Perhaps words of encouragement or inspiration?

Connecting to your feminine energy is an inward journey and it takes courage and deep awareness – however, it pays off in such great ways. It has completely changed my life – to finding and marrying the man of my dreams, to doing the work that I love with the feeling like I am divinely guided.

That’s really a fabulous testimony for validating your work, your life philosophy! My deepest Thanks, Rachael, for sharing yourself and The YIN Project with me and our readers.

Contact Information:

Rachael Jayne Groover

rachael@TheYinProject.com

541-488-7468

www.TheYinProject.com

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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER. To subscribe for your free newletter, go to www.TheNationalNetworker.com. For the complete National Networker Relationship Capital Toolkit and a free RSS feed, go to: http://thenationalnetworkerweblog.blogspot.com.
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Reconnecting with Feminine Power