Category: Networking

Article Contributed by Michele DeKinder-Smith

In any type of business, networking is crucial. For any type of entrepreneur, networking is essential. Networking not only provides female entrepreneurs with an opportunity to grow their companies; it also gives them the chance to forge relationships that benefit them in many ways, from support to affiliate partnerships.

Networking efforts should be customized and personalized, based on a female entrepreneur’s unique needs, characteristics and habits. However, every woman business owner should take these questions into account:

1.    How much time is available to invest in networking? Some business owners have many responsibilities in addition to running their businesses, and others have the means to delegate the tasks they need to, so they are free to network as much as they want. In any case, an entrepreneur can modify her networking efforts to fit into the amount of time she has available. Social media online can take as little as 30 minutes per day. Networking events can occur as infrequently as once a year and as frequently as once per week. Businesswomen can use just one form of networking, or they can use both forms in any combination. What’s important is that networking become a priority, no matter how much time is invested.

2.    What is the desired result of the networking? While one business owner may want to create a support system through networking, another may want to develop affiliate relationships. Before launching a networking effort, it is important to understand the desired results – and then choose methods and events accordingly. For example, if the owner of a massage spa wants to partner with the owner of a beauty salon to open a new full-service spa and salon, it would behoove her to attend events specifically for successful beauty industry professionals – not necessarily an event designed for women looking only for a support in the form of casual chatting.

3.    How important is networking at this point in the business? Every business owner should consider networking, no matter which phase her business is in. However, the level to which she takes her networking efforts should depend on her priorities for her business. For example, if a business owner has only a certain amount of time to devote to a new project, and she wants to begin networking and launch a new web site, her time might be better spent getting the web site up and running before she begins networking. That way, any networking or marketing she does can drive people to her new web site. In this situation, a business owner could work primarily on her web site and attend a networking event or two each month.

4.    With whom will networking prove most beneficial? Typically, business owners should network either with like-minded business owners, or with business owners who possess qualities they’d like to develop. High-achieving business owners striving for growth will do well to network with people who have similar goals for growth; it is easier to support each other and see potential partnering or referral opportunities. Also, emerging business owners would do well to network with experienced business owners who have a desire to mentor someone. From this partnership, the emerging business owner would gain valuable advice and insight while the expert business owner would enjoy helping someone reach her goals.

Networking is essential to every type of business owner; therefore, each business owner must carefully consider how much time and effort to expend for the anticipated results of such efforts.

About the Author:

Michele DeKinder-Smith is the founder of Jane out of the Box, an online resource dedicated to the women entrepreneur community. Discover more incredibly useful information for running a small business by taking the FREE Jane Types Assessment at Jane out of the Box. Offering networking and marketing opportunities, key resources and mentorship from successful women in business, Jane Out of the Box is online at www.janeoutofthebox.com

Most businesswomen realize, academically, that networking is an important tool for business growth. However, networking also can provide crucial opportunities for creating a much-needed support system for women at any level of business ownership. For women of every entrepreneurial type, networking is as important to the business as strategizing, paying bills, and marketing.

A recent study from Jane Out of the Box, an authority on female entrepreneurs, reveals there are five distinct types of women in business. Based on professional market research of more than 3,500 women in business, this study shows that each type of business owner has a unique approach to running a business and therefore each one has a unique combination of needs. This article outlines two of the five types and provides important tips about why networking is important to each one, and about how each one can do it effectively.

Tenacity Jane is an entrepreneur with an undeniable passion for her business, and one who tends to be struggling with cash flow. As a result, she’s working longer hours, and making less money than she’d like. Nevertheless, Tenacity Jane is bound and determined to make her business a success. At 31% of women in business, Tenacity Janes are the largest group of female entrepreneurs.

This group of business owners is populated with intelligent, articulate women, who, for one reason or another, run businesses that are not financially producing. The good news is that most financially successful business owners have experienced a Tenacity Jane phase at some point. The not-so-good news: they’re not talking about it. So Tenacity Jane often feels alone, like she’s the only woman going through this tough phase.

Why Tenacity Jane should network: First, networking provides excellent learning experiences for Tenacity Jane. She can talk with other business owners – ask questions, get advice, hear stories. Maybe by listening to one of their strategies, Tenacity Jane can come up with one of her own. Second, networking will allow Tenacity Jane to start building a support system of people who can help her reach her goals. Through her networking efforts, she may find professionals who run businesses complementary to hers; she may find assistants or helpers to whom she can dole out some of the less-inspiring business-related tasks such as accounting. Finally, networking allows Tenacity Jane a productive way to get a few hours’ respite from the daily grind, which often overwhelms her.

How Tenacity Jane should network: By attending live networking events or participating in online networking groups with other professionals in her field, Tenacity Jane can begin to create opportunities for forging relationships with other business owners, whether she looks to them as mentors, as friends, or as associates with whom she can work. Although online networking is effective in some cases, it is also essential for Tenacity Jane to meet people live and in person as a refreshing change of pace and a better path to creating real relationships.

Go Jane Go is passionate about her work and provides excellent service, so she has plenty of clients – so much so, she’s struggling to keep up with demand. She may be a classic overachiever, taking on volunteer opportunities as well, because she’s eager to make an impact on the world and she often struggles to say no. Because she wants to say yes to so many people, she may even be in denial about how many hours she actually works during the course of a week. As a result, she may be running herself ragged and feeling guilty about neglecting herself and others who are important to her.

Go Jane Go is typically among the best at what she does. Although she excels at her craft, what truly sets her apart is her commitment to helping others get what they want. She’s so driven to do so that she will sacrifice her own needs in the process. She is well-loved by her clients because of her “can-do” attitude, but she also reports high levels of stress because she often takes on more work than is reasonable. To lighten her load, Go Jane Go could refer potential clients to other high-performance professionals, or hire people to help her – and she can achieve both of these things through networking.

Why Go Jane Go should network: Although Go Jane Go is rewarded for her hard work by the knowledge that she is doing excellent work and making a difference in the lives of many people, she also has the tendency to stretch herself so thin, she can’t get everything done. She is always on the go and allows little time for true rest or relaxation. If Go Jane Go increased her networking efforts, she could pair up with other trustworthy, high-achieving professionals to whom she could pass on work – whether it’s a client’s entire job, or just part of the job to which that partner is better suited. She then could rest assured that the client would receive the high quality of work she would demand of herself, and she would save a little time for herself. Also, by networking with other professionals in her field, Go Jane Go could learn about potential helpers that would meet her high standards. Hiring helpers on others’ referrals would give Go Jane Go peace of mind that she could let go of some tasks and that they’d be completed.

How Go Jane Go should network: Because Go Jane Go often feels pressed for time (or maybe even absolutely squeezed), she probably feels like she doesn’t have time for networking. However, this small time investment will pay off big. The most efficient form of networking is through social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, where Go Jane Go can post tips and updates that would provide her clients and other like-minded professionals (her “friends” and “followers”) with helpful information while keeping her in touch with people to whom she could refer work. However, if Go Jane Go can schedule it in, live networking is exponentially more effective for Go Jane Go because it allows her to meet people in person and build relationships from which she can garner support.

For both Tenacity Jane and Go Jane Go, networking is a crucial form of much-needed support. Although both types of businesswomen have a tendency to feel overwhelmed, this small time investment will undoubtedly pay off in big results.

About the Author:

Michele DeKinder-Smith is the founder of Jane out of the Box, an online resource dedicated to the women entrepreneur community. Discover more incredibly useful information for running a small business by taking the FREE Jane Types Assessment at Jane out of the Box. Offering networking and marketing opportunities, key resources and mentorship from successful women in business, Jane Out of the Box is online at www.janeoutofthebox.com

Article Contributed by Annemarie Cross

With a tightening and highly competitive market across many service-based industries numerous business owners have increased their networking endeavors with the hope of sourcing their next potential client or business opportunity using this approach.

While networking should be an integral part of your marketing and communications plan (and overall business development strategy) there are some secrets which can make a significant difference between not really generating much success (and the potential for networking burnout) in comparison to building influential and productive relationships that open the doors to potential business opportunities.

To avoid networking burnout, ensure you’re adopting the top ten effective habits of highly successful networkers.

A highly successful networker:

1. Is clear on their niche, their idea target market and can clearly articulate this when seeking support or communicating with members of their network.
2. Has a clear understanding of their personal and business brand, their unique selling proposition and can professionally communicate their brand both in person and in online networking opportunities.
3. Has up-to-date marketing material, (which can include business cards, brochures, website, business blog, and profiles on multiple social networking platforms) that highlights the solutions and benefits that you offer to a potential client as well as successes of your former/existing clients.
4. Is able to speak confidently (not arrogantly) about their strengths and successes so that potential clients and key stakeholders are able to grasp the WIIFM (what’s in it for me) should they decide to invest in you.
5. Has a powerful and memorable ‘marketing pitch’ that can be used as an introduction to networking events and that question ‘So what is it that you do?’
6. Has a written strategic networking plan that involves regular attendance of both online and offline networking activities that allows them to continually expand and leverage a diverse network.
7. Uses a network management system to effectively track their networking endeavours and important information about each member of their network.
8. Adopts an approach of regularly sharing relevant information with people in their network with a mindset of no expectations in return. They continually nurture their network as part of their long-term business management plan and not just when seeking new business opportunities, so that when they need to seek help from their network, people are far more open to supporting them.
9. Knows how to frame and deliver the right questions to whom they are speaking to enable ongoing expansion of their network or an opportunity to speak to a key decision maker.
10. Surrounds themselves with positive and supportive people who continue to strengthen and enhance the enthusiasm they portray during their business development and marketing activities. This is in complete contrast to being surrounded with nay-sayers who can seriously undermine your enthusiasm and ultimately your business development and revenue outcomes.

If you’ve ticked all ten areas, then congratulations – you’re a highly successful networker and are communicating your brand professionally and prominently in readiness for when that ideal client or business opportunity presents itself.

If, on the other hand you haven’t ticked all ten areas, then my suggestion would be to select, work on and integrate one new area each week into your networking plan so that you too can become a ‘star’ networker.

So which strategy are you going to work on this week?

About the Author:

Annemarie Cross is a Brand Communication Specialist helping ambitious business owners to get noticed, hired and paid what they’re worth! Want to learn simple yet powerful ways that you can build your brand, your credibility and your income? Visit http://www.AnnemarieCross.com to access free inspiring ‘how-to’ articles and to sign up forour free audio mini-series ‘7 Easy Steps to Build Your Brand, Your Biz, and Your Income.’

To busy female entrepreneurs, networking can seem like a complex web of cocktail parties, dinner meetings and social media pages. Even if these savvy businesswomen realize the importance of networking as a means for growing their companies, they may shy away from it because it seems like an overwhelming time investment. Networking doesn’t have to be a burden; in fact, it can be a fun and easy way for female entrepreneurs to grow their businesses while creating strong business and personal relationships with likeminded professionals.

A recent study from Jane Out of the Box, an authority on female entrepreneurs, reveals there are five distinct types of women in business. Based on professional market research of more than 3,500 women in business, this study shows that each type of business owner has a unique approach to running a business and therefore each one has a unique combination of needs. This article outlines three of the five types and provides reasons each one should network, as well as tips for networking effectively.

Jane Dough is an entrepreneur who enjoys running her business; generally, she makes a nice living. She is comfortable and determined in buying and selling, which may be why she’s five times more likely than the average female business owner to hit the million dollar mark. Jane Dough is clear in her priorities and may be intentionally and actively growing an asset-based or legacy business. It is estimated that 18% of women entrepreneurs fall in the category of Jane Dough.

Jane Dough is successful – and she plans to be even more so. Therefore, even while most Jane Dough business owners report feeling satisfied with their current situation, they also report looking forward to creating even greater success in the future. She sees this as a challenge or a game – and an opportunity to continue building on the foundation she has constructed. Of all the five types of entrepreneurs, Jane Dough is the most likely to report feeling determined, hopeful and excited on a typical workday. One key way for Jane Dough to grow her business is to create multiple streams of income – and networking provides an avenue for doing so.

Why Jane Dough should network: To create alternative strategies for growth, Jane Dough must build her business so that it generates multiple streams of income. This mitigates risk associated with a downturn in one part of the business. Diversified products and services build credibility. Networking is an excellent way to diversify because it allows Jane Dough to partner with other businesswomen (or men) to offer products and services that fit naturally together, allowing both companies to grow.

How Jane Dough should network: Jane Dough’s best networking will happen with other business owners who have a similar Jane Dough mindset. She will benefit the most from relationships with like-minded people who have aggressive growth goals for their companies and similar drive and work styles to hers. When a business owner shares similar goals with networking partners, it is easier to support one another and see potential in partnering/networking and referrals. Jane Dough’s time is precious; it’s important to spend it wisely by developing enriching networking relationships only with those who have similar business goals.

Merry Jane business owners typically are building a part-time or “flexible time” business that gives her a creative outlet (whether she’s an ad agency consultant or she makes beautiful artwork) that she can manage within specific constraints around her schedule. She may have a day-job, or need to be fully present for family or other pursuits. She realizes she could make more money by working longer hours, but she’s happy with the tradeoff she has made because her business gives her tremendous freedom to work how and when she wants, around her other commitments. About 19 percent of women business owners fit into this category.

While Merry Jane relishes her freedom and flexibility, she also would like to obtain new customers and better market her business. Whether a Merry Jane business owner is experienced in marketing or not, research shows that most Merry Jane businesses grow through referral and word-of-mouth. To capitalize on these two avenues to business growth, Merry Jane must make the most of her limited time by creating low-maintenance, low-risk marketing strategies. Networking, through social media specifically, is one such strategy; Merry Jane can use it effectively to boost her growth without investing much of her limited time.

Why Merry Jane should network: Because Merry Jane business owners report having myriad responsibilities in addition to running their businesses – whether they stay home with their children, have a full-time job in addition to their company, or take care of aging parents – they often don’t have much time to spend on marketing. Therefore, growth occurs as a result of word-of-mouth. What better way to increase word-of-mouth referrals than to market the business through networking?

How Merry Jane should network: The simplest, lowest-maintenance form of marketing (and the least expensive), is social media. Using web sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, Merry Jane can quickly and effectively network online without leaving her home or spending much money (if any). These sites build networks almost effortlessly, and allow users to regularly post updates or messages their “friends” and “followers” can see. When Merry Jane participates in social media then, she is constantly at the top of her friends’ and followers’ minds, and she is able to seek partnership opportunities easily with people who are interested in her products and services.

Accidental Jane is a successful, confident business owner who never actually set out to start a business. Instead, she may have decided to start a business due to frustration with her job or a layoff and then she decided to use her business and personal contacts to strike out on her own. Or, she may have started making something that served her own unmet needs and found other customers with the same need, giving birth to a business. Although Accidental Jane may sometimes struggle with prioritizing what she needs to do next in her business, she enjoys what she does and is making good money. About 18% of all women business owners fit the Accidental Jane profile.

Like Merry Jane, Accidental Jane enjoys her time freedom. In her work, she strives to find ways to structure her business so she can do more of what she enjoys, and less of what she doesn’t. Also, she strives to find ways to work with people with whom she enjoys working. Accidental Jane has the expectation that her business is an ideal way to gain greater control over the critical aspects of her working life. Doing work she enjoys, for customers she cares about, delights her because she takes tremendous pride in a job well done and enormously values her relationships. One crucial element of Accidental Jane’s definition of success: “enough, but not too much, work.” For Accidental Jane, then, networking provides opportunities for creating referral partnerships that help her maintain her treasured balance.

Why Accidental Jane should network: Accidental Jane must build strong working relationships with other professionals so she can provide her customers with exceptional service without sacrificing the time freedom she holds so dear. For example, if a customer asks a graphic designer Accidental Jane for a huge design project that also includes copywriting services, Accidental Jane could refer the copywriting services to a professional with whom she has networked, saving herself the time but still providing her customer with great writing services. The customer is likely to return to Accidental Jane when future projects arise, and the copywriter is likely to refer design customers to Accidental Jane.

How Accidental Jane should network: Because Accidental Jane is often reluctant to hire employees (because she enjoys her freedom), she must become adept at partnering with other solo-preneurs to bring a broader range of services to her customers. Her desire to build trusting relationships, and to help others succeed, drives the formation of such networks. This can become a point of pride and a unique positioning for her business as she sells it as a customer advantage.

Networking is a crucial component of business strength and growth for any business owner; the best course of networking action depends on a business owner’s unique needs, characteristics and constraints.

About the Author:

Michele DeKinder-Smith is the founder of Jane out of the Box, an online resource dedicated to the women entrepreneur community. Discover more incredibly useful information for running a small business by taking the FREE Jane Types Assessment at Jane out of the Box. Offering networking and marketing opportunities, key resources and mentorship from successful women in business, Jane Out of the Box is online at www.janeoutofthebox.com