Death By Coffee: Seven Effective Networking Strategies for the New Year

By Sabrina Risley, extrapolated with permission from an article by Alecia Huck, Maverick & Company.

It’s the start of a brand new year and you know what that means.  That’s right, it’s time to make New Year’s resolutions!  At the very least, this means the crowd at the gym will quadruple.  Traditionally, it also means the number of professionals who get out and network more than triples.  But just as the gym crowd eventually wanes, so too can the crowd at networking events.  I attribute this waning to ineffective networking which causes wheel-spinning, something for which professionals rightly have little tolerance and therefore let up on networking.

If you intend to do any amount of networking this year, you will want to do so strategically so as to make networking a useful and sustainable marketing activity. Networking without an effective strategy is what Alecia Huck (the sassy CEO & Founder of Maverick & Company) refers to as “Death By Coffee.”  She outlines some incredible strategies for effective networking in her article, The Seven Most Common, Most Surprising Networking Mistakes & How to Do It Better.

START WITH WHAT YOU’VE GOT – One of the biggest missed opportunities is to actually connect, reconnect and interconnect the network you already have. Leverage the work you’ve already done and the relationships you’ve already got before you start spending time and energy trying to build new ones. Identify Strategic Partners, Candidates and Contacts and then focus your time on Strategic Partners and that small group of Candidates that are most likely to become Strategic partners and sources of referrals.

LOOK FOR GREAT STRATEGIC PARTNERS – If you focus on finding clients, you’re focused on finding one person to write you one check.  Alternately, a single Strategic Partner is worth 10-100 clients and can connect you with multiple opportunities on an ongoing basis. Looking for Strategic Partners will get you further, faster, than just looking for your next client.

INVEST STRATEGICALLY, NOT EVENLY – Spending time with bad candidates means you have less time to spend with good ones.  Not all potential connections are a good fit for your business. Not all connections are created equal. Understand who is a good fit and who is not, act accordingly and spend your time wisely.

SEE GOOD PEOPLE 3x’s – One coffee meeting is just the beginning of something, not the completion of it and if the person IS a good partner, one coffee will not be enough. Relationships are built primarily through shared experiences and shared connections. As a general rule for new connections, you want to see good people 3 times in 3 months in order to build a real relationship. As the relationship progresses, follow up accordingly, based on whether or not they end up as a good Strategic Partner.

PRE-PLAN EVENTS FOR EASY RECONNECTING – Each month, look for and put events in your calendar to give yourself multiple options for inviting Candidates to and staying connected or reconnecting with good people. This also makes it infinitely easier to hit your 3 meetings in 3 months goal with good new contacts. Think beyond coffee meetings… power lunches, large open events and educational events. Pre-planning allows you to have events you can mention during a good first meeting AND reasons to call and reconnect after.

BRING A BUDDY – Time is a precious commodity and when you go to an event alone, you miss a golden opportunity to make your investment of time and energy do double duty.  Even if the person cannot attend with you, the simple act of calling allows you to reconnect and they are sure to be flattered to have been invited.  Carpool to get some good one-to-one time or make a plan to meet several people at an event, allowing you to make multiple re-connections at the same event.  Just don’t go alone.

CONNECT TO NETWORKS, NOT INDIVIDUALS – It takes time to build relationships and credibility with new people. It also takes time to stay connected. When you INTERCONNECT your network, you leverage all your past investments.  So connect to existing networks and connect your contacts to your other contacts to build networks around you.  Your old connections will share about other projects results with your new connections. Your people will talk to each other about you. They’ll often do business together, like each other, and build relationships of their own. It’s far easier to stay connected to a web of connected people than it is to stay in touch with a bunch of individuals.

As with most things in life, success is not about working harder, it’s about working smarter. Knowing a few simple secrets and following a few simple rules can make a HUGE difference in how effective your networking efforts will be. While all seven strategies are important and useful, applying even ONE will make a positive difference. Often the source of a major breakthrough is a relatively minor shift in strategy.

Cheers to you and effective networking in the New Year!

(c) 2012 Behind The Moon, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Feel free to share this article in its entirety and include the Bio information for Sabrina Risley below along with live link back to this blog post.  Thank you.

Sabrina Risley founded Behind The Moon, Inc.® in 2003, a Colorado-based networking organization that sets itself apart with its motto “grow your business by helping others grow theirs.” Behind The Moon offers several networking events across Colorado’s Front Range that attract professionals who network to give rather than get. You will find Sabrina speaking to audiences about effective networking techniques, the power of partnerships, and principles of service and giving as a means to grow a business. Sign up for Sabrina’s free report, Networking For Success at http://www.behindthemooninc.com/index.php/free-report.

Racing For The 2011 Finish Line

Sprinting For The 2011 Finish Line

Santa Claus, snowflakes, reindeer and sugar plus… holiday parties, gift exchanges, hustle and bustle shopping.  With so many distractions, it’s no wonder professionals find it hard to focus on December production and sales quotas.  It would seem the perfect time to throw in the towel, call it a decent year and hope to exceed expectations next year, right?  WRONG!!

The fact remains that December is a month where a great deal of momentum can be lost or gained, making it the perfect time to continue working, even pushing, to close out an amazing year and better ensure a strong start in the New Year.  But what type of “work” are professional doing in December?  I conducted an unofficial poll on Facebook and received some great ideas shared with you below.  I’ve also sprinkled in a few of my own, the combination of which I hope includes some ideas you hadn’t thought of to keep you ahead of the curve when January 1, 2012 dawns.

Continue Income-Producing Activities.  Don’t shy away from making phone calls to prospects and clients, setting up appointments, and reaching out to power partner.  If you think people are “too busy” and you wait until January to reach out, you will already be behind the 8 ball.  Call now to set appointments for the first week in January if your contacts are not available to meet or have conversations this month.

Continue Networking! Do not let up on your networking regimen. Many believe December to be a slow networking month but this is not the case.  In December, go to as many holiday gatherings as possible on top of your regular networking venues.  Be social, make friends, add value and keep networking!

Solidify Relationships! A personal phone call goes a long way!  Review your list of clients and referral partners list and make a point of contacting them by phone to thank them for trusting you and doing business with you.  Consider inviting your customers to an appreciation event (lunch, dinner, cocktail hour) in the first quarter of the New Year. Maybe it’s time to send a New Years card to be receive it mid-January when clients least expect it.  Send a simple gift or quote that you know will resonate with your contacts. At all turns, focus on expressing your gratitude and refrain from hard selling your products or services.

Ask For Introductions! Ask those who know you and your business well for introductions to potential power partners. Then take the time to approach prospective power partners to see if they are open to a referral or cross-promotional partnership between both companies in 2012.

Get Technical & Systematic! Purchase and get the technology or software in place that you haven’t had time to address. Do you need to upgrade your computer, copier, scanner, fax?  Have you put off synchronizing your mobile devices with your desktop solution?  Maybe it’s time to finally sign up for systems to manage your customer relationships (www.Zoho.com), emails (www.Zoho.com), newsletters (Constant Contact), card-sending (Send Out Cards), social media (HootSuite). Review current processes and systems. If your accounting is manual, perhaps it’s time to outsource the task or automate and organize with Quickbooks.  What is your process when a new customer comes on board?  Is it consistent and streamlined for maximum efficiency?  How can it be improved, simplified or automated?  Take the time to thoroughly document processes to minimize the learning curve for new staff and as a reference tool for existing staff.

Revisit Your Business Plan!  Sometimes we over-estimate our capabilities and fall short of our business plan and goals from the previous year. Now is a GREAT time to revamp plans and goals so they are realistic and attainable.

Your competition is relaxing and “waiting” to hit the ground running in January.  Do not be fooled into thinking “no one” is doing business this month.  While others are slacking, continue to work smart and with diligence to keep your strong momentum and better ensure a strong start in the New Year!

(c) 2011 Behind The Moon, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Feel free to share this article in its entirety and include the Bio information for Sabrina Risley below along with live link back to this blog post.  Thank you.

Sabrina Risley founded Behind The Moon, Inc.® in 2003, a Colorado-based networking organization that sets itself apart with its motto “grow your business by helping others grow theirs.” Behind The Moon offers several networking events across Colorado’s Front Range that attract professionals who network to give rather than get. You will find Sabrina speaking to audiences about effective networking techniques, the power of partnerships, and principles of service and giving as a means to grow a business. Sign up for Sabrina’s free report, Networking For Success at http://www.behindthemooninc.com/index.php/free-report.

The Two Faces of Networking

At Behind The Moon, we encourage and place an emphasis on relationship-building and wanted to share the following article with you, written by our friend and BTM fan in Ohio, Keith Luscher, speaker, author and creator of www.WedgePower.com.

THE TWO FACES OF NETWORKING by Keith Luscher

While networking, you will find that some people are more trusting than others. The fact is, not everyone you meet will feel comfortable putting you in touch with everyone they know. In such cases, there is something missing… an element of trust… a relationship.  Building relationships is the much deeper side to networking, and it is a little more challenging. It is also better and more powerful.

People know you as a person, not a name.

Through ongoing interaction and involvement, people begin to know and understand you. They are aware of your strengths and weaknesses. They understand what’s important to you, not from what you communicate through your words, but through your actions. They have an understanding of the depth of your character.

When you are seeking opportunities, people with whom you have built strong relationships can give you as good a reference as your mother would, without the obvious bias. This takes time to develop. Further, it stresses quality over quantity. You can’t possibly chum up to every person you encounter. It is neither practical nor sincere.

Contacts and Relationships: The Fundamental Differences

Let’s quickly review the main differences between building contacts and building relationships.

Building contacts is a short-term process.  It usually focuses on trying to meet as many people in the shortest amount of time. If a person you meet does not have an immediate need for your services, nor can they lead you to anyone else, there is little foundation for a long-term relationship.

Building contacts emphasizes quantity. Again, you are trying to collect as many names of people as possible. The more you collect, the deeper your network of contacts becomes.

Building contacts is based upon the age-old premise of “It’s not what you know but who you know (and who they know!).” It is strictly a numbers game.

On the other hand, building relationships is long term in nature. When starting your career, you are taking active steps to prepare for the future. The people you meet and develop bonds with will hopefully be with you for the rest of your life.

Building relationships emphasizes quality. You can’t form deep relationships with every person with whom you come in contact. That should
be, however, an underlying goal. Keeping this in mind will help you notice opportunities to nurture those relationships that are influential to your
success.

Building relationships puts the “who you know” attitude into perspective. In reality, it is not just “who you know.” It often comes from three elements:

1. It is who you are (your integrity).

2. It is what you know and can do (your qualifications).

3. It is how well another individual knows you (your relationships).

So, it is who you know…but it is also who knows you! On that note, ask yourself, who among my “list” of contacts would I like to know me better?

Make a list of five people you know, and contact them today. Begin moving beyond being a connection and begin to build a relationship.  

Thank you Keith Luscher, for this well-written, succinct article.  We appreciate your contribution to our Blog this month.  Learn more about Keith Luscher & subscribe to his blog.

Behind The Moon Launches Exclusive VIP Neworking Membership

by Sabrina Risley

Behind The Moon (BTM) just celebrated its 8^th year in business last month!  This makes BTM one of the longest standing  private networking organizations in the Denver metro area!  We have welcomed more than 4,200 professionals to our networking events over the years, we have grown to hosting 13 networking events in and around the Denver metro area each month and we have more than 200 professional BTM members.

Our Participants Make The Difference:

We recognize that it is professionals like you, BTM members and non-members alike, who create the foundation for our success.  We have come  to be known as the networking destination where professionals actually see results from their networking efforts.  We attract highly professional, service-oriented individuals with a Go-Giver™ mentality, resulting in networking events filled with professionals who understand the power of connecting, networking, adding value, and forming strategic partnerships.

Here is some information you might not know about Behind The Moon:

√ BTM website has more than 6,500 visitors average per month which means a lot of eyeballs viewing our Member Directory.

√ BTM members receive a FREE, Customizable Profile Page in BTM’s Online Member Directory, visible to the public.  Search engines LOVE the Behind The Moon website!

√ Sabrina Risley and professional event hosts have more than 100,000 Social Media connections. This means our events and Member Directory get massive exposure.

√ BTM members build strong relationships, add value and help one another regularly.  We are always connecting people and we love it.

√ In Colorado, whether you are south in Parker or Castle Rock, north in Westminster or Arvada, or somewhere in between, we’ve got 13 monthly events, with one likely near you, allowing you to network right where you want to do business.

√ Our networking events are open to all and membership is never required.  However, when newcomers attend a BTM networking event, they want to join and take advantage of our exclusive Member Perks and become a part of the Behind The Moon professional network.

As BTM embarks on its 9^th year in business, we are excited to announce that Behind The Moon is bringing a whole new level of networking to town!!  What if business owners could build relationships like CEOs of major corporations?  Top-notch professionals are continuously striking business deals while playing golf and attending dinner parties.  However, business owners and entrepreneurs don’t always have access to high-level relationship building and networking.

Behind The Moon is changing all that by introducing aits new and exclusive VIP Level Membership!

VIP membership means:

√ Interacting with those who are committed to investing in business growth

√ Developing strong business relationships that result in ongoing referrals

√ Rubbing elbows with top-notch professionals who take networking seriously

VIP Membership includes what is currently offered to existing Standard & Premium Members, plus:

√ Unlimited free admission to BTM networking events

√ Invitations to VIP Member Only events including mixers, golfing, dinner parties and more

√ Exclusive opportunity to sponsor or host BTM Member Mixers

√ Featured business listing at the top of your category in BTM’s Online Member Directory

√ A one-on-one coffee with Sabrina Risley, one of the most well-connected women in Denver and personal promotion by Sabrina Risley to her network of more than 10,000 connections via social media channels

Learn More more about Behind The Moon’s VIP, Premium and Standard level Memberships open to all professionals, without limitations by industry.

Regardless of whether a Behind The Moon membership is right for you, we invite you network with us anytime!  We love to meet new people and introduce them to our professional network.

Thank you for being a part of our community as we recognize that we are only as good as the professionals we attract.  We value your continued contribution and your commitment to supporting local businesses in our community.  The results we have witnessed throughout the past eight years have been astonishing.  We look forward to the future of Behind the Moon and to helping business owners “grow their business by helping others grow theirs!”

To become a BTM Member, click here  for instructions to create a new user account and submit an online application for Membership, or contact us.

(c) 2011 Behind The Moon, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Reduce the Sales Cycle Through Sensational Service!

By Sabrina Risley

Here’s the scene: You are at a networking event, excited at the thought of meeting new prospects.  You connect with another professional who could possibly introduce you to a plethora of qualified leads.  You shake hands.  Exchange business cards.  Promise to call.  You breathe in a sigh of relief and think, “My work here is done… this is exactly what I came here for!”   As the event goes on, you meet a few more like-minded folks.  You can’t wait to get back to the office to schedule appointments with them.

However the scene is anything but peaceful and serene when you return to your office.  There are voicemails to return, emails to answer, a proposal to complete, paperwork to file, and oh yeah – when was the last time you posted on Facebook?   Before you know it, a few hours go by and the day is done.  Two days are done, and then three days, and four.  Pretty soon, you  can barely remember who you wanted to follow up with and why, let alone find where you put their business card!

And just like that, it happens… time passes and urgency diminishes, you lose the excitement as well as a golden opportunity for creating a collaborative partnership with a new connection.  You’ve lost the opportunity to capitalize on a meaningful encounter and actually building your business through referrals.

You’ve likely heard it mentioned, “The fortune is in the follow up.”  Follow up and follow through is a necessity!  It’s like wanting to pitch a baseball but dropping the ball during the windup.  Following through with new connections is critical if you want to pitch within the strike zone.  It’s an absolute necessity to build real and genuine connections that flourish into mutually beneficial  relationships where referrals and contacts are safely shared between both parties.  It takes trust which you can build and earn through consistent and regular follow-up.

But who has time to follow up?  About 1% of the population actually makes it a priority to follow up with a new connection within 48 hours.  For the remaining 99% of the population, we have every intention of following up but don’t make the time to do so or don’t have a good follow up system.

To be successful at following up, you need a plan, you need a system and you need to follow it!

Good follow up includes consistent and meaningful encounters.  It means people see you, hear from you and have the opportunity to talk to you on a regular basis.  The more often you have meaningful encounters with your contacts, the greater the opportunity to build trusting relationships.  Meaningful encounters can include an emailed or mailed newsletter, mailing or emailing a link to an article they might find interesting, acknowledging birthdays and special occasions with a phone call, card or social media post, remembering and asking about previous conversations you’ve had with them, initiating introductions so they can meet needed resources, sending referrals and leads, inviting them to an event they might like to attend with you, and the list can go on.

Now, let me clarify – I’m not suggesting you “stalk” your contacts.  I’m simply recommending you follow up with and take the time to get to know new contacts, enabling you the ability to really add value, serve and give in a way that is meaningful to them.  Regardless of how detailed and sensational your follow up plan is, be forewarned that relationship building doesn’t happen overnight.

Just remember… it’s a little give, and it’s a little take and it’s a whole lot of follow through that leads to success in the end.

For guidelines, tools and ideas to create and implement a simple follow up plan that you can maintain on a consistent basis, check out BTM’s SERVICE TO SENSATIONAL.  SAVE $40 if you order by September 30, 2011.

(c) 2011 Behind The Moon, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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If You Want To Be A BIG Business, Start Acting Like One

By Sabrina Risley

As a business owner, you are intimately aware of the hard work that goes into growing, building and expanding a business… month after month, year after year.  What do you see when you look back on the previous year and compare it to where you are now.  If you’d like to see expansive growth over the coming year, it might be time to switch things up.  After all, you cannot continue doing what you are currently doing and expect to see different results, one year from now. 

If you want to be a BIG business, you have to start acting like one.  Below are a few strategies you might consider to step up your game.  After reading, I’d love your feedback and any ideas you have.

Public Relations – Raise community awareness of your business by a number of means including distributing press releases, getting involved in professional networking organizations (not just attending), increasing your community involvement, volunteering for charities and non-profits, sponsoring community and other programs, and joining service organizations  such as Rotary,  Kiwanis, Optimist, and Soroptimist.  A great resource for finding volunteer opportunities in your area is www.Serve.gov.  Having read all this, if you are overwhelmed with formulating a strategic PR plan, consider hiring a PR firm for professional guidance and assistance.

Outsource or Hire Staff – Business owners often wear hats belonging to bookkeeping, sales, marketing, advertising, social media, administrative assistants, customer service, plus more.  Outsource what you can or hire experts to handle what you don’t enjoy, can’t manage effectively or is preventing you from focusing on strategy and nurturing important relationships.

License Your or Their Products/Services – If you’ve got a great brand, consider licensing your product to partners, an extended sales force, adding revenue to your bottom line.  You can receive upfront payment and then royalties for each sale.  Or, if adding products/services to your repertoire makes sense, find a company offering complementary products and look into a licensing partnership with them.  Either option can bring great value and revenue to your business.  However, it may be best to hire a consulting firm and/or intellectual property attorney to protect your interests.  I thought these articles were helpful:  How to License Someone Else’s Product and How to Successfully License a New Product or Invention.

Document, Implement & Automate Processes –Free yourself up by investing in CRM software, auto-responders, card sending programs, customer service processes, sales from your website, and… what else?  What are you doing that a system or a person can be doing for you once the process has been defined and documented?   Documentation is crucial to minimize time spent training new or retraining existing employees.   Automate with caution… do not automate what you feel requires a personal touch or interaction.

These are just a few ideas that, with consistent effort, can take your business to the next level.  Keep in mind that results may not show up immediately as it can take time to achieve measurable results.  But once you start seeing that upward curve in your revenue, you’ll see that it was worth the wait.  What ideas can you share with us that have worked for you or what are you switching up to take your business to the next level?

(c) 2011 Behind The Moon, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

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How Do You Stand Out In A Job Search?

By Lida Citroen, principal, LIDA360
Author of “Reputation 360: Creating power through personal branding” (Palisades Publishing, 2011)

Without a doubt, your most critical asset when in a job search is your personal brand. In a market as competitive as today’s, your skills and knowledge are most likely replaceable and hard to differentiate.  On a daily basis, recruiters and hiring managers meet candidates who look and sound just like you. Unless, of course, you stand out from your competition by designing your personal brand and marketing yourself to get their attention!

In my career as a corporate and personal brand strategist and counsel for executives of Fortune 500 companies, I have had the honor and pleasure of helping all kinds of people: Leaders in innovative education technology; venture capitalists with a passion for sustainability and impact investing; outspoken advocates for the advancement and empowerment of American adolescents; cancer survivors; disabled U.S. war veterans; coaches; consultants; moms, dads and their college-age kids. My clients aren’t celebrities, but they are well known in their respective industries.

What they all have in common is the realization that to be successful and compete in today’s environment, it is critical to manage your reputation and build your relevancy in the marketplace. 

Here are some ways a clearly defined personal brand can help you:

Separate yourself from the crowd. Keywords may help get your resume in front of human eyes, and your experience might get you to the interview, but it’s your personal brand – those qualities, values and reputation that make you unique – that separates you from the other candidates in order to get you hired. Focus on what makes you different, compelling and interesting. Your resume represents your past. What does your future look like?  How will that benefit the company you are interviewing with? What is your unique selling proposition – what makes you, you.

Move out of the resume rut. Your resume is one tool for communicating your skills and expertise – and every other candidate will have one. When you put intention into building a personal brand, you branch out to other outlets (i.e. portfolios, profiles, websites, social networking, in person events) to communicate your value and expertise. Build your reputation across multiple touch points.  For instance, building a strong online presence helps recruiters learn more about you – as they Google your name, they will gain insight about your personality, interests, hobbies and maybe volunteer interests. Now you become a real person, not a list of skills and experiences on paper.

Target your efforts. The process of personal branding is all about strategy, being intentional, genuine and focused.  If you were a company marketing a product, you would not leave it to chance that your customers would find you and appreciate your value. You would be focused and strategic about targeting the right audience, in the right way, to get the right result. It’s not about fate or chance or luck, but rather about the work and creativity you put into your search and communicating how you can add specific value to target employers.

Make it easier for others to help you. When you’re clear about who you are, what you offer and what you want, you can clearly articulate that to others who may be in a position to connect you.  If you’re not clear about what you want, your networking efforts get watered down and others don’t know how to help you, even if they want to.

The ability to articulate your personal brand is critical to a job search in a market like this one.  Throughout my new book, “Reputation 360: Creating power through personal branding,” I walk you through the process of developing and marketing your personal brand – from targeting audiences to creating elevator pitches and style/image advice. I also share case studies of successful people to illustrate how people come to the realization that they need to create a reputation that allows them to stand apart from the competition in order to achieve their goals. As a job seeker, this could be mean the difference between sending random resumes and landing a great job! 

Based in Greenwood Village, Colorado, Lida is the author of “Reputation 360: Creating power through personal branding” (Palisades Publishing, 2011).  An accomplished speaker, author and advisor to Fortune 500 CEOs, executives and businesses, Lida captivates audiences with her empowering message about intentionally managing your brand and reputation to attract opportunities. For more than 20 years, Lida has brought her unique, engaging and actionable techniques to clients, earning her acclaim internationally as an expert in reputation management and personal branding. Learn more at www.LIDA360.com and www.Reputation360Book.com .

(c) 2011 Behind The Moon, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

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Five Ways To Avoid The Summer Sales Slump

by Liz Wendling, Sales Coach for Women

The heat is on and talk of the dreaded summer sales slump has begun. The same excuses have surfaced and they have arrived right on schedule. Any of these sound familiar? “I may as well take off early today, nobody’s buying.” “It’s too hot to sell anything to anybody.” “All my customers are on vacation.”  Really?  Are you just going to give up and stop selling for the next ninety-four days?

Many people do take vacations in the summer – a week or so here and there – but they are still working the rest of the time.  Even if your particular business slows down during the summer months that does not mean you throw in the beach towel, take a siesta and wait for fall.

Smart business owners are seeing the summer as a good opportunity to re-evaluate their business plan and goals. They are using this time wisely to plot out new strategies and experiment on new methods to increase their sales performance. Some are even hiring a sales coach to help.

Here are five sales strategies to avoid the summer slump:

Change your attitude – Your attitude creates the space in which you will perform in your business. If you believe the summer is slow and your sales will slump, than that is what you shall receive. Continue your sales activities like it is February or March. Perform in the same manner as you would in those months.

Commit to win – It is the commitment to win that gives you the edge, and gives you the creativity and the innovation to restructure and redesign your sales strategies.  Making a commitment to win gives you the ability to think differently, which creates new opportunities that will give you the advantages you need to succeed.

Sharpen your tools – Most salespeople don’t spend enough time working on improving their sales skills and techniques. If your business is slower in the summer, take the time to learn how to sell more effectively and get involved in a sales coaching program. Begin now by putting your own plan in place to sharpen your sales skills and hone your sales techniques. Great salespeople do not blame the seasons for their slump.

Increase sales activities – In the summer months, companies and salespeople cut their sales activities.  They actually have said to me, “If we are not going to sell anything, what is the point?”  It is completely backwards thinking and the type of thinking that will keep you exactly where you are. Increasing your sales activity will increase sales results.

Don’t believe the hype – One of the biggest problems with this summer slump chatter is that salespeople use the chatter to fuel the fire and make excuses about themselves and their business. People tend to believe everything they hear and see instead of challenging the summer slowdown belief.  If you perceive no one is around and everyone is on vacation then you are setting yourself up for a negative, self-fulfilling prophecy and your sales will take a long siesta.

The options are endless to avoid the summer slump; have a summer special, make a few more calls, prospect, follow-up, reach out to old clients, visit existing clients, go to more networking events, ask for referrals. I could go on and shoot a few more holes in the summer sales slump excuses but I think you get the point.

Liz Wendling, the sales coach for women is one of Denver’s top sales coaches. Liz believes everyone is in sales and specializes in teaching women and business leaders how to prosper by overcoming the fear and anxiety inherent in sales. She coaches women (and smart men) on how to create immediate sales results, achieve lasting business success and permanently raise their bottom line. For a FREE download of the Seven Deadly Sales Mistakes And How To Avoid Them! Go to www.salescoachforwomen.com or e-mail Liz@salescoachforwomen.com.

(c) 2011 Behind The Moon, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

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Collabora-Preneurship May Be Your Next Step

By Sabrina Risley

While many professionals I meet are solo-preneurs, they are not necessarily flying solo.  Ditto with regard to employees building a portfolio or book of business for a small, mid or large sized organization.  In fact, many professionals are recognizing the power of collaborating with others to leverage resources they may not have at their fingertips.  They are becoming what I like to refer to as “collabora-preneurs.” 

A collabora-preneur is someone who collaborates with others in business to meet a common goal.  You see, you can’t do everything on your own and still give 100% of your attention where it is needed most.  Whether working for yourself or someone else, collaboration is one of the golden tickets to your success.  If something stops you from meeting your goal(s) or from expanding, find someone who or a company that can fill the space.  Do not make the mistake of thinking you and your company have to deliver what the market demands when you can leverage expertise that already exists. 

Some of the benefits to collaborating include:

(1)  Making use of someone else’s expertise

(2)  Leveraging manpower and resources

(3)  Cross-promoting and co-marketing

(4)  Brainstorming ideas and masterminding

(5)  Expanding without losing focus of core competency

(6)  Offering more to existing customers.

Allow me to offer up my company as an example of collabora-preneurship.  Since 2004, Behind The Moon (BTM) has offered networking events to Colorado professionals.  After five years, I thought it was time to expand our services and in 2009, BTM ventured into offering referral groups to the professional community, known better as leads groups.  It was not my forte but, with the proper due diligence, would be a nice complement and stepping stone to further our success.  Instead of additional success, what I found was that developing and operating leads groups was a distraction and took me away from the forward progress of BTM’s core competency, networking events and educating professionals on effective networking techniques.  I found myself overworked and under great self-inflicted pressure, attempting to over-deliver on a service with which I had very little experience and expertise.

After 18 months of reinventing the wheel (which I highly discourage), I realized I lacked the available time to dedicate to fully developing and delivering an outstanding leads group service.  However, rather than discard my efforts, I decided this would be an ideal opportunity to collaborate with another company.  It is June 2011 and I am thrilled to announce that BTM has joined forces with Mark Hiatt of Business Leads of America (BLA).  As long as BTM has been offering networking events to professionals, BLA been offering leads groups, and has done so very successfully.  BLA operates 12 leads groups throughout Colorado and 5 in Arizona.

BTM and BLA form a strong partnership as, among other reasons, both our organizations can now leverage services of the other without distraction from our core competency.   As a result, BTM and BLA members gain greater value, a stronger community, plus tools and resources now available to impact their personal and professional growth.  This is an alliance that benefits both communities.

If you are itching to venture into a new market or offer a new product or service, collaborating or collabora-preneurship may be the next step to consider.

See Tips For A Successful Joint Venture for information about what to look for in a partner.

(c) 2011 Behind The Moon, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

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The 7 Secrets to Soulful Marketing

By Andrea Costantine

Have you ever wondered how you could grow your business more authentically and with more soul?  Well, it’s time you found out.
(Following is an excerpt from the book Soulful Marketing: Heart Centered Marketing for Conscious Entrepreneurs,which is being GIVEN away for FREE through May 20, 2011. Grab your copy here http://bit.ly/soulmktg and read Sabrina’s chapter included in the book, Networking Is More Than A Numbers Game).

There are seven foundational essentials that are extremely important in order for the principles of Soulful Marketing to transform your business. These essentials include self-expression, a service mindset, heart based marketing, living your life purpose, having passion for your work, a desire to achieve big things – no regard for living a mediocre life – and a deep commitment to your success.

#1 Self-Expression

Self-expression is a pivotal part of having a thriving business.  There is no point in having a business that leaves you feeling drained, unappreciated, and lacks creativity. Self-expression comes in many forms and is unique to each individual. That in itself is the beauty of it. One person may feel fully self-expressed building websites all day, while another needs to paint, write, or speak. Self-expression is the core truth of who you are and what you stand for.  Knowing what you value and living these values in your daily life is the key to self-expression. A business that doesn’t allow you the room to create from the deepest levels of who you are will leave you feeling drained, burned out, and exhausted.

#2 Service Mindset

A service-mindset, which I will go into more detail about later, is the way to remove the neediness out of your business, take the selling out of your offer, and allow you to “serve” your soul-market. A service mindset eliminates the worry of whether or not a prospect will buy or take advantage of your products. It is also the secret behind creating magnetic energy that attracts clients to you – effortlessly.

#3 Heart Based Marketing

Heart based-marketing is about tapping into the core of who your soul-clients are, figuring out what problems you can solve for them, what you do to bring value to their lives and then speaking and marketing to them in a way that shows you are the solution to their challenges. This is marketing without fear. You do not need to use the typical fear style marketing that many businesses use in the world today. Instead, you can reach people at a soul level in order to inspire them to purposeful action.

#4 An Expression of Your Purpose

Your business must be an expression of your life purpose. Having a business solely to make money without regard for the product or services that you are offering, cannot work under the Soulful Marketing paradigm.  Each person’s life purpose is defined differently, and if you are unsure of whether or not you are living your life purpose, I highly suggest you take advantage of the many ways in which you can discover this powerful life changing information.

Without knowing your true life purpose, it’s all too easy to flounder in your business and wane back and forth on the direction you would like to go. Knowing your life’s purpose will help you move forward faster and with more confidence. I must admit when I first discovered these things about myself, I realized it was my right and responsibility to fulfill my divine destiny. It adds clarity to your business – even if you aren’t sure of “how” you will live it after you have “discovered yourself.”

#5 Passion

Passion and purpose tie in together. Without one you cannot have the other. Sadly, there are times when I come across someone who has lost their passion for their work. Passion is required for your business; otherwise, it’s all too easy not to send out that marketing email, not to make that phone call, to hide behind administrative work, and not to put yourself out there. Passion is the key that drives you. If you can keep your passion high and practice proper self-care to illuminate your soul, you can make it through the difficult times and overcome adversity and fears that are a natural part of being an entrepreneur.

#6 Strong Desire to Live Big

Those who implement Soulful Marketing must have a strong desire to do big things with their life and business and refuse to settle with living a mediocre life. I am serious when I say that if you are okay with living a mediocre life then this is not the book and way for you. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with mediocrity – in fact, some days I crave it – but in general, if you aren’t committed to playing out fully in your life and achieving the biggest possible vision for yourself – finding success as a soulful entrepreneur will be almost impossible.

#7 Commitment

Lastly, you need a deep commitment to your work. Without this commitment it is impossible to achieve your aspirations as there will be days, moments, or even weeks when the going will get tough. It is only with commitment that you can fight back and resist the urge to walk out on your dreams.

            When it comes to implementing the work presented in this book, it is critical that you assess whether your business meets these seven essential foundations of Soulful Marketing. If you find that you are lacking in even one area, seek out support to bridge the gap. It’s only when all seven of these principles are in action that you will prosper and your business will grow.

Be sure to download the FREE ebook of Soulful Marketing: Heart Centered Marketing from Conscious Entrepreneurs at http://bit.ly/soulmktg   – only available until midnight 5/20.11.

Andrea Costantine is the co-creator of Speaking Your Truth: Courageous Stories from Inspiring Women and How to Bring Your Book to Life This Year: An Exploratory Guidebook on Writing and Self-Publishing. Andrea is passionate about service, self-expression, and creativity and enjoys unleashing that spirit in others. Andrea is a professional freelance writer, author, speaker, and artist. She resides in Denver, CO. www.andreacostantine.com.

(c) 2011 Behind The Moon, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

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