Category: Why NetWorks!

“I’m On Commission. I Can’t Afford NetWorks! Boise’s Dues!”

First let me state that NetWorks! Boise is not just for salespeople. Some of our best members are business owners & serve in a variety of capacities other than sales. That being said, if you are a commissioned salesperson and you are of the opinion that you can’t afford our dues, is that a joke? It must be because you can’t afford not to belong to NetWorks! Boise Valley! If you are a crummy salesperson, that’s different. Then again, we don’t want crummy salespeople anyway. NetWorks! Boise Valley is, quite frankly, a “no brainer” if you are at least partially compensated on your selling efforts and those efforts include cultivating new business.

Still, I hear it all the time …. “I can’t afford the $29 per week dues ($348/quarter) and my company won’t pay them for me.” Are you compensated, at least partially, by commission? Do you eat out for lunch at least once per week or do you “brown bag” it? How about coffee or a tasty adult beverage with a client or co-worker? Do you ever take clients to lunch?

Let’s talk about priorities and simple math. Your investment in NetWorks! Boise Valley is …. Continue reading ““I’m On Commission. I Can’t Afford NetWorks! Boise’s Dues!””

Sorry But, I Have No Leads To Share

Say what!? Last time I checked this was a leads group and you and everyone else in this room agreed that we would share leads. Weekly. “I don’t have any leads” just don’t work. We don’t do “empty hands” here 🙂 Sure, there are occasions when everyone will have a day when he or she comes up short, however, this should be the very rare exception to the rule and not the norm. Fact is, there are great leads everywhere and all you need to do is to open your eyes and your ears and carry a voice recorder (your phone probably has one) or a notepad. Being open to gathering great leads for others is merely a state of mind.

In my play book, there are three basic kinds of leads and all of them are valuable: Continue reading “Sorry But, I Have No Leads To Share”

You’ve Joined A Leads Group. Now What?

Despite the explosion of Social Media, make no mistake about it, there is still a place in the business world for the traditional “Leads Group”. While Social Media is a great tool for reaching out and finding new connections, networking remains very much a contact sport. Nothing can replace getting “nose-to-nose and toes-to-toes”, doing it on a regular schedule, and doing it with the people you have built a relationship with!

Therefore, if you have taken the first step and joined a local group, you might as well take those critical steps that will be necessary in order for you to ensure your success. I recommend a two-stage process which will involve a minimum commitment from you, to the group, of six months. If you are unable or unwilling to follow these suggestions, save yourself both the time and the money and don’t even get started. On the other hand, if you are ready to substantially increase your earnings, please read on ….. Continue reading “You’ve Joined A Leads Group. Now What?”

NetWorks! Boise Valley – Investment or Expense?

Basically, my entire business career has centered around sales. I have managed local and regional sales forces. I have owned or partnered in businesses. I even taught salesmanship at both the university and business levels.  I know that NetWorks! is a great investment and have every confidence that our members will echo this sentiment.

Your investment in NBV is $348 per quarter which works out to $29 per meeting. For this investment, you will receive ….

  1. A meal valued at over $12 which means that you are now only investing $17 per week to attend. Do you eat out at least once per week? Why not do it with us?
  2. You will invest your business lunch hour with 15-20 (or more) other business professionals who are committed to helping you increase your revenues. It’s like taking 15-20 clients out to a business luncheon each week and they all pay their own way. How can you beat that?
  3. Every new member receives a free behaviors and motivators assessment and a LinkedIn profile review. Together these services are worth $322.00 after your 25% discount on my additional services. You will also receive an annual free company workshop valued at $225.00.
  4. Check with your accountant but, your dues should be tax deductible. In full. Now let’s work those numbers. In a 30% tax bracket your $29 becomes $20.30. Take away even $12 for the meal and now your total weekly investment is under $9 which is roughly equivalent to two lattes or adult beverages.
  5. You will be featured and publicized on our website as well as through a variety of social media channels. Free advertising and marketing services.
  6. You will not be asked to be President, Secretary-Treasurer, of Sargent of Arms. I will do all that for you.
  7. While we are a business group and not a social one, your dues investment also covers any social events.

Continue reading “NetWorks! Boise Valley – Investment or Expense?”

I’d Love To Give You That Referral …. But

I have been incredibly busy this past week getting everything put into place for the launch of our third NetWorks! Boise group on January 5. This will be a Tuesday breakfast group code-named … Sunrise. How original (smile). Oh well, it works.  I’ve been thinking about the topic of this post for some time now and, in fact, it was originally created on one of my Posterous accounts that I don’t really promote as of yet. Still, the topic is timely. If Christmas is about “giving”, it only makes sense that I see so many “takers” these days (smile). Here is the original post in its entirety and please have a fun and safe Merry Christmas and New Years!! …..

Referrals are the “holy grail” of all networking activities. When you are provided with a referral, there is a better than average chance that, if anybody gets the sale, it’s going to be you. A good referral is like gold. Money in your pocket. It can range from “Please use my name” to “They are expecting your call” to “I’d like to take you out and introduce you to …”.

Now, let’s take a moment and think about that person who is providing you with this referral. If I give somebody a referral, I need to do so with 100% confidence that:

Continue reading “I’d Love To Give You That Referral …. But”

What Constitutes A Really Hot Lead?

I got a call from a colleague last night and he was lamenting to me about how the leads he is getting from his current group are just not up to standards. Fact is, I’d let him in but his industry is already taken in our lunch group. Maybe the breakfast group that I plan to launch in September? (smile)

As we talked the discussion covered a number of other topics relating to leads groups in general. These included many of the typical challenges that I am all too familiar with: people not showing up, folks not bringing leads, leads that people bring are sub-standard at best. More of a social gathering vs. a business meeting. At NetWorks! we have a cure for that problem. We encourage those folks to find a group that may be more suited for their needs. Mind you, these are all great people and with great businesses. The simple fact is that NetWorks! is not for everybody. Continue reading “What Constitutes A Really Hot Lead?”

NetWorks! – All About Results

NetWorks! means ROI. More importantly, it means maximizing that magical equation. In order to fully understand this concept we must be first willing to accept that there is a difference between an expense and an investment. When we expense something we expect to receive something of equal value in return. However, with an investment we reasonably expect to get back much more. We anticipate the “gift that keeps on giving”. That, my friend, is ROI. That, my friend, is NetWorks!

Let me ask you a few simple questions. Do you go to a restaurant for lunch two or more times per week? If you “brown bag” it….would you like to be able to eat out (smile)? When you do go out to lunch, would you classify that as an expense or as an investment? Certainly, if you are taking a client to lunch, I would call that an investment. Even better, half that lunch date, per IRS rules, may be tax deductible. Continue reading “NetWorks! – All About Results”