How Do I Build a Network of Support?

During a recent consultation, I told my client it is important to the life of her business to build a network of support. Assuming she knew what I meant, I proceeded. She stopped me and asked, “How do I build a network?”

I realized two things in that moment:

1. How important it is to ask for clarity when we’re unsure
   
   
2. Even though we may know how vital it is to surround ourselves with a diverse network of entrepreneurs, we may not know how to begin
   

Creating a MasterMind -- a term coined by Napoleon Hill -- allows us to work smarter. Succinctly, the MasterMind principle asserts that more minds are better than one. In my experience, it is certainly true. It gives us the ability to tap into other brilliant minds to propel our business, as well as provide the same service to them. The key is a mutual exchange of value. Each person must possess knowledge that is valuable to the other(s).

I am a member of several mastermind groups. One of them is a mini-mastermind and it consists of two of us. We talk daily about current projects, goal-attainment, ongoing marketing efforts, long-term planning and anything else that arises. It’s not always business, however. We talk about aspects of our personal lives as well and have forged a very close connection.

My other MasterMind exchanges involve weekly or monthly contact. We meet regularly, whatever the frequency. My yearly planning calendar contains these dates so the months don’t slip by without meeting.

Why is a network important? I seem to be doing fine on my own.

1. Because you cannot possibly know everything. What information or expertise you lack is quickly filled by the knowledge of someone in your MasterMind group -- or someone they know. It is said every person knows at least 250 people. In a group of 5 people, that translates to a potential resource of 1,250!


2. Because entrepreneurship contains elements of stewardship and service to others. Being part of a group dynamic is the perfect opportunity to benefit from the knowledge of others and help them as well. You all gain personally as well as professionally.


3. Because what happens collectively is always more dynamic than what happens individually. Organic growth is growth that “has a mind of its own.” When your efforts are paired with those of others for a similar outcome (the growth of your businesses), the result is multi-dimensional and more beneficial than you originally imagined.

How do I build my Network?

1. Become a member of trade organizations in your industry.


2. Access the member directory and privately contact fellow members in your geographical area. Extend an invitation to meet in person; either one-on-one or as a group. This provides an excellent opportunity to meet new people. It’s fun and exciting to find out who might become the next helpful resource. You’ll find plenty of opportunities to share your vast knowledge as well.


3. Actively network both online, via telephone and in person (local meetings, workshops, etc.).


4. Offer free assistance based on your expertise. If you’re a writer, write an exclusive article for the organization’s online newsletter. If you’re a candle manufacturer, make a generous donation of your products at the next monthly meeting. You’d be surprised at how few offers are made for free goods/services. Your generosity gets noticed. Be sure to ask for a mention in the next newsletter or publication! If you make a donation, ask if you can give a 5-minute blurb on the solutions you provide for prospective clients. This may bring in extra business.


5. Maintain connections. Every relationship requires your attention. If you want to reap the rewards, you must be vested.


6. Continually look for opportunities to add to your network.

All of this sounds like it requires a great deal of time. Depending on your circumstances and personal preferences, it can, but doesn’t have to.

My network is maintained 100% virtually because my MasterMind partners are located in several countries. I attend events in person only when I’ve assessed the ROI (return on investment) because my time is precious. So is yours.

Having said that, your time and energies must be invested wisely. The amount of time you expend to maintain your MasterMind group(s) pays off in fresh inspiration, friendship and access to resources you’d never have otherwise in your solo-preneurial experience.

One last word about building your network: Know thyself! (Thank you, Plato.)

I prefer an intimate, very close network of women with whom I freely share business and personal experiences. Currently, the count of my network is 6. Each one is a partner in my business. Not in the legal use of the term, but they play an active role in the growth and evolution, even if it’s just by providing clarity when I'm foggy.

They don’t know each other; they are MY private collection of dynamic and resourceful confidants. I adore authentic connection, reliability, humor and the understanding of mutual exchange. Being clear on how I do things and the high expectations I have of myself attracts women of similar caliber. I depend a great deal on the MasterMind principle and the results have proven to be pivotal to business growth.

Take action NOW!

Go to the Web site right now of your favorite trade organization and search for all members in your area. Choose one contact with whom you’ll send a friendly invitation to meet for lunch, e.g. “Hi, Susie Q, I was on the _____ member list and noticed you’re in Brooklyn. So am I! Have you tried Joe Blow’s on the corner of 8th and Columbus? If you’re interested, I’d love to meet for a casual lunch in the next few weeks. Lunch is on me!”

Contribute to the success of others. When you need an objective perspective, a referral, or creative input, it is just a phone call or email away.

Send an email today and you’re on your way to creating a network of personal and professional empowerment. See how easy it is to get started? You'll have a meaningful, vibrant network in no time!

To your unlimited potential and success~

600% ROI (Return On Investment)? Invest 30 Minutes, Dividend Pays 2.5 Hours

Time. It’s a precious commodity. No one knows this better than entrepreneurs. We cram 15 hour days into 8. We are masters at finding ways to make things work with existing resources. I learned a long time ago that you either have more of one than another; time or money.

Remember when you were young? Most likely you had more time than money. That meant you hung out at home in the basement with your friends. You were creative about having fun because you didn’t have money.

As a 42-year-old, things are different.

Now I have more money than time. At some indiscernible point, there was a crossover. I don’t know where, when or how, but here I am; proof that something changed.

I don’t want to spend my time washing the car, changing the oil, or cleaning the toilet. Or bookkeeping, designing ads, or trying to get the best price on a new printer. My time is worth more to me now. I delegate these tasks to pros so I am free to do what I love; provide wordsmithing and editing solutions to entrepreneurs.

Somewhere along life’s journey I discovered investments and learned about assessing the ROI (Return On Investment). The higher the ROI, the better. 600% ROI is outrageous!

Let’s put the ROI in terms of time.

If you invest 30 minutes and get 180 minutes in return, you just experienced a 600% ROI. 180 minutes = 3 hours. If you subtract your initial investment of 30 minutes, that’s 2.5 hours of time you didn’t have before. Where did it come from? It came from a land of DELEGATING.

What would you do with 2.5 hours? Finish, or review and actually implement your marketing plan for 2007? Catch up on contracts for your sales force? Find a bookkeeper so you can focus on growth? Hire a business coach who helps you develop a plan to increase sales by 100% in 6 months?

Feel the freedom of delegating tasks to professionals who knows how to transform words into profits. How full do you want your pockets?

Imagine... a return of 600% every time you invest a mere 30 minutes (the time it takes to discuss and delegate your project). 2.5 hours to focus on growing your business; exactly where your attention needs to be.

To your unlimited potential and success~

Proof-Perfect vs. Perfect – Is Good Enough Good Enough?

One of the marketing terms I use is “Proof-Perfect.” It describes a 9-facet formula to ensure error free copy... every time. Having just said that, however, proof-perfect isn’t perfect. What? Let me explain.

Proof-perfect is your best attempt to ensure boo-boo-free copy in your marketing materials. As you already know this is vital to maintain your reputation. However, even the best system is performed or implemented by humans. Because of the human factor, proof-perfect isn’t guaranteed.

What is guaranteed is the moment you hit the send button to your mailing list of 9,378, you notice a spelling error. Argh. Or after weeks of waiting for your new promotional brochure they arrive; all 50,000 of them. You are so excited until you notice a punctuation blunder that you overlooked in the final review. Double argh.

Proof-perfect is a best attempt... is that good enough? It has to be.

We are not perfect. We are not here to be perfect. Achieving perfection is an impossibility. Perfection being the goal is a futile exercise in frustration. It is a relentless, internal drive never appeased. No matter how much we accomplish or do, the voice inside says our efforts fall short. We are never in a space of “job well done” because our unreasonable expectations are focused on achieving perfection. With this approach we always fall just short of attainment. Talk about rip-your-hair-out insanity.

If you haven’t tried it, don’t take my word for it. Go about the business of your life with the premise that perfection is innate or even attainable. You’ll end up depleted, frustrated, and even angry because clearly it’s an impossible task.

This doesn’t have to cause you grief, however. It’s something with which you can make peace.

If you release your attachment to the whole notion of perfection and replace it with your best effort every time, you are free to explore what you are, instead of what you aren’t. You learn to embrace yourself as-is; perfectly imperfect. Your approach to business and life is a bit lighter. You're able to laugh or shrug off the reminders that you're imperfect because achieving perfection is no longer your goal.

With this switch in thinking, doing your best is not only sufficient, it feels great! You know you did your best. And that is always good enough because how we feel tells the story. Knowing that you haven’t done your best is quite another thing and not the topic of this article. Let me just say, it feels terrible. We all know when we’ve done a great job and we know when we haven’t done our best, for whatever reason. Point taken? Always do your best.

One of the books to greatly impact my life and first shed light on my own unrealistic expectations is A. L. Williams’ All You Can Do is All You Can Do but all you can do is enough! I highly recommend this read.

For the perfectionist in you, it allows you to treat yourself with more tolerance and acceptance for things as-is... from the perspective that doing things well is enough. Doing your best is enough.

Why spend even a moment on what is unattainable -- perfection? Why NOT spend every moment on what is certainly attainable -- your best effort with near-perfect results?

Focusing on things you can do something about is the smartest investment of all your resources. And let me reassure you: Your best is good enough. Always.