Time and Place

Date:	Thursday, January 29, 2009
Time:	6:30am – 9:00am
Location:	The Winchester Royal Hotel
Street:	St Peter Street, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 8BS
City/Town:	Winchester, United Kingdom
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It’s a fantastic, friendly and supportive group and I always leave the meetings buzzing with energy and positivity! I’ve been a member for 2.5 years and it’s brought me many useful contacts and business. It has also given me more confidence to sell myself. If you’re looking to target businesses this is a great group as most members are well established with huge contacts into other businesses. If you’re looking to make contact with a specific company, do mention it in your 60s presentation as someone may just be able to facilitate an introduction.

It costs GBP10 to visit and this includes a cooked breakfast.

Directions:
http://www.thewinchesterroyalhotel.co.uk/our-hotels.html

You can park in either of the hotel’s car parks on Parchment Street (recommended – this is the first right turn after McDonald’s) and St. Peter’s Street. If the parking spots are full, you can double park. Just remember to leave your keys with reception and let them know in which car park you’ve parked. You will also need to get a (free) parking permit from reception.

BNI practises a nurturing ‘farmer’ approach rather than get what I can ‘hunter’ approach. I believe that when you help other people in business, they in turn would want to help you. It’s a much more constructive way of working which suits me. No one will refer their best contacts without getting to know you first.

Here are details about the format of the meeting:
1. The Chapter Director welcomes everyone.
2. Various committee members introduce themselves and explain what they do.
3. Four-minute business education brief.
4. 60-second presentations – This is an opportunity to introduce yourself and your business. All members present their 60-seconds first. The Chapter Director will then call on members to introduce their visitors to give their 60-second presentations.
5. Referrals – this is the part of the meeting where members and visitors can pass opportunities for business to each other. If you have heard something during the meeting that you are interested in – or that you know that one of your friends or colleagues needs – then please fill in a referral slip.
6. The meeting closes with announcements and a thought for the day.

I would highly recommend that you bring at least 45 business cards with you. Business cards from all visitors are passed round. Members and other visitors will want to take one and you will have the opportunity to take one of theirs too.

Tips for your 60s presentation. Include:
- who you are
- your company name
- where you’re based
- what you do, your unique selling point if any
- a little story maybe
- why you’re better/ why should people buy from you
- what referrals (business or contacts) you are looking for
End the presentation with your name, company name and a memory hook.

Free hotel parking available either from Parchment St. or St. Peter’s St.

When you park, you will need to get a parking permit from either one of the visitor hosts or from reception. You can double park but you would need to leave your keys at reception.

Hope to see you!

Date: Thursday, 18 December
Time: 1200 – 1445 (food will be served at about 1315)
Venue: The Chesil Rectory Restaurant, 1 Chesil Steet , Winchester, Hampshire SO23 0HU
Telephone: 01962 851 555
Theme: Fancy Dress (not compulsory, just more fun!), no referrals. We will still have 60s presentation from everyone
Cost: Nothing to you!

I’ll be organising a Secret Santa. You’ll get to pick a name this Thursday and bring a present to the value of 5-10 pounds. The recipient will not know who the giver of the present is. Shhh!

Thank you to everyone who has given me their order as I have to submit it by Thursday this week.
Menu can be viewed here:

http://www.chesilrectory.co.uk/content/default.asp?PageId=44#

Linda

It’s a truism that if you fail to plan you plan to fail, that doesn’t mean that you can’t be successful with sheer head-down determination (many people prove that you can), BUT the more you can direct that determination the more efficient your actions will be and the return on your investment of your time and effort will be greater.

However, most of us small business owners are so busy doing the business, that we don’t get time to reflect on the business and on which actions have the greatest effect.

WHO ARE YOUR PREFERRED, IDEAL CLIENTS?

You know, the ones who make you smile all the time.  With any luck these are the same people who put good money in your pocket because you fit their needs to a tee.  Imagine what your business would look like if you had a rolodex filled with only the people and businesses you like to work with.  If most or all of your clients were like them, you’d be one happy camper, wouldn’t you?  You’d not only be making a good living, but you’d be creating a remarkable life as well.

Imagine what your business would look like if you had a rolodex filled with only the people and businesses you like to work with.

Action

For this strategy your task is to profile that preferred client.  This not only directs you towards the diverse people you need to meet, but it also helps to mould and clarify your message – that is, how you describe your business when you introduce yourself to someone in the networking encounter.

Profiling your preferred client means taking a hard look at what makes that organization or individual a perfect fit for you. Its not that you won’t take other clients of course, but this particular type of client is your absolute favorite on many levels.  Perhaps this is a client that you wish to have, yet don’t seem to have many of right now.

As with the previous strategies, this one involves asking yourself some probing questions.  For example: Why are you a perfect match?  What does your preferred client need that you supply?  What problems does this client have that you can solve better than any of your competitors? 

To make this task more concrete, let’s look at an actual example or a specific preferred client profile contributed by Neal, a career/life coach.

Women in transition (divorced, widowed, or empty-nester), mid 40′s, Westmorland or Allegheny county, currently employed, unhappy with their work or like situation, no kids at home, household income over $50,000, college graduate, home owner, with a valid driver’s license. 

On the next page is a preferred client worksheet for you to complete.  Notice that it focuses on the demographic elements of your preferred client.  The main objective is to be as specific as possible.  You can be much more effective at networking your business when you’re able to profile your preferred client to the people who are listening to your message.  This gives the listener more information and opens the mind’s eye to his personal Rolodex, visually matching the people he knows against your specific profile.  When a listener identifies a match, there’s a good chance you’ll get a referral.

 In creating your specific profile, please don’t limit yourself to the elements in this abbreviated list.  Be sure to consider all elements that apply to you.  Your specific profession might determine what elements you should consider.  We’re sure that this list can be expanded, depending on the preferred client profile that you design.

Click here for the worksheet

We’re growing the chapter and are particularly interested in new members in the following professions:

• Accountant
• Bank manager
• Painter / decordator
• Electrician
• Plumber
• Architect
• Dentist
• Carpenter
• (and YOU…)

We allow only one person from each profession to join, so you’re not only taking advantage of having the other members promoting YOUR business, but you’ll be locking out your competition.

To request a visitor invitation or to join, contact us now.