Referral Success 101 classes offered in Irvine, Long Beach and Fullerton

Kim Spucces, of Investment Advisors International and the investment advisor in the High Trust BNI chapter, wants to share the June 2011 Referral Institute Calendar with her BNI colleagues and anyone else interested in improving their networking and referral skills.

The classes are taught by the institute's TR Garland.

"I recommend this teacher and the lesson," Kim said, offering the following email from TR Garland, TR@TRGarland.com.

"Hello Friends,

The June 2011 Referral Institute Calendar is now available.

Here are the following dates/locations.

Registration for you or people in your network is as easy as you replying to this email and saying “I’d like to attend on (DAY OF THE WEEK)” and I’ll register you. In other words, I’m offering this for FREE to you and your network.

REFERRAL SUCCESS 101

June 1 Wednesday 2pm-6pm in Fullerton (CSUF area)

June 3 Friday 10am-2pm in Long Beach (airport area)

June 8 Wednesday 2pm-6pm in Irvine

Looking forward to serving you or someone you know by helping them learn about referral marketing as well as better networking techniques.

DESCRIPTION:

Do you know how to eliminate inefficient networking tactics by properly training your referral sources to bring you high quality referrals? If not and you’d like to learn how, then check out this workshop in which you will also:

• Network with quality business professionals
• Learn tactics, techniques, & strategies to DOUBLE if not TRIPLE the number of referrals you both give and receive
• Learn a simple process to find out if you are investing time in the wrong business relationships
• Learn "5 Steps To the Referral Process" that’ll help you train YOUR network to pass YOU more referrals create a STEADY stream of referrals in no time
• and, in essence, “Create Referrals For Life!”

This workshop is for you if….

• You’re tired of giving to others with no reciprocation
• You’ve tried and tried to network “the right way” but it hasn’t been getting you the results you expect
• You’ve attended MSP/Advanced MSP but you’re still not getting the ROI you not only want, but NEED
• You’re tired of being the best kept secret in your field
• People are always telling you that everyone should know about your work – but they don’t
• You have a busy life…and you don’t want to recreate the wheel. You want to rely on system that has been proven time and time again to deliver RESULTS

Be more than ordinary...

TR Garland

Regional Manager and Referral Marketing Strategist

Referral Institute® of Orange County

(949) 836-2180 Phone

TR@TRGarland.com

Have you ever heard the term “It’s nothing personal…it’s just business”? I have.

And every time I hear it…it still disappoints me. Business is personal and my personal approach is why people do business with me.

Connect with me on Facebook:

http://www.Facebook.com/toddgarland

Connect with me on LinkedIn:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/trgarland/

Thoughts on Basic Social Media Prospecting

On Wednesday this week I attended Dan Fowler's Basic Social Media Prospecting class. I took the class hoping to learn something new that would take me to the next level; especially since (I thought) I already know a good amount about social media. Well, I learned some great things!

The best thing I learned was that "social media is about categorizing content, rather than trying to capitalize on trends." This was groundbreaking for me because I never thought about social media as even having categories. This is important to know because each kind of social media is for a certain purpose and can be best used once you understand its category. There are: search engines, social bookmarking, blogging and micro-blogging, media sharing, social and business networking, etc.

The next best thing I learned was that social media is inbound marketing, this means your business has permission and invitations from your friends/followers to be a resource to them. This kind of marketing creates the opportunity for the traditional kind of inbound marketing to be most effective. I love this idea because I inherently dislike traditional inbound marketing (i.e., direct mail) because I believe it is not cost effective or even slightly efficient. However, after Dan's revelation of using outbound marketing only after you have made a connection (and most importantly gained trust) through inbound marketing I am more excited than ever to revamp the social media marketing for the Law Office of Veronica R. Guzman!

I know someone that does that....

I had a new customer at my workshop this morning who is an interior designer. She moved to Cypress from the valley when she married in January and is looking to grow her business in this new location. She has been looking into networking organizations, had just recently heard about BNI, and was excited to be invited to visit. She will be back for another workshop Saturday and then I will send her a reminder e-mail about BNI.

Off the top of my head I figured she would be a great power partner for Julaine, Dennis, Ken, Tony, and Gale Boyd. As we talked I thought she might personally need Dan Fowler, Dan Arteritano, Dean Hill, and Lisa Lockhart, all of whom could help her re-establish her business in her new locale.

She also enjoyed the interaction between my workshoppers and remarked that she enjoys being in groups of people because all her girlfriends are back in her old neighborhood, so I invited her to the Arbonne party Beth Bingham Georges is doing at my house on the 18th.

This is why I love being a member of High Trust BNI. It feels so good to be able to connect people who can help one another.

High Trust this week - September 28, 2010

Dear High Trust,
Thank you for another great, high energy meeting--our last meeting of the BNI year!

Linda Parra educated us about long-term care during her keynote presentation. I'm sure we'll all be listening for opportunities to refer Linda, especially this week.

Our Socal BNI Assistant Director, Lily Otieno, visited us and used her "stand and deliver" time to recognize several of our members who have outstanding statistics. Congratulations to Kim Spucces, Dan Fowler, George Papacalos, Julaine Waggoner, and Wendy Austin.

Our most important announcement of the day was that there will be no regular chapter meeting on October 5th. Instead, you are encouraged to attend the Winning Strategies for Business conference in Long Beach on October 5th. Dr. Ivan Misner, BNI Founder, will be the Keynote Presenter. This is a FREE EVENT! Even though it's free, you MUST REGISTER. Use this link:

http://www.entrepreneur.com/winningstrategies/index.html

This event is not just for BNI members - it's free for anyone, so invite your associates and clients to join you. They must register too, of course.

You can see the agenda for the conference here:

http://www.entrepreneur.com/winningstrategies/agenda.html

Your Leadership Team encourages you to take advantage of this opportunity, but we understand that not everyone will be able to attend. You will not be penalized in any way if you can't be there.

Right now we expect to resume regular chapter meetings on Tuesday, October 12th. You will hear from your new president, Jarvis Reeves, when there is a goal planning meeting scheduled.

I look forward to celebrating this past BNI year with many of you at “An Evening Among the Stars”, to be held on Friday, October 1st at the Hyatt Regency located at 17900 Jamboree Rd, Irvine, CA 92614.

Speaking of Friday night, have you seen the list of nominees? I fully expect to hear "High Trust" among the winners. Check out the list here:

http://www.socalbni.com/cgi-bin/viewnlcontent.cgi?nlarticle_id=73

Upcoming training opportunities:

MSP – Thursday, September 29th, 9 am in Capistrano Beach and Saturday, October 9th, 8 am in Placentia

Effective Keynote Presentation – 2:00 on Tuesday, October 5th, in Mission Viejo

Hidden Opportunities – 2:00 on Thursday, October 7th, in Capistrano Beach


Networking Opportunity:
Bixby Knolls Supper Club Monday, October 4, 6 pm or 8 pm at Baba Ghanouj, 4276 Atlantic. $20 per person. Our capacity is 50 each seating. RSVP to: info@bixbyknollsinfo.com

Last, but not least, I want to thank all the members of High Trust for making my year as President a smooth, fun, and rewarding experience. You are all amazing business people who exemplify the Givers Gain attitude. A special thanks to our Leadership and Support Team, who made my job easy. Kim Spucces and Dan Fowler--I relied on your expertise and good sense. This past year wouldn't have been as successful--or fun--without you.

Sincerely,
Marilee

High Trust this week - September 14, 2010

Dear High Trust,
Thank you for another great meeting this morning. I hope you all come out of our chapter meetings as inspired and motivated as I do. You are an outstanding group of business people and I feel honored to be working with you.

Dr. Michael Majancsik gave an informative keynote speech this morning. Now that we know a little more about his exercise-based chiropractic practice we will be on the lookout for referrals for him, especially for those golfers who want to improve their game.

Our GRC team, Wendy Austin and Tony Gullotto, talked about our short and sweet September Stars Contest. Members should be reporting all BNI activity (1 to 1 meetings, referrals, TYFCB, trainings attended, etc.) to their team captains. The team captains will in turn report to Wendy. We have just one week to go, so be sure to keep your activity level high. It's not only good for the contest, it's just plain good for your business.

Ken Tolerico gave a good Educational Coordinator moment about building trust by using members of your own chapter for your own business and personal needs.

Here is another look at this morning's announcements:

1) LT/Support meeting one week from today, Tuesday, September 21st, immediately following the chapter meeting.
2) Upcoming training opportunities (remember to count this for our contest):

LT Training at Knott’s Berry Farm Resort Hotel– Tuesday, September 14 and Monday, September 20. 8 am or 2 pm both dates. THIS TRAINING IS MANDATORY for all LT and Support Team members, so please register today.

MSP – Wednesday, September 15th, 8 a.m. in Irvine and Friday, September 17th, 2:00 at Skylinks

Effective Keynote – Thursday, September 16th, 10 a.m. in Capistrano Beach

Basic Social Media – Saturday, September 18th, 8 a.m. in Placentia



3) Seal Beach Chamber of Commerce Mixer tonight from 6:00 to 8:00, hosted by Heifer International at 330 Main Street, Seal Beach, 90740

4) Dr. Ivan Misner, BNI Founder, will be the Keynote Presenter at the Entrepreneur Conference "Winning Strategies" in Long Beach on October 5.



This is a FREE EVENT - Look at the link to the event flyer on our SoCal BNI website. It's in the upper right corner. You'll see the full slate of presenters, and you can register at the same time.



Even though it's free, you MUST REGISTER. This event is not just for BNI members - it's free for anyone, so invite your associates and clients to join you. They must register too, of course.



Have you responded to the "survey monkey" about this event? If not, please do so now.





5) Victory Networkings’s Connect and Exchange Luncheon

Monday, September 20th, noon to 2:00 pm. (Check in starts at 11:30 am.)

Olive Garden Restaurant, 2955 Alton Parkway, Irvine 92714. Special no-host lunch menu. E-mail Lauren@VictoryNetworking.com to RSVP.



Wishing you a profitable week,
Marilee

High Trust this week - August 31, 2010

Hello High Trust,
We received an application for membership this morning from Jay Roen of Big O Tires. Exciting news! We will look forward to hearing the results from the Membership Committee.

Now we know QUACK because we heard a great keynote presentation from Jarvis Reeves of Aflac. We'll all be looking for ways to introduce Jarvis to those in need of the duck's services.

Our GRC team, Wendy and Tony, introduced the new contest for September. We divided into teams for this competition. Wendy will e-mail the rules and rewards to us soon.

Here is a reminder of the day's announcements:
1) Upcoming training opportunities:

SMM – Wednesday, September 8th, 2:00 at Skylinks

Basic Social Media – Thursday, September 9th, 1:00 in Mission Viejo

Power Teams - Monday, September 13th, 2:00 in Mission Viejo

LT Training at Knott’s Berry Farm Resort Hotel– Tuesday, September 14 and Monday, September 20. 8 am or 2 pm both dates.





2) Stop by the Bixby Knolls First Fridays Information Table from 6:30pm - 8pm on September 3rd, located on the northwest corner of Bixby & Atlantic Ave, where you'll find info about First Fridays, maps, business info, and restaurant recommendations.

3) Bixby Knolls Meet & Eat at Baja Sonora, 3502 Atlantic Avenue on Monday, September 13, 6:30pm. Bring your own wine - No corkage fee. We have 70 seats so reservations are a must since we've been selling out so quickly! Please RSVP to: info@bixbyknollsinfo.com



5) Dr. Ivan Misner, BNI Founder, will be the Keynote Presenter at the Entrepreneur Conference "Winning Strategies" in Long Beach on October 5.



This is a FREE EVENT - Look at the link to the event flyer on our SoCal BNI website. It's in the upper right corner. You'll see the full slate of presenters, and you can register at the same time.



Even though it's free, you MUST REGISTER. This event is not just for BNI members - it's free for anyone, so invite your associates and clients to join you. They must register too, of course.


Do we want to replace our normal October 5th meeting with the Entrepreneur Conference? That is the question to consider, as October 5th would normally be a chapter meeting day for us. Dan Fowler will send a survey to all of us to see what we think. October 5th will also be the first day of the new Leadership Team, so it might be a good day to do something different, inspiring, and energizing to begin our new BNI year.

Next week's keynote presenter will be Lisa Foster, so invite people you think would either benefit from Lisa's business or be good power partners for her.

Wishing you a profitable week,
Marilee

High Trust this week - August 17, 2010

Fayla Acker of Fayla Jane Affairs gave her keynote address this morning and it was quite a treat. First we were greeted with a much lovelier than usual meeting room. Then we got a presentation that showed us what Fayla has to offer her clients. Let's be looking and listening for those people who need an event planner this week.

An Evening Among the Stars - Our chapter purchased three tables, but as of this morning there were a couple of seats still available. Please contact Dan Fowler a.s.a.p. if you have not already paid and would like to go.

Those of you who were able to stay for the videotaping got to work with Director Dan Fowler. I can't wait to see the finished WINNING chapter video.

Be sure to sign up for Leadership Team training. You will want to talk to incoming president Jarvis Reeves about the best position for you on the new support team. When you attend the training you not only get a better insight into how a BNI chapter excels, but you will also have the opportunity to network with members of other chapters and vote for the best chapter video.

VP Kim Spucces reminded us of our goals for the year. We still have another $85,000 in closed business to accomplish by the end of September. I know we can do it!

Room fees for September are due next week, August 24th. Keep our Secretary/Treasurer happy by paying in a timely fashion.

Absences are not good for our chapter. I know it can be difficult--especially during the summer--but it is essential that you have a substitute represent you when you are absent. Keep in mind that BNI policy says that after three absences within a six month period your category may be opened. It is also important that you realize that six month period is specifically October through March and then April through September. That is the way the BNI year is structured.

Be specific during your Sales Manager Moment. This was mentioned at our Leadership & Support Team meeting following the videotaping today. Some of you are very good about being specific in what you are asking for. I think that those who have this skill will tell you that it pays off. You should never be looking for "anyone". Sales Manager Minute training is very helpful in teaching you what to ask for and how to ask.

Here's a recap of this morning's announcements:
1) Your new Leadership Team beginning October 1st will be:
President – Jarvis Reeves
Vice President – Dan Fowler
Secretary/Treasurer – Lisa Foster
2) Bixby Knolls Community Happy Hour Thursday, August 19, 2010, 5:30pm - 7:00pm At Everyday Zen Relaxation Studio, 3740 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 201
Meet & Greet: 7th District Councilmember James Johnson 5:30pm - 6:00pm and Sami Reed, Long Beach Boot Camp
3) Upcoming training:
MSP – 7 a.m. Friday, August 20th, at Skylinks or
2 p.m. Thursday, August 26th, in Capistrano Beach
LT Training at Knott’s Berry Farm Resort Hotel– Saturday, August 21, 8 am and
Monday, August 30, either 8 am or 2 pm
Chapter Success Forum – Monday, August 23rd, various times and locations
Advanced Social Media – Wednesday, August 25th, 2 pm in Irvine

4) August 27th – 80’s Night at the Petroleum Club, 3636 Linden Avenue, 8 pm to midnight. $5 donation at the door. Contact info: 562.595.0081 or info@bixbyknollsinfo.com

5) Remember that annual BNI fees go up to $365 on October 1st. You may want to take advantage of the current lower rate by renewing early.

Wishing you a productive and prosperous week,
Marilee

What is the key to a successful live event?

Let’s face it, the economy is not the same as it was 6 months ago.  People are becoming a lot pickier with their time and money.  I work with a ton of professional speakers.  Many of them are telling me how different it is to speak.  Events that would usually have 400-500 people are lucky to get 100 people.

Everything seems to be shifting online.  Having produced several live events, I still feel you can have a successful and profitable event.  A friend of mine asked me about this and here is what I had to say:

What is the key to pulling off a successful event (content & guest speakers)

Understanding what your target market wants and giving it to them.
There are several key pieces to having a successful event:

1. The right message for the right audience
2. The best speakers (you can get top speakers if you can book
   seats) Then you do a split with them. They pay their own way…..you
   share in the sales they make.
3. GREAT and ample marketing. Typically it can take 3-4 months to
   put people into seats. Just depends on how big your network is to
   start. Many times you can find people with large databases to
   promote the event for a split of ticket sales. I would keep the
   seats a low price with high value to have more people in a room.
4. Good use of time. Right now, people don’t want to have to spend
   a lot of time away.  I would consider doing a one day event, you can
   realistically have 4 speakers for the day. I would offer networking
   opportunities before, during and after the event to help boost
   attendance. You might want to offer a lunch so people can quickly
   get in and out of lunch and network together.
5. Powerful branding…..the more people feel they understand
   you….the more you will sell.
6. Follow up, follow up, follow up – when I book an event (and I
   have done many) I follow up with the attendees several times before
   the event to ensure we have the maximum attendance. People forget
   why it was so important to show up. My messages get progressively
   more energetic the closer an event comes.

Can you actually turn a profit from holding and event? YES!

1. You can make money from ticket sales.  Again keep it low so you
   can increase attendance. Even if you do a 50/50 split with people to
   promote the event, you should easily be able to cover your costs
   plus a little extra with a well attended event. Shoot for 300 people
   and you will hopefully get 100. You can offer attendees to bring a
   friend, business associate or family member for half off or for free
   to boost attendance.
2. You can make money from each speaker.  Most likely, this is
   where you will make the most money.  At least you should depending
   on how experienced your speakers are.  Right now, you can get pretty
   amazing speakers if you have a well attended event.   Do a 50/50
   split and have them offer packages from $497 and higher. I would do
   a big bonus for anyone getting the whole package.  Meaning, if they
   purchase all packages you have a huge bonus for them.
3. You can sell your next event and keep the excitement and
   momentum going.

What is your experience with live events?  Are you more likely to
attend a free webinar or attend a live event?

Art of Networking

"Enough about Me, Let's Talk about You!"
How to make one-to-ones two-sided

by Dan and Penny Georgevich, Executive Directors, BNI – Michigan

We recently asked a massage therapist how things were going with her new BNI networking group. She said, “So far so good. I’ve even landed a couple of new clients. But I do have a question about how the one-to-one meetings are supposed to work. I was so excited when another long-time member invited me to meet with her for a one-to-one over lunch, because she said she wanted to learn more about my business.”
But they spent the first 55 minutes of a one-hour lunch talking about the veteran member’s product and why she should buy it! While the veteran mentioned she wanted to learn about the types of massage she offered, she never once asked anything about her line of work. At the end, she asked for her business card. But other than that, the newbie member never had the opportunity to talk about her business.

“Is this how one-to-ones are supposed to go?” she queried.

Unfortunately, no. This massage therapist was on the wrong side of a one-sided one-to-one. Normally, one-to-ones are among the best strategies to create strong relationships within your networks. But if you’re too centered on yourself and your business, your meeting may not go any further ­­– just like the story above. The thoughts you share, the words you use, and the questions you ask can spark a successful networking relationship.
Here are some suggestions to make your one-to-one meetings less one-sided—so they are more productive:

Make it about the other person. In a one-to-one meeting, strive to put the focus on the other person. When you do that, the meeting is bound to be fruitful and build trust. If you both do this, you’ll spend an equal amount of time learning about how to support each other.

Be careful about what you say. Before you speak, ask yourself, “What is your intent?” It should be to focus on the other person. You want to learn about them to help identify ways you can help them.
The more you know… then the easier it will be to add this person to your “sales team.” By finding out whom he or she knows and how he or she works, you’ll be able to see how this person can work for you—and vice versa. With this “getting-to-know-you” strategy in mind, every one-to-one meeting will be a win-win situation.

Turn Conversation Faux-pas into Conversation Triumphs

We’ve heard some great stories about one-to-one meetings—many that drive away potential referrals. Here’s what not to do, and some suggestions to make your conversation great:

1. “Let me tell you everything, and then some, about my favorite product!”
If you lead with a core dump about your best product, you will cause a system crash. And if you monopolize the conversation, you may find that it is the last conversation you get to monopolize with that person. Use something that will create a positive response instead!

Suggestion: “What product or service are you most proud of?”

2. “I love golf; don’t you just love golf, too?”
While one-to-one meetings are a great way to find common ground, you don’t have to overdo it. Your sport or hobby may not be the best way to connect with someone, and your favorite pastime does not have to win over the other party. When it comes to conversations about favorite pastimes, ask the other person to share information; it shows how interested you are in them.
Suggestion: “What is the one thing that you enjoy doing most outside of work?”

3. “You need my product, and you need to buy it from me now.”
A quick sale now will be just that: One. Quick. Sale. If you push hard, you’ll get pushback. Rather than treating a one-to-one meeting with a networking partner as a sales call, look at it as a way to develop a relationship that will be mutually beneficial. Position yourself correctly and you’ll reap the benefits of a relationship that will grow over time.

Suggestion: “What can we do to build trust and create future referral opportunities?”
One-to-one meetings are key to developing stronger, more in-depth business relationships. But what and how you communicate can limit how far the business relationship goes. You’ve probably heard, “Enough about me, let’s talk about you. So what do you think of me?” Even if you’ve never heard those exact words, it’s likely you’ve experienced something very similar.

It’s very simple: Pushy is bad. Thoughtful is good. Whether it’s a new connection or one that has survived the test of time, by focusing on your one-to-one partner, you’ll create a solid networking relationship that can bring you a lifetime of business.