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Hi Again !

We're back for Part 4 of this blog series about the benefits of Considering Joining a Business Network Group.

The first parts covered how Network Groups can put "Dollars in your Pocket" (Part 1), help you become a "Better Public Speaker" (Part 2), and can "Provide a Source of Referrals for your Clientelle" (Part 3).

Have you started to see some of the additional benefits yet !

Well today we add another -

"Improved Goal Setting and Accomplishment"

If you have a Business Plan for your job, you know that the biggest challenge for most is staying on track with the goals and tasks you set in the plan.

You can have it all mapped out for the year on January 1st, but if you dont do the daily, weekly or monthly activities that you need to do, then on December 31st, you may not have achieved the goal that your Business Plan was shooting for.

Being a member of a Business Network Group helps you build that structured approach towards improving your business, because there is sequence of things you are expected to do to get the most out of the group - similar to the sequence of activities you are expected to do to accomplish your Business Plan.

• 1) Attendence ! The biggest one for network groups ! If you belong to a chapter that meets weekly at 7am or 8am, and you only show up once a month because you cant get out of bed in time each week, then you are not preparing yourself well enough the night before to have enough rest to be able to get up when the alarm goes off at 6am !
  Also, to be remembered by the other members of the group so they can refer you business, you must be VISIBLE - namely, you must be in regular attendance. (Of course if you have an early business appointment that morning here and there, then thats no problem, but if you miss regular meetings because you are not disciplined enough to drag yourself out of bed at that time then you are not doing your part)

Now some groups meet in the evenings or at lunch, but still you need to make the dedication to be there regularly. This helps get you in the structured mentality to think ahead and dedicate to something to help your business.

• 2) Do 'Once a Month Visits' to one other member's place of business, to learn more about their service, and in turn, a different member each month should also be visiting you at your place of business to learn more about your service. Over time, the majority of the group will have visited you and learned more about the value of your service, and likewise you've learned more about many others so you can reciprocate referrals by being informed about their service.

The more we learn - and are impressed by someone or something - the more likely we are to refer them business when the opportunity arises.

• 3) Prepare and plan for your 10 minute speech when your turn comes around. Each week every member gets a 30 second 'elevator speech' to define their business, and in addition 2 selected members for that week speak for 10 mins each in front of the group. The schedule rotates, so every few months you get to expand on your weekly 30 second pitch and go more in depth about your service.

When you know you have a speech, you must prepare theweek (or night !) before so you can deliver an impactful speech and leave your audience more informed - and hopefully more impressed with what you do.

• 4) Showboating, or showing your product promotional items. This also goes on a rotational schedule, but each week, 2 members get to bring in and display samples of their products, or promotional items like pens, calendars, pads, photos, before and after pics, press releases etc and display them on a table at the front of the room for people to see - kind of like a mini Expo Table !!!!

This gets you thinking about what items you could be using to further your business. You also get to see what others are using and maybe they can give you ideas for your own business.

These are all examples of goals and expectations set forth when joining groups like these.

Now the reason these are all helpful for your own personal Business Plan is because it motivates you to stick to the goals that are set forth for you by the group - the same way that you set forth your own goals in your business plan.

The difference is that in a Network Group, you have some people there to help motivate you and keep you accountable to reach these goals - whereas on your own Business Plans, many times YOU are your own accountability manager, and it is often much harder to stay on track when you know that no-one else is tracking your activities.

So to recap:

1) Dedicating to scheduling your weekly or monthly time to attend a Network Group gets you on that mentality that you should also schedule - and stick to - the items on your personal Business Plan, like "send out 50 postcards per week" or "Make 10 calls / day or 25 calls per week" or whatever the goal to call and check in on past clients for example. Schedule it, and stick to it.

2) Visiting other members monthly. Well this gets you in the habit of getting out in your community and visiting vendors, potential clients, or anyone who could potentially refer you business. Again, very easy to put aside as you sit in front of your computer, but if you KNOW it is whats needed to be successful in your business, it should be scheduled and done with no excuses.

3) Many of us need to prepare for listing presentations, or other presentations for potential clients. So this one is pretty straight forward. These groups get you in the habit of preparing and delivering your presentation so you are ready for it and confident when you are doing it in front of customers.

4) And this one was big for me, because I didnt have much promotional material before I joined my Network Group. But since I've been there, I have developed pamphlets, fliers, letter openers, pens, and other items, that have ALL been received well by the people I've sent them to, and just serve to keep your name (and face :o) in front of them - on their fridge, their desk or wherever.

So reason #4 for considering joining a Business Network Group is to
"Improve your Goal Setting and Accomplishment"

Series Posts To Date:

Part 1: Dollars In Your Pocket

Part 2: Become a Better Public Speaker

Part 3: Provide a Source of Referrals for your Clientelle

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>> Dont miss other upcoming blog entries from "ThatBritishAgent" !

 Sheldon Neal is a local Realtor® with RE/MAX, specializing in Homes For Sale in the Bergen County, NJ area.

If you are looking for Bergen County Realtors, call local expert Sheldon Neal for all your Bergen County Buying & Selling needs ! 

Sheldon Neal  ~ RE/MAX REAL ESTATE LIMITED.
cell: 201-481-2891
office: 201-599-1100 x344
email:     SheldonNeal@remax.net
website:  www.SheldonNeal.com