“Invisible threads are the strongest ties." Friedrich Nietzsche

“Invisible threads are the strongest ties." Friedrich Nietzsche

By Ian Jackson Business Network Member ~ Website Design

Go To Web

In this week’s 10 minute network presentation Ian Jackson of Web design company “GoToWeb” discussed the benefits of having an effective and working website for your business. He highlighted how this along with networking your business are a killer combination attracting new business opportunities and creating more income while in turn creating a better presence on the web.

Ian stressed how mobile devices are now driving our internet browsing habits. We can all relate to this, nowadays most business owners are closely attached to their iphone, tablet or mobile device, allowing them to be connected to potential opportunities and keeping up with business as well as networking and what’s going on in their area of expertise. Google analytics figures inform us that as much as 50% or more of the traffic to many websites is either via a smart phone o mobile device.

This round the clock connection to business and the internet means by extension we are becoming a lot more discerning in what we view and how long we view it for. Google highlight that if a site or link does not open in less than 5 seconds now people will turn off, return to the previous page and hit a further link. So it’s competitive to say the least.

Having a responsive site means you are in the competition, are professional and up to date and take into account customers feelings when they click the link to your site. This also means that potential customers will most likely view what you offer and consider you for business.

Ian went on to stress that mobile and PC devices can produce different views of the same content. He also underlined that figures suggest that the mobile visitor can spend half the time on a lot less pages that when viewing on a PC.

Having a call to action is vital on any website but even more so now with immediacy and making sure business contacts can find you means having your maps and locations up to date. Ian stressed that every business now needs a responsive website further highlighting that the life of a web designer is one that comes in contact with anyone from a carpet layer to a professional services company.

So if you need a professional website service savvy with today’s requirements call Ian on “Go to Web” today.

"What I hear, I forget. What I see, I remember. What I do, I understand." Confucius

What I hear, I forget.
What I see, I remember.
What I do, I understand.
- Confucius

Peter O’Connor Performance Partner

Team development training and Executive Coaching

In this week’s 10 minute networking talk at the Dublin Business Network, Peter O’Connor from Irish based training company Performance Partners informed the group on what he does for companies.

His experience which he has gained over a 30 year period lends itself effectively to challenge leaders who cannot lead, poorly thought-out strategies that don’t inspire staff, a lack of team work and bad communication. He also highlighted disengaged workforces, ill-fitting roles for individuals and sales people and others who aren’t performing and fail to reach targets and potential.

Peter stressed how the role of training and executive coaching is intended to deliver on the performance objectives of a company by supporting people to be the best they can be and by supporting leaders to get the best from their people.

It was underlined in the presentation that problems that arise out of this situation do so due to a lack of continued support once the training has been executed. Peter reiterated the importance of coaching and how it can solidify and support what has been looked at and learned in training bringing the performance to a more magnified and effective level. Research was mentioned that supported the benefits of coaching staff and workers in this area.

The network presentation was concluded by Peter highlighting that Performance Partners.ie have a range of change oriented training courses available including business skills building and coaching for leaders and people who own the business problems.

Check out www.performancepartners.ie for more.

Tell them what you do not how you do it!!

I was reading an article recently about networking mistakes and it struck me that we often fall in to traps that can hinder our networking potential.  This article will highlight a few mistakes that you yourself might be guilty of.

While we are busy telling potential customers what we provide I noticed that instead of focusing on the solution or the results networkers and those pitching for business start to inform listeners of the process and how they go about their business. Before you know people have switched off and you have lost them.

Most people or customers are consumed by their own situation; they don’t have capacity to listen to you and have only a certain level of interest in how you do your job rather than what you will provide them with.

The key to an effective pitch is to highlight to customers what they will end up with once they have hired you. Inevitably this equates to more money, more sustainability, more publicity, MORE!!

Are there changes you can make to your pitch that can impact here.

Frequently highlighted as a networking mistake is focusing on any networking rather than targeting those who will most benefit you. Seth Godin talks of tribes and these groups that are like small complementary subgroups that can evolve in your networking circles, can be golden for you.  In general if you are trades person you will most likely get a referral from a similar individual while if you are a trainer or recruiter your referral base will be similar or complementary positions within one of these tribes.

Likewise an interior designer can benefit from an architect while a plumber can too, so know which roles in your networking group will help most when drumming up potential business. Focus on those individuals by getting to know them a bit better and making sure they know you and what you can do for them.

Another area where some networkers fall down is they forget just how many people they actually know and come in contact with. Just the other night while I was celebrating a family occasion 3 different potential referrals for colleagues came my way. Previously I might have been closed down to these whereas  now I was asking questions like…. do you have someone to do that for you, I know a good guy can help you with that.


You don’t have to refer business contacts; everything is open to you and when you realise how many people that is, it will be no time before you are exchanging referrals. So don’t forget to listen and keep the big picture in mind.

Sole Traders Pro’s and Con’s

Sole Traders Pro’s and Con’s

The life of a sole trader is one that interesting, diverse, challenging and very rewarding.
Here we'll look at the ups and the downs.

Being a sole trader can mean you work alone and you make all the decisions, the downside to that is at times there are no colleagues to bounce ideas off or proof read your latest marketing blurb, but the up side is that you don’t have to consider other’s opinion that you potentially don’t agree with, you get to make all the decisions that you want to make, you call all the shots and run things the way things should be run, from your perspective.

Working on your own means you must find the opportunity to make contacts and interact with those who can help you build your business which equates to venturing outside your comfort zone and taking the bull by the horn to get to the next stage. Business owners and those who succeed acknowledge and take for granted that fear and overcoming it is all part and parcel of the game. Breaking free from your fears is a sign of growth and development and it’s required if you want to get to the next level.

Motivation is a challenge especially working as a sole trader where continuous effort is required to maintain focus and get up and go. Finding ways to keep going when the phone isn’t ringing and business is slow is one of the most challenging parts and it is here that one must find ways or discuss with inspirational individuals ways to retain the focus you had in the early stages of setting up the business.

Separating work and life are difficult especially in the early years when you want to devote all your time to the new venture. People have suggested that they feel guilty if they are not working on their business plans and yet they experience difficulties from family members stating that investing in the business is all they do so finding the right balance for your personal situation is an individual preference.



Networking groups are one the most effective exercises sole traders can invest in. They get you out with others who  are dealing with similar issues. You can discuss the challenges and benefits of what you do while also developing potential business along the way.

Perhaps you’d like to read more about the rewards and challenges of a sole trader if so check out this piece on startupsmart.com written by Oliver Milman
http://www.startupsmart.com.au/sole-trader/top-10-challenges-faced-by-sole-traders.html?displaypage=tip7

By Linda Ryan

 

Welcome To Dublin Business Network Blog The Art of Networking

Dublin Business Network would like to welcome you all to our blog!

Here you can read all about us as a group and what we achieve as our network group goes from strength to strength. Our network meets every Friday in Bewley's in Sandyford and we are always looking for new members who take networking seriously and can help us achieve our objectives

 

This blog will discuss the Art of Networking so you can get an idea of how we go about things...

 

Punctuality is the politeness of Kings            Louis XVIII

Being on time is important, it is a mark of respect and professionalism to arrive on time and gives fellow colleagues an indication how serious you take the meetings and how serious you will be when they come to refer you clients, so don't be late!!

 

Fear Not

Networking is all about putting yourself out there and moving on from your comfort zone. It is not easy to walk into a room of people who already know each other and start a conversation but it is a necessity if you want to network and get to know more people who can help you achieve your goals. Don't worry about making mistakes or appearing nervous, anyone who has done it before you will completely understand and will admire you for taking the time to get out there and feel the fear.

 

Small talk matters

Sometimes you just want to chat and find out about a person without the whole sales pitch so remember that we are all human and that talking about sport or current affairs can give you as keen an insight into people as when they take the stage and commence their structured talk on what they specifically do. People want to know they can connect with colleagues and potential business associates on a level where communication and discussion is easy and comfortable. Of course it's important to produce the goods but connecting is important in case things need exploration and discussion down the line.

 

Remember

Take the time to remember people's names and what they do. Although this can be a challenge there are ways to help you get over forgetting people's names and finding yourself in an awkward situation when you come to introduce your new colleague, check out our website for a great list of do's and don'ts !!

 

Confidence

The more confident you are about what you do the more that will be obvious to others and the more likely they are to think you are competent and gifted in what you do. Are you passionate about what you provide, do you love the area of work you find yourself working in, let others see this, if you have confidence in your abilities your fellow networkers will have comfort and confidence in referring you on for business.

“It is not so much our friends' help that helps us as the confident knowledge that they will help us.”

 

It's all about you...

Remember when you are chatting with people research stresses the more you engage others about themselves the more they think you are a nice and interesting person and in turn the more they like you. Talking about yourself is all well and good but if this commands the conversation it can result in turning people off and ultimately giving others a bad impression of you, so forget about yourself for a while and when the time is right let them know.

 

Networking is about people and in general people want to feel relaxed in your company, they want to feel interested in what you do, and if referring clients they want to feel confident in your abilities so take heed of these, reflect on them and if there is room for improvement don't be afraid to take the steps needed which will ultimately provide you with a platform to help you achieve your goals.