It was once said that it takes a village to raise a child.
I believe that it also takes a business village to grow a business. We can only do so much on our own that's why it's important to get out of our comfort zone and go meet other entrepreneurs. The best way to do that is by attending conferences. According to Crunch.co, "54% of those who had attended a networking event agreed that networking “is very important for their professional development”.
I know what your thinking: I don't have time to attend conferences!!
It is easier than you think.
Introducing: Meetup
For those of you not familiar with Meetup it is a great online networking tool. You go on the site look for groups that have similar interests and join.
It's that simple.
I did just that and it led me to attending a conference in my own backyard called Amplify Live Experience which was amazing and led by a terrific guy by the name of Keith Yackey. I got a chance to hear nationally recognized speakers on all things entrepreneurship and I met some really cool like minded business people.
I even met one of my favorite podcasters Lewis Howes which I wrote about in a previous post. And got a chance to talk to a lot of people about my business and gain new insights and possible new clients. All this came from joining a local Meetup.
So do you think it is worth it to go to networking events? I would say absolutely YES!!
What do you think? Are you going to sit in a silo or go out and make new business friends and start telling people about how you serve others?
I hope you had a great 4th of July with your friends & family.
It is not a day to be taken lightly as we should all be very grateful for the men & women who have sacrificed their lives to make sure we can enjoy our freedom as Americans.
One part of that freedom is the opportunity to create the dream lifestyle we want as entrepreneurs.
America is the land of opportunity and being an entrepreneur allows us to take part in our "piece of the American dream".
My question to you is: Do you feel free in your business or are you living a recurring nightmare with a growing to-do list of stuff not getting done?
Take a look at the 3 Tech Tools below that you can use to create more freedom in your business:
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Contactually.com: This is a great CRM that helps you to manage all your client information in one place. Let's say you met a couple of great potential clients at a networking event and now you have a bag full of event promo pieces and those dreaded business cards. If you don't get those business cards out your goodie bag, follow up with the potential clients while everything is fresh then the trail goes cold and your time is wasted. Contactually allows you to dump all that information into their system in an organized way and manage that lead right onto a viable client and beyond to gain referrals. Check out the site here to see how it all works.
Communication
E-voice: What happens when a prospective client calls you? Do they call your cell phone, business line (if you have one) your business cell line? What if they just called one number and then the call was routed to you in the way you desire. That is the nexus of E-voice. E-voice provides you with a separate business number that rings to your cell, a professional greeting & call forwarding options so you look and sound professional. This will allow you to deliver that white glove experience to your customers. Check them outhere & use promo code "Fire" (thanks John Lee Dumas) and receive $5 off your subscription forever.
Healthy Eating Options
Sun Basket: Now I know your probably thinking how does this create more freedom in my business. Well if you are busy taking care of clients and running your business who is taking care of your belly? When do you have time to check out the latest healthy snacks or produce at the local farmers market? You probably don't have as much time as you would like, so let Sun Basket do all the heavy lifting for you. They deliver healthy organic ingredients weekly right to your doorstep. Check them out here and use promo code "Fire" to get a discount.
So there you have it. 3 tech tools that you can use to create more freedom in your business. Enjoy the journey as you carve out your piece of the American dream.
