Expo’s

Ever buy a new car and then realize you and about 20 million other people have the same car or even the same color (and you thought you’d picked something not many others would pick)?  That’s how I feel about women’s expo’s.  It seems like every group is doing them now and is starting to get a little saturated.  As long as they are spread out throughout the year it’s not so bad, but when you have several in one month it’s time for a change.  Have you ever attended one of these expos?  What did you think? Was it worth going to?  Give me your opinon by clicking on comment below.  I’d love to take that into consideration for next year.  In the mean time, don’t forget to visit Women In Networkings expo on Sunday September 21st from 11am-4pm at the Best Western Concorde Inn in Clinton Township.  Meet Paula Tutman from Channel 4 News!  For complete details and to preregister to be entered to win a gift basket visit www.winofmacomb.com.

Are you a netWORKER or a NOTworker?

Think about the question above.  What are you?  Don’t worry, you don’t have to tell anyone or write it down.  Are you a networker?  If so, congratulations, you understand how to help others.  Are you a notworker?  Do you want to be a networker?  If so, please continue to read.  Do you know the definition of networking?  According to Random House Unabridged Dictionary, networking is:  a supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest.  Please reread.   A supportive system of sharing information and services!  Seems so simple, yet so many don’t get the concept. 

 

Scenario 1 -  At an event sponsored by a large organization, you see the following:  Mr. A has a handful of business cards in his hand and is going from person to person introducing himself and thrusting his card in the other person’s hand.  Have you ever witnessed this?  Were you ever that individual giving the card?  Were you ever that individual getting the card?  Was this a good connection? 

 

Scenario 2 – At the same event, by the same organization, you see this:  Mr. A approaches another, introduces himself as and offers his hand to shake.  The other individual introduces himself and they shake hands.  Mr. A asks Mr. B what kind of business he is in, followed up by other questions about Mr. B’s business.  Mr. A listens.  That’s all.  He asks a few more questions and he listens.  Soon the roles are reversed and Mr. B asks Mr. A some questions and he listens.  Have you ever witnessed this?  Were you ever Mr. A?  Were you ever Mr. B?  Was this a good connection?

 

I have witnessed both of the scenarios and I have to honestly admit when someone thrusts their card upon me I do one of two things.  I either hold onto the card and write my impression of the person on the back and make sure I file it in the “Do not do business with” file or I immediately dispose of the card.  Yes, I get rid of it.  Why, because this person is telling me THEY are more important than a relationship.  Networking is about developing relationships.  A supportive system of sharing!!  

 

However, if someone is involved in the conversation and is asking questions to find out more, I hold onto their card and am sure to remember them when I need a service.  They took interest, they listened, THEY understand what networking is.   A supportive system of sharing!!

 

Networking is not a selfISH act, it is a selfLESS act.  You have to be willing to help others and you in turn will be helped.  Please remember, you will be remembered for how you were able to help someone connect with another and you will be remembered when they have someone to connect with you!

 

Happy Networking!!

Submitted by:  Melissa Emanuel of MI Home Staging, (313)384-6765
Email:mihomestaging@gmail.com

Metro Chick Radio

Ever finally meet somebody face to face and realize just how incredible of a person they really are?  Well that’s how I felt about Lisa Marie (host) and Yodit (co-host) of Metro Chick Radio.  I decided to get an advertising package from them for the women’s expo we are holding and it was such an awesome experience.  I look forward to working with them both again in the future.  If you missed our interview you can go to www.winofmacomb.com and hear it.  It should automatically start playing once you get to our home page.  Enjoy!!!!

We’re in the NEWS!!!

If you go to this link http://www.candgnews.com/Homepage-Articles/2008/7-9-08/EF-WIN.asp you can view our story, which is set to print in the Eastsider next week.  They are also going to try to put it in the Warren Weekly if they have room.

YAY!!!!

TWO Affordable Advertising Opportunities

The first one is for the WIN Big Savings Book to benefit Rainbow Connection.  Rainbow Connection is a nonprofit organization that grants wishes to Michigan children with life threatening or terminal illnesses.  Ads start at just $25!  All proceeds from the sale of the book, which will be $10/book will go to Rainbow Connection.  For more info and the application please go to www.winofmacomb.com.

 

The second opportunity is for the WINning Edge News, which is going to be a bi-weekly woman’s newspaper.  This will not be your typical long paper.  It will be 11×17 page folded in half and double sided.  Just enough for us busy women with kids, job, house duties, etc.  It will have articles on home/family life, business, general topics, games, community events and more.  Our advertising rates will be 25% off through the month of August so act NOW!  For more info you can email winofmacomb@gmail.com for rates or go to www.winofmacomb.com for additional info.

 

Save on Gas!

It’s not easy to break bad driving habits, but if you don’t, the

money you lose on gas could wind up breaking your bank!

Her are six ways drivers typically waste gas on every trip.

 

1. Racing away from green lights

When the light turns green, you don’t have to take off as quickly as possible. That pedal

under your right foot is called the “gas pedal” for a good reason. The more you press

down on it, the more gas you’re pumping into the engine.

Press lightly on the gas pedal, and you’ll still accelerate and still get where you’re going.

You might be surprised at how little pressure it takes to get your car up to speed in

a reasonable time.

 

2. Racing up to Red Lights

When you’re driving down the street, and you see a red light or stop sign up ahead, you

should lay off the gas sooner rather than later. There’s no pint in keeping your foot on

the gas until just before you reach the intersection. Let off the pedal sooner and give

your engine a rest as you coast to the stop while breaking gently. As an added benefit,

your brake pads will last longer, too.

By themselves, these first two tips can improve your fuel economy around town by as

much as 35 percent, according to tests conducted by automotive information Web site

Edmunds.com.

 

3. Confusing the Highway with a Speedway

Even if it doesn’t involve hard acceleration, speeding wastes gas. The faster you go, the

more air your vehicle has to push out of the way. It’s like moving your hand through

water. The faster you try to move your hand, the harder the water pushes back.

In tests by Consumer Reports, driving at 75 mile per hour instead of 65 miles per hour

reduced fuel economy by between 3 and 5 miles per gallon, depending on the vehicle.

 

4. Bumper-buzzing

Tailgating is a bad move for many reasons. First of all, it’s unsafe. You reduce your

ability to react if the car in front of you slows or stops. It also means you have to pay

ultra-close attention to that car which reduces your ability to scam for other hazards

ahead of you and to the sides. Tailgating waste gas. Every time the driver ahead taps his

brakes, you have to slow down even more than he did. Then you accelerate again to get

back up to speed and resume your bumper-buzzing routine.

Hang back and you’ll be safer – plus you’ll be able to drive more smoothly and use less

fuel. A good rule of thumb is to allow two seconds of space between your car and the

one ahead. You can figure that out by counting off two seconds after the car in front of

you passes an obvious landmark like an overpass.

 

5. Driving standing still

You’ve probably heard that it takes more gas to restart a car than to let it run. Maybe

that used to be true, but it isn’t anymore. With modern fuel-injection engines, it takes

very little extra gas to restart a car once it’s warmed up. Idling, meanwhile, burns about

a half-mile worth of gas every minute, according to the California Energy Commission.

That’s why hybrid cars shut down their gasoline engines whenever the stop, even for a

moment. Now you don’t want to shut your engine down for every little stop in your regular, nonhybrid car – it’s not designed for that – but if you’re waiting for someone to run in and

out of a convenience store, turn off the engine. And try not to go through the drivethrough

at fast food restaurants. You’re already paying enough for the oil in those

chicken nuggets.

 

6. Short hops

For really short trips, take advantage of the opportunity to get some exercise. Try walking

to the store instead of driving. You can save gas and burn a few calories instead. If

you can’t hoof it, save up your errands. A lot of short hops that let the engine cool down

at home between trips can use twice as much gas as starting the car once and making a

big sweep to all your stops, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Go to your farthest destination first so your engine has a chance to reach its optimal

operating temperature. Then make you other stops on the way back. With the engine

warmed up, the car will restart easily and run efficiently all the way home

 

 

This article re-printed with permission from the Metro East Chamber of Commerce

Prime Vendor Spots Available

Women In Networking is looking for 10 Prime Vendors for our Woman’s Expo to be held, Sunday, September 21st at the Best Western Concord Inn located in Clinton Township.  Prime vendor fee includes our Early Bird special of $125 PLUS your choice of table location.  Tables are 8ft long and include linen table covering and two chairs.  This special offer is only available until June 15th or when we get our 10, which ever comes first.  Spots are reserved on a first come first serve basis.  We are only allowing ONE vendor per business.  Please go to www.winofmacomb.com for more info and the registration form.

10 Networking questions that work!

1.  How did you get started in the widget business?

2.  What do you enjoy most about your profession?

3.  What seperates you & your company from the competition?

4.  What advice would you give someone just starting in the widget business?

5.  What one thing would you do with your business if you knew you could not fail?

6.  What significant changes have you seen take place in your profession through the years?

7.  What do you see as the coming trends in the widget business?

8.  Describe the strangest or funniest incident you’ve experienced in your business.

9.  What ways have you found to be the most effective for promoting your business?

10.  What one sentence would you like people to use in describing the way you do business?

 

Source:  Endless Referrals by Bob Burg

Commericals and Taglines

 You want to meet people and help them to understand what it is you do. 

In doing that, you need a catchy “commercial”.  You need something easy to remember, yet repeatable.  Why repeatable?  Because you aren’t trying to sell to those you will meet at the event itself.  The more concise, memorable and repeatable your commercial is, the more likely it is that they will tell somebody they meet looking for your services/products.

 This is an example of how it should sound:

“I’m [your name] and I’m with [your company name]. I provide [list briefly the products or services you offer] so that [the benefit to your client]. A good client for me is [your ideal client].”

If you were to say something like this for example:

 ”I’m Sally and I’m with Mary Kay Cosmetics.  I provide skin care and color cosmetics so that my clients can feel great about themselves.  A good client for me is anybody with skin.” 

Sorry, but much won’t come from that.  Saying “anybody with skin” doesn’t leave an impression on people.  It doesn’t make them think of anybody because really that’s everybody. 

Here is an example of something that may work:

I’m Sally with Mary Kay Cosmetics.  I provide anti-aging skin care as well as color cosmetics so that my clients can feel confident about how they look without the surgeries.  A good client for me is somebody that is looking to look and feel younger because how old you ARE is your business, how old you LOOK in mine. 

Make sure you attach a Tag line with something catchy at the end that they will remember.  Here are some examples of Tag Lines:

We love to weave your web – Web site Designer 
If you just need inches, I’ll give you my foot. – Commercial Real Estate 
We don’t cut corners, we clean them. – Cleaning Service 
When you need me, I knead you. – Massage Therapist

Let us make you a guest at your own party – Caterer
Wireless service above and beyond the call. – Wireless Communications
We take the ravel out of travel that suits you to a “T”. – Travel agent
I’ll put you in your place. – Realtor
Together we make great impressions! – Printer

If you invest with me, you’ll sleep stress free! – Financial Advisor
How old you are is your business, how old you look is mine – Mary Kay Rep
We meet our customers by accident. – Auto body repair
We are always primed to paint. – Painter
Be current with “Forde” Electrical Service. – Electrician
We’re the last one to let you down. – Funeral Director

Get the idea? 

As we approach our Speed Networking Event

I’d like to give a few tips during the next few days to those that may be either attending our event or going to be attending another networking event.  Do you know what networking really is?  This is what networking is NOT.  You’re in a room full of other networkings and you try to approach as many as you can in those short couple of hours.  I mean you only have 2 hours and 100 people to get in front of.  How will you ever finish the entire room?  So, you walk up to each person, handing them your business card and saying, “if you ever need yada yada, I’m the person you call”.  Or something to that effect and walk away.   That my friend, is hard selling.  You don’t want to “sell” your product or service to any of them.  What you need to do is find that few that you feel you could do business with or refer business to.  You will be wasting your time and energy trying to hard sell.  As soon as you turn your back your business card will be tossed right into the garbage.  Start up a conversation, ask what they do, why did they get involved in that company, how do they like it.  Get my point?