You can be found on LinkedIn through a search and it is currently easier to be at the ... your profile and in your posti
LinkedIn is changing the way business is being done… 21 Reasons Why YOU need LinkedIn 1. It is where your business can connect to the decision makers. 2. Over 65% of LinkedIn users own a business. 3. You can be found on LinkedIn through a search and it is currently easier to be at the top of that search list than it is to be on page 1 of a Google search. Placing your phone number at the top of your summary makes it easy for people who Google your name to call you from that search. 4. You can display everything good about yourself and your company and speak about your unique offering in a thorough way. 5. You can post your resume and increase your job possibilities. 6. You can link to your website on your profile and in your postings increasing the search engine optimization of your webpages. 7. You can connect to famous and influential people, especially if you watch who has been looking at your profile. 8. You can receive recommendations from clients and peers. 9. You can recommend others and gain relationship value with clients, co-workers, and staff as you do so. 10. You can participate in groups with others from your own industry and learn cutting edge tips for your success. 11. You can establish yourself as a thought leader by the things that you post in groups and by the content that you in articles. 12. You can join the groups of your ideal target market and learn more about what they really need and want from you simply by listening in on their discussions. 13. In your personal feed on your home page you can post marketing pieces, email content and information about your services that goes to your front line of connections and then is seen again by the second level and occasionally even by the third level of contacts, giving your material HUGE marketability online. 14. It takes 7 to 14 touches to get a sale. LinkedIn allows you to touch your potential client over and over through regular posts. 15. You can expand your territory through the locations of your connections. 16. You can target whole new territories where you want to expand. 17. You can gain credibility by being associated with others in your list of connections. 18. You can make appointments with connections who are local to you for a coffee and those who are not local can be met through Skype, or a webinar platform. 19. LinkedIn now offers Advertising giving your event more reach and offering the ability for immediate response from interested parties. 20. You can start a group of your own where you can be the main influence in the group. 21. You can identify, find and connect with people who are your most qualified leads. For free tips on the LinkedIn basics and general knowledge on networking in Calgary, go to http://www.cibnconnect.com/networkingblog/ or scan the QR Code to be taken there directly on your mobile device. Call the CIBN at 403-397-1909 to learn how being a member can help you grow your business today!
THE CONNECTOR THE ENTREPRENEURS BUSINESS AND NETWORKING NEWS - APRIL 2017
Networking for a Recession Proof Business Networking has never been more important than it is right now in the Calgary market. The economy is in a down-turn so growing our business relationships is a major priority no matter what our industry is. People do business with those whom they know, like and trust and there is nothing like getting together each week with the same group of people who also own businesses to share warm leads and referrals. Did you know that 80% of all businesses fail in the first 5 years? That is not just here. It is everywhere across North American and it is a longstanding statistic. Forbes magazine did a study where they surveyed 7000 businesses and they found that 80% of all businesses did not know about business networking. Do you think there may be a direct correlation between those numbers? At the CIBN we have another amazing statistic that you may want to know about. Right here, in this current
market, we have not had a single business owner who is a regular attender out of business in the last 4 years! Zero!
Grow your sphere of influence!
Why? Getting warm leads certainly helps. The closing ration on a warm lead is 50% so that definitely makes a difference. However, it is not the only reason. The CIBN offers business boot camps on networking that teach entrepreneurs how to actually make money from their networking experiences and how to sell. Without those skills they would not survive. Our Social Media Boot Camp equips business owners how to navigate the basic free channels of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and
how to increase revenue using these methods. This is powerful knowledge that changes the bottom line for our members, but it is not the only knowledge that the average member is exposed to. The best advice comes from being at the table with their fellow members each week. Our CIBN members learn fantastic tips from accountants and bookkeepers and miss out on costly mistakes with Revenue Canada. Because of our group accountability they don’t get taken advantage of by web designers who take the money and run. They find out great marketing tips that work from marketing experts that are bringing results in the small to medium sized business markets. Do you see the value in that? Check out our events at www.cibnconnect.com and find out how you can use the CIBN advantage or call 403-397-1909 for a business building interview today!
“The richest people in the world look for and build networks, everyone else looks for work. ” - Robert Kiyosaki “Everyone wants the reward, but amazingly, few are willing to put in the work.” - Jim Treliving “Succeeding in business is all about making connections.” -Richard Branson “Networking is marketing. Marketing yourself, marketing your uniqueness, marketing what you stand for.” -Christine ComafordLynch “If your business comes from relationships, relationships should be your business.” -Doug Ales
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Why you need Better Business Cards When you attend a networking event or are meeting with a potential client, you will hand them a business card at some point. Will that card stand out in the pile we all have sitting on our desk or in a drawer in the office? Here are 3 tips to building a better business card that will get you to the top of the pile. 1. Don’t use too many fonts. Two fonts at most will suffice on something as small as a business card. Choose easy to read fonts. 2. Don’t include a list of services, this allows a potential client to
decide you don’t do what they need without talking to you first. Maybe you don’t do what they need, but you might know someone who does, and that keeps you in the loop for future work. 3. Use paper with a unique texture to get attention, people feel a card as much as they look at it. For more tips follow me @tinygalxydesign on Facebook or to get a professional on the job, call Josh @ 403-616-9495 or email to
[email protected]
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Stress and the Business Owner Like other business owners, when I owned my insurance brokerage, I had loads of stress: stress about my business, my family and my health. When I would meet with my health care professionals, they would tell me that stress was killing me and that I needed to have less of it. Last year I sold my brokerage and have been on a path to find my best self, and that means learning to deal with stress.
digest system in our body. We either in a parasympathetic or the sympathetic nervous system state, they don’t work together or at the same time. The sympathetic nervous system is also known as the “fight or flight” and is our stress responder. To manage stress, we must turn off the sympathetic nervous system and turn on the parasympathetic.
Here are some of the effects of stress on the body:
Breathing exercise - Sit comfortably with tall spine and feet planted on the floor. As you breathe in, count to five, then hold it for five, then exhale to a count of seven. Do this for 2 minutes. Even if you only have 30 seconds to complete just a few cycles, it will make a big difference in your stress levels.
• Increased cortisol production: Associated with weight gain (especially in the belly), inability to lose weight or
gain muscle, premature aging. • Decreased nutrient absorption: Due to decreased enzymatic production from the stomach, pancreas and liver, decreased bile flow from gallbladder, decreased oxygenation and gastrointestinal blood flow.
• Decreased gut flora populations: Healthy intestinal bacteria are destroyed by stress, which can lead to immune problems, skin disorders, nutrient deficiencies, and digestive distress.
• Decrease in sex hormones: Can mean lower sex drive, low energy, decreased muscle mass. • Increase in inflammation: The basis of many significant ailments, including brain and heart disease. Dealing With Stress 1. The power of breathing – Taking long, deep, purposefully breaths can turn on our parasympathetic nervous system. This system is responsible for the rest and
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2. Be present for your meals – Spend 20 minutes, and put your fork down between bites. Chew each bite at least 15 times. Multi-tasking is not something that should be done at meal times. 3. Do something out of your routine – Do something out of your routine –Remember how much fun it was when we were kids and could play practical jokes on people, play at recess time, or go out with friends just for something fun to do? We need to keep that “fun” in our life and sometimes that means just doing something out of the routine. Dealing with and managing stress will make you a more productive business owner. You will sleep better, be able to get more accomplished, have more energy and be healthier. If you want more energy and less fatigue, give me a call. Julie Crawford, 403-616-1121,
[email protected].
Goal Setting 101 We have all created goals before, but many people do not achieve the goals that they set out to accomplish. One of the reasons why this happens is that they fail to revisit those goals. Goal setting includes writing them down or they are not “set,” they are instead floating around in your head or somewhere in the air. “Set” them. Here are 3 great tips to get your goals working for you! 1. Focus - While you may have many goals that you are working on, try to focus on only one major goal each quarter. That will help you to focus and to accomplish more. 2. Write your goals down - You are 9 times more likely to accomplish them if you write them down. Keep a journal and write in it frequently. 3. Revisit your goals regularly - Put up sticky notes where you can see them. Change the background on your computer. Use the keywords of your goals as passwords and don’t save them in your computer so you must write out that goal as a password every time you log into your most used work sites online. People are sometimes discouraged from goal setting because they failed at some previous goal, but one must realize that it is the act of setting the goals and revisiting them, that makes us a success. It is not the act of accomplishing them on time. While all goals should be time-based, missing them at that time did not signify failure. It signifies that we learned something in the journey and that more time is now necessary to implement what we learned. Did you like these goal setting tips? There are more here on this website! http://bit.ly/GoalSettingCIBN
Tutors Wanted In this current Calgary economy many people are finding themselves out of work or at least not working in the industry where they have received their educational training. Do you know someone with a degree who needs more satisfaction in their lives? Tutor Doctor is looking for adults with a degree that would like to work with grade school, high school, and college level students. If you are looking for a way to give back and make some side income at the same time tutoring may be for you! Our tutors should be individuals who care about our students’ progress and who can teach them to have a positive relationship with learning. We are looking for mentors! If you can see yourself in this positive and fulfilling role check out http://bit.ly/ CalgaryTutorJob or call Yossi 587-3168161 and tell him you saw this add in The Connector!
