So – where do you network – – Try BBG
Want to Network?
There are a myriad of places to go
- trade shows and association meetings
- business after hours social events,
- workshops
- seminars
- lectures
- clubs
- masterclasses
- interest group
- referral groups
To easily find events, use the sites listed below. You can search most of these sites by city name or zip code to find events located in your area.
Meetup.com is the world’s largest network of local groups. You’ll find everything here from business networking events, singles events, to yoga classes, dog walking groups (by breed!) and more. Set up a free account and sign up for the once-weekly email calendar of all the Meetups happening in your area.
Eventbrite allows you to search for events by location andcategory. It also allows you to register for the event as well as easily share events with your connections.
Eventful is an events website which not only lists events, it alsohas a social networking aspect allowing you to connect with other users.
When.com helps you find out where to go and what to do. You can search for events by Type, City, Time and Category.
LinkedIn has an events section listed right on your homepage. Click on one of the events to get to events section where you can search for events in your area. You’ll also find events, lectures, classes, and seminars listed on many of the Group pages.
Facebook allows you to see events your friends are hosting or attending, and to share those events with others. You can also find events on Fan pages and within Groups.
Twitter is a social networking site, but you can use it to search for events in your area. Search for Tweetup and you might find a gathering of twitter users in your area.
Craigslist is a large classified site which includes listings of events and classes.
So where to start? …….. Build a funnel
1. Make a plan
- What do you get out of going to a networking event/s?
- Why are you doing it?
- What is your objective?
- Is it to get a source of leads ? One lead? Become an expert?
- Do you just enjoy it?
- Who are the people you want to meet?
Understand what you want to get out of each meeting you go to…. your time is precious
2. Break your plan into goals
- Long term
- Medium term
- Short term
3. Develop Strategies to Achieve your short term goals
4. Develop smart tasks/ action plans – to achieve your strategies so you can achieve your goal
So why BBG?
BBG is more than s networking event
It’s about the 4 C’s
Connection – same as above – that initial spark – that contact on Facebook, LinkedIn , twitter or insta
Collaboration – of like minded people with a common goal (to learn social media) or common interest (such as those interested in innovation) or common client base (those interested in a specific group of clients . It’s about learning from each other – and going to the group with a focus of adding value to each other vs having a mindset of wiifm!
It’s about Collaboration with other network groups – with a focus of abundance
Consistency – the objective is to build know like and trust between bbg members – and to do this you need to meet consistently .
Klt takes time
- Know – getting to know each other takes time
- Like – getting to like each other takes time
- Trust – getting to trust each other takes time
With the objective of creating a Community of like minded people that are continuously upskilling each other and acting with a spirit of generosity!
Comparing BBG to Golf
It’s sort of like belonging to a golf club – where people are continuously looking to achieve their pb (personal best) …. and instead of hitting the ball in the hole – the objective is to continuously add value to members – through collaboration, referrals or sharing knowledge.
The weapons/tools at a golf club is
- your mind,
- your body
- A good attitude and mindset
- a set of golf clubs
- a golf ball and
- a golf course
- A score card
The objective – to get ball in 18 holes with the fewest of shots. (of course you can do this online – but it’s not the same !!!)
The weapons/tools at a bbg chapter
- your mind,
- your body ,
- A good attitude and mindset
- a bbg forum
- A speaker
- A facilitator
- The score card – Referron
The objective is to collaborate, learn and grow and build a community of know like and trust with your fellow members and their stakeholders