Some tips on how to make it work as a marketing tool

• It must be a strategic imperative of your business – If it is a “nice to have” or something you do occasionally, you won’t be focused on it and will not do the things that need to be done to make it work.
• Choose more than one Networking Forum because you will get more exposure
• Be prepared:
• Be prepared for the meeting or event – Have your elevator pitch memorized and practiced. It must sound authentic and flowing, which only comes from practice – have business cards and brochure type material on hand – don’t let people go away empty handed.
• Be prepared to form new relationships – don’t expect to sell immediately
• Focus on who you want to do business with. Do not try and sell to everyone.
• There are two types of network forums:
• Those that are informal and are just trying to get a number of people together with the hope that something might happen. Typically this type of meeting is where there are 100% sellers and zero% buyers. This does not generally produce results
• Those that are more formalized and people are generally trying to forge relationships with potential clients. This type of forum produces more results in the medium to long term.
• Work the system:
• If you met a prospective client – follow up with them – follow the “7 touches program”
• Do not send spam to everybody who was at the meeting. Be selective. Deal only with the people who you spoke to and who would reasonably be interested in your product.
• When you get business, say thank you and share that with the other people in the meeting – people love to hear their name in public when it puts them in a good light
• If you are just trying to sell, sell, sell, it will be immediately visible to all and your chance of selling will be almost zero.
• The “golden rule” is: do something for someone; they will do something for you. If you buy from or give a referral to another person, they will in due course do something for you. This is the Law of Reciprocity or in Biblical terms, you reap what you sow. If you base your networking endeavors on this you will be successful, but remember, “Rome was not built in a day”, it might take time.

I have been seriously networking for 12 years and most of my business has come from networking. If you want more info on networking, please comment on the blog and I will contact you.

Some are immune, for example counterfeited bank note producers, but even suppliers of staple requirements like food are feeling the pinch.

A lot of businesses have a blockage to achieving their highest goals, and still more have a problem just recouping the investment of time, money and effort.

If you would like to improve your situation and uncover the blockage, please leave your details in the comments box below and say “please contact me”. We will be in contact to establish a way forward.

1. Risk – you must be prepared to take a risk
2. Product – Your product must be unique – It must stand out from the crowd
3. Creative – You must be creative and convinced about your ideas
4. Niche – Find your niche by asking what you would want
5. Model – Have a business Model that works for you

We at SquarePeg Development will give you the right questions to ask to make this happen for you. This is what we do and we are good at it:

1. We have taken a risk by going global from a local office
2. Our product is unique because it is customized by us for you, and some is already  accessible on the web
3. Our products are all drawn from business requirements – BUT they are not stuffy old corporate terminology and they will get you excited
4. The niche we are carving out is the small to medium sized business
5. Our Business Model makes our business remarkable

Find out how you can move into that space.

Please complete the form below and we will contact you.

*(denotes required field)

First Name: *

Last Name: *

E-Mail Address: *

E-Mail Address again: *

Please enter your E-mail Address a second time.

Phone

Mobile

CAPTCHA Code: *

Various predictions for 2012

Negative

• Petrol and electricity prices will rise causing serious inflation inSouth Africa
• Greece, Italy and Spain will derail the Euro
• The US economy will plunge further into depression and cause turbulence in world markets

Positive

• The Eurozone will overcome its problems and be stronger for it
• The price of oil will fall to $85 per barrel
• The US economy will start to bounce back

Certainties for 2012

Any of these could happen, but:

• If you think it is going to be bad, it will be bad
• If you think it will be good, it will be

It all depends on you, not the forecasters. There is so much hype out there and so many authorities and guru’s, all with their own ideas, that you can be unduly influenced. But, if you want to be influenced, there is only one Authority that will give you wisdom if you ask and have faith for it. – James 1: 2-8.

SquarePeg Development is launching a new marketing campaign into various sectors of the market with models, ideas and information that will make a difference in any business. How big, is up to you. The models range from “Business Modeling” to “Business Steroids” and include modules such as “How to Delegate”, “The art and science of effective Goal Setting” and “How to employ the right staff” etc. SquarePeg Development is geared to working with small businesses and there is a lot of experience which can be channeled into them. I have prepared a report From Failure to Success in 2012. Please read it and see if there are some ideas that might spark you.

1. “If you don’t invest in the future and don’t plan for the future, there won’t be one.” —George Buckley, chairman, president, and CEO of 3M
2. Strategy must be on the board agenda of every meeting.
3. If you need to cut costs then us a scalpel not an axe. The ax will make the biggest dent on costs and make you look smart for a while. But the more precise scalpel can protect a company’s future, even if there are fewer short-term gains.