Kudos! You’ve decided to go to a Tuesdays Together, Rising Tide Society meet-up.
Can I tell you how great that it is?! A lot of business owners fail to see the importance of either networking or continued education (or both). But they are both important. As a leader for your business, and as a solopreneur, you are the leader of your business, it is important to always keep an eye on the future. That means networking to strengthen relationships and gain results, and it also means learning how-to’s and do betters and get at its.
TuesdaysTogether are the perfect opportunity to grow as an individual and as a business, but certainly, there are ways to really get the most out of it.
Here are 11 ways to get the most out of your Tuesday Together meet-up.
- Go. Not just saying you’ll go, or canceling last minute, but actually showing up. Once you’re there the work ain’t done. You are going to need to stay, the whole time (or longer), and you’re going to need to participate. Don’t be nervous, everyone in the room is either where you are right now, has been where you are right now, or is looking forward to the day they can be where you are, right now.
- Arrive early and stay late. Heck if you put on makeup, brushed your teeth and wiped the old mascara off your face, well, then, you should probably get the most out of this opportunity for people to see you as a normal human being. Not the one who toils on her laptop all day, eyes crossed, pajamas tucked into the cushions of the couch, cold cups of tea sitting out of arm’s reach next to soggy cereal.
- Take a photo of the group. Pass around your phone and ask everyone to tag themselves on Instagram. Poof! Now you’ve connected and it was as easy as trusting strangers to fingerprint your mobile device.
- Follow up by following. At least on Instagram and Facebook, which is where our millennial clients are hanging out, verifying our popularity by the number of followers we have and the swoon worthiness of our feed.
- Ask questions, read the handout and come curious. People will remember you more if you speak up!
- Take notes (more on this in way #7).
- Be an overachiever. Appoint yourself the unofficial meeting secretary and type up your meticulous notes. Then place the links to the products and people mentioned and send to those that you have an email for. Last meeting I did this and just happened to have 90% of the group in my email contact list already. But you could easily ask for this, or just send out to to the few you know. Next meeting they might just mention this and that would be an opportunity for others to become your friend so that they can get their paws on those notes!
- Trade. Look for an opportunity to serve others, they may be able to return the favor. HINT: Great leaders are always looking for a way to serve others.
- Bring a treat. Minnesota Sweet recently launched a new business, and in order to help boost sales and referrals, she brought her treats for all to taste test. All we had to do was eat and provide feedback. That’s a great win-win.
- Ask for business cards. This is the quick lazy way to connect, but when you get home you can look up that person and connect with them virtually.
- Execute 1 thing you learned. Like: reading a book, signing up for Honeybook (just sayin’), make it a point to stress less, buy a planner or a journal, post to Instagram about the meeting and your goals, read an article or write a blog.
The main point is to do. Because otherwise, things will happen, but only around you and without you.
Think that’s too much work? Pick 1 thing and try it, actually try it before you make a face and complain that you don’t like vegetables. And if you aren’t even interested in trying, well, cool. Because Target and Apple and Nike, they also like to sit on their laurels and assume that without networking, learning, marketing or outsourcing things will just magically happen and money will just fall from the sky into their already bulging wallets <<did you get the sarcasm there?>>
Need more tips about networking or about getting your business seen, referred and preferred? Check out my course, How to Get a Wedding Planner to Refer You, and my blog post The Importance of Networking.
Prosperity, Love & Happiness,
Josey Stafford
ÂFounder and Head PlannerÂ
