Savor the Success - The Premium Business Network for Women Entrepreneurs.

Later this week, Savor the Success' big, annual, Rock the World NYC business education and premium networking event for women entrepreneurs is happening. I'm looking forward to attending to capture some interviews and meet some very sucessful women who have stories that will help women entrepreneurs build their businesses. 

These events can be very overwhelming though. Last year I wrote a post called Top Ways to Benefit from a Large Networking Event that has some tips if you are attending this or any other big event. 

In addition, here are five more action-oriented tips. These can be used at any business gathering:

1. Plan ahead and learn about who you know will be attending. See the speaker list - what are the topics and how do they align with your business goals? I suggest choosing 2 or 3 main questions you'd like (or need) to get answered - or areas you need to learn more about - stay focused on those so that you don't feel major overwhelm. 

2. Be interested in others - ra [...]

There is no shortage of advice and information from friends, family, and the internet on how to build a business. Luckily we have access to this community at Savor the Success, plus one book that offers sound advice from nearly 100 women: the big enough company - Creating a Business That Works for You. 

Co-authors Adelaide Lancaster and Amy Abrams are also the founders of In Good Company, a community work space and business learning center for women located in New York City.  They have also consulted and advised women entrepreneurs for quite some time - but instead of only offering their advice, they offer gems and nuggets of tips and ideas from successful women entrepreneurs throughout the U.S. (special note: They will be speaking at Rock the World on April 24th.) 

If you've ever had the pleasure of visiting In Good Company, you'd feel the same feelings in their space as you would as you crack open their book - supported, elegant, and helpful.  You'll meet many women between t [...]

Jen Mueller, sports reporter and CEO of Talk Sporty to Me  is a new Savor Premium member, so I thought it fitting to post an interview we did last year about a story she was told by John Nordstrom - the infamous Nordstrom Tire Story.

For those not familiar with Nordstrom, it had a tradition for many years as one of the models for creating a customer service-focused business with a  worldwide reputation - not just for department stores - but for business in general. When you have great customer service, you stand a great chance to develop customer loyalty. 

From a sales standpoint, this ties into business growth, since hanging on to existing customers and growing those relationships is actually easier than going off to find more customers. 

The link is hosted at Score More Sales - listen here, but would love your comments back on this blog to the following questions:

1. What companies do YOU love for exemplary customer service? 

2. Do you connect great customer service with c [...]

Recently I had a conversation with Savor member Sue Zimmerman, a high energy, successful serial entrepreneur, mentor, and founder of the Sueb.do brand and Computer Companion in the Boston area. Sue told me she has eliminated nearly all of the paper within her business that most business owners toil over. 

According to Brother's "Cost of Disorganization" Study, an estimated 38 working hours (or close to one work week) per person each year are lost as a result of looking for misplaced items in the office.

Here is the audio of my 16 minute video interview with Sue, plus some time notes below at the specific times for specific topics. This means you can skip ahead to what you'd like to hear about. At the end, I'd love to see your comments posted on what tools you use to be more organized. Is removing paper from your business in your future? For me, I'm not there yet, but I am intrigued and am trying out more of the tools Sue mentions. 

2:20 Eliminate paper in your business!

3:14 [...]

Here is one of the very best ways to build your business, in step-by-step instructions: 

1. Know (really know!) the business value you bring to the market & how you are different.

2. Find like-minded people who know and trust you and regularly connect with them. 

3. Be genuine and add value to THEIR lives and THEIR business. 

4. Don't "spray and pray" all about you and YOUR business. When people like you, they naturally get curious and visit your website, check out your social media, and learn more about you. 

5. Here's the clincher: EVERY 3 months, or EVERY month, depending on what you are doing, send an inspirational postcard to all of your "strategic partners" - with a tip of value or a request to learn more about what they are working on right now. This list might have 5 people, 10, 20 or 50. 

6. When people regularly get messaging from you that you are here to stay, building a fabulous business you are passionate about, enjoy learning about them, and sharing their good [...]

There is one principle above others when it comes to building your growing business, and it is very simple to follow:

If you are not getting 100% of your business through referrals, you need to set time every day for revenue building activity. 

In other words, if you're not full with customers or maxxed out due to all the business you are receiving - than whatever you do today, make sure you have time in your calendar to build new business. 

Within corporate, we call it, "net-new" business. Gaining new customers or clients, and moving any "stalled" or slowed sales opportunities forward. 

How to do this?

Block time in your calendar. If you are a services provider, and control more of your calendar than if you are say, a retailer, it can be easier to do. A block of one hour per day can be great to remind you that you need to focus on identifying more "probable" customers, since we customers tend to buy on our own timeline (called the buying cycle, rather than your selling cycl [...]

Yesterday I made a three-hour excape from my office to learn more about a social media platform I had many questions about. I had lots to do, as anyone does who is building a business. My week had no down time. I almost felt guilty leaving, but I did it. 

The nugget I heard at this small get-together of women in business was when my host explained her philosophy of business building. 

Work to connect with 10 new people each day, because ultimately you need to get out there and talk to people about what you do. 

It was a great escape - I made an amazing connection, and learned what I needed to learn. Hearing her talk about her business strategy just resonated with me since I encourage people to do this. There is more to building revenues but without this piece, there is nothing. 

So get out there today!  Who have you not talked with that was interested in your products and services?

Where is that stack of business cards from the last networking event you attended? 

Even if y [...]

I just got done watching a short, homemade video that mega-star & producer Tyler Perry made called, "How To Be Successful". You can find it in a Youtube search. It was very uplifting and clear in its message.  

Tyler has a rags-to-riches story filled with gratitude and inspiration. Many people learned about him through his plays, movies, or through one of many Oprah shows that he has been on. My nephew, Darren, directed his first movie, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, in 2005. 

I wanted to share two main points Tyler mentions that really grabbed me.

Belief in your dream and in having singular focus.

He mentions people who are doing one thing one day, then another thing the next day. His success has come from believing in his singluar dream, and keeping the focus of that one dream. 

As you build your business and your life, are you "all over the place" or are you focused on getting to a specific point or place? 

Is your singular goal in a picture on your wall, or in words on you [...]