Would you do business with a person who didn’t tell you their name or hand you a business card when you met them?

Would you consider requesting a proposal from an online service that does not include a phone number, contact form, or address on their website? It is not difficult to find websites on the internet where there is no information about the owners or key stakeholders.

Does your website have your phone number on the home page? How about a page that has information about your company directors? A detailed contact page is important – it certainly would encourage me to give you a call.

The Social aspects of the Social Networking craze that is sweeping the internet has to have an impact on how you write for your marketing website. Earn some trust by providing good information, make a clear call to action, and identify yourself. The days of doing business with corporations are slipping away… people want to do business with people.

If your marketing website is more than a few years old, it will be missing key elements that a modern website should include. It may be time for a website review with an Internet Consultant.

David A. West

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Business Networking Works…

When I started our website design company over four years ago, the concept of networking meetings was something quite new to me. When the first networking group contacted me and invited me out to a lunch meeting, I actually turned them down. Thankfully, they were persistent and after a few weeks I attended my first meeting. I joined my first networking club.

I had a tough time understanding how meeting the same dozen people every week would bring me new business. The focus of the network referral club was to bring leads to other members. It worked fairly well in terms of my business, most of the referrals received were actual club members.  I really appreciate these early clients.

As our business grew, and as our website began generating more and more leads, my attendance at networking meetings declined. I no longer attend a regular weekly lunch meeting. Having said that, the early start we got through networking continues to pay off today. I gained a lot of new clients in the earlier years through these clubs. The relationships that were fostered continue to work for us. I consistently receive new business leads from the neworkers that I met years ago.

Great Leadership = Great Growth

The Calgary Entrepreneur Meetup is one of the greatest opportunities for business to business networking in Calgary today.  Stuart Crawford is the founder and current chair of this meetup. Stuart’s passion for the community is stronger today than ever before. His approach to giving prior to getting is admirable.

When do they meetup?

The Calgary Entrepreneur Meetup currently gets together formally one time per month. We have plans to increase this to include more frequent meetings including breakfast and lunch meetings. While the current meetings are held in the evenings, the odd alternative time will likely bring more members out. At last count there were over 500 members in the group – making this one of Calgary’s largest networking group.

What is it going to cost you?

The fact that the meetup is run 100% by volunteers is admirable.  The token fee of $5.00 per meeting is taken on a drop-in basis. There is no annual membership fees.

What will you experience at a meetup?

You will meet like minded entrepreneurs. Many of us own our own successful businesses. Some will be in the start-up phase. Some will be representing larger organizations. One thing that is common, we all come out to learn from each others experiences.

Where to you network for your business? Visit the Calgary Entrepreneur site today.

Tell me your thoughts on this… I would love to see your comment added below.

Cheers -
David A. West

I wonder how many sales people beat up their competition by injecting rumour, innuendo and sorted negative remarks into discussions with potential clients?  I know at least one web company in Calgary that makes it their practice to undermine the competition with negative remarks. All I have to say is… shame on you.

Our client actually came to us and told us that this sales agent, who also happens to be one of the owners of the other company, was really very negative regarding the fact that this client chose to work with us.  At the time that we were competing for the work all I said to the client about the other company is that I thought that they were a good choice.  I told her that I believed them to be a sound and reputable service provider.

I don’t believe that it is to our advantage to talk poorly of our competition. The fact is that I don’t know very much about them or their business practices.  One thing that I do know, for sure, is that when a relationship between a customer and a service provider “breaks down”… it’s not always the service providers fault. So, the loss of a client is not always a true measure of the service providers performance.  On the other hand, if a service provider loses a lot of clients… then I’d say the writing is on the wall.  When the writing is on the wall, surely I don’t have to say anything.

What’s really interesting about the competitor that tried unsuccessfully to woo our client away with rumours and innuendo is that their efforts would have been better spent trying to preserve their own clients.   You see, my newest client, is this exact same company’s most recent lost client.  He switch to our service because of what he described to be a lack of service and poor billing practices. In fact the client described their practices as falling just short of fraudulent.

Be positive & care about your clients, their business and your own business. Good things will come from small actions that don’t include being negative about people you don’t even know.  If being negative is a part of your sales practice… be sure to clean up your own house first or your clients may leave you too.

Is there room in your sales process for beating the competition up?  Should an Owner who also sells be held to a higher standard?

Tell me your thoughts on this… I would love to see your comment added below.

Cheers -
David A. West

I attended Troy White’s full day seminar yesterday, The Wild West Wealth Christmas. Troy hosted the session and brought together a power-house of speakers. The topic was, of course, marketing.

I ended up with four pages of notes. Of which I have distilled half a dozen measurable actions for my company to investigate and test as we move into 2008. I am not going to get into a long diatribe of what my notes contain here, but I will tell you that I feel I got great value from my day with Troy.

Guests included author & publisher Mary Halpen, who nearly brought the room to tears with her heartfelt business and life lessons, Brandon Roe, who spoke to increasing prices without objections, and Doug White, the reported Grandfather of direct marketing.

Troy is planning the 2008 Wild Wealth Summit for early summer. If you own a business or have a direct stake in it’s success through marketing, then keep youe eyes open and watch Wild West Wealth Summit for updates.

Troy – Thank you for a great program.

Cheers,
David A. West