It’s Spring! Time to leave the Cave

To quote Dr. Ivan Misner, Founder of BNI:

"I find that many home-based business owners suffer from the Cave Syndrome. They get up each morning in a large cave with a big-screen TV called their home. They go out to their garage and get into a little cave with four wheels called their car. They go to another really big cave with plenty of computers called their office. At the end of the day, they get back into their little cave with four wheels and drive back to the large cave with the big-screen TV, and they can't figure out why no one is referring them. If you want to build your business through word of mouth, you have to be visible and active in the community by participating in various networking groups and/or professional associations. It’s even harder for those working from home to get out of the cave. You don’t even get into that little cave on wheels to drive to the large cave with the computers!"

How many of us live and work this way? I attended a networking group this past Wednesday and after listening to all the complaints about the way the group could not grow... etc. I asked one simple question!

"Who here belongs to another networking group? A chamber? A Toastmasters Club? Any group?" The amount of silence was staggering! Not a single person belonged to another group not even a social, sports, religious or fraternal one! Talk about cave dwellers.

When I suggested that they join me at one of the many events I was attending for the week I got the universal answer... "I'm busy." DOING WHAT??????????????? Needless to say my association with this group will be short lived. I even invited them to attend my FREE Networking Seminar next week but again I got the universal answer (I think I'll start referring to it as the universal excuse!)

So if any of you readers out there want to get out of your caves and attend a FREE Seminar about networking... a real "How to" training seminar call the offices of Lone Keep Internet at 732-988-4044 to reserve a seat.... Get out of your Cave.......

Social Networking is about being Socialable

Social Media Use Up 82% Worldwide
Social Networking Now More Popular On Mobile than Desktop
Women Flock to Social Networks
Adult Social Media Use Hits New Highs

The above headlines have appeared in different Internet news sources over the past few weeks. Does this mean that Social Networking is a train you must catch? Not necessarily… But if you do, you must be Socialable!

The latest stats on Social Networking are:
- A third of adults post at least once a week to social sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
- A quarter of adults publish a blog and upload video/audio they created.
- 60% maintain a profile on a social networking site.
- 70% Read blogs, tweets and watch videos.

But as you know Stats lie (or is it only the people who use them). Lets dissect a couple of these claims and really look at what the numbers mean.

Let’s look at Jack (name changed to protect the guilty), he has a blog about graphic arts. I just noticed his blog address at the bottom of his latest email. About time he told his business partners about it. So to see what Jack had to say on the subject I visited his blog.

The last entry was May 2, 2009! Must be a mistake… So I reloaded the page and searched around… Nope, May 2, 2009 was the last entry! When I ran into him next I inquired about his blog… “Oh yeah, guess I should add something to it…” So the stat says a quarter of adults publish a blog not completely correct. Jack does publish one, but not well! That is where the stat falls apart. In order for a blog to be successful it must be used, added to, commented on, commented on the comments given, etc. In other words you must be socialable!

Now let’s take a glance at Hank’s and K’s profiles on Linked In. Hank many months ago added his profile to Linked In and he also added one for his business partner and wife. Help keeping that 60% number up who have a profile on a social networking site. The next time he visited the profiles was when I insisted he expand the profiles and add some pertinent business info on them. I know his wife has never been to her account and seen her profile. And the two have never participated in any of the discussions on Linked In or even updated their status with what is going on in their company. So has anyone even seen their profiles other than me? I would wager not many! Again to make the profiles productive you must be socialable!

Just having something on a social networking site is not the end all. It is only the being. You must participate on the site or you will not be seen or hear of again!

To expand on this next month Lone Keep Internet will be holding a FREE seminar entitled “It’s Spring! Time to leave the Cave” at its offices at the Jersey Shore. Richard M.J. Jarosz, BNI Assistant Director for Monmouth County, will be discussing the need for and time tested techniques of how to Network so you can “Get the Word Out!”

Save a Tree!

Don’t take business card if you have no intention of calling the person!!! Two weeks ago I attended a major networking event in the Monmouth County area at the Jersey Shore. There were almost 200 people in attendance. Normally I would follow up on everyone I met (i.e. got their business card). But this time I decided to do a little experiment, in line with the ongoing project “What's on your shelf”, and not call but wait to be called….

I have received exactly ZERO calls for the mass of business card I handed out. Why did these “Business” people attend this meeting? I won’t even waste mine or your time trying to come up with excuses. Just let it be know that it is rude and not exactly the best thing for the environment. Admittedly it’s small but multiply this by the number of attendees and multiply it again by the number of events they go to in any given period and it adds up. “Think globally, act locally” comes to mind… Oh yeah… What about follow-up to grow ones business????

Is it me? Am I crazy? Or am I missing something about conducting business?

On a more pleasant note: Those interested in GROWING THEIR ONLINE BUSINESS should attend the next free seminar at the Manchester Inn in Ocean Grove, Friday February 26^th from 1 to 4pm. Clark Cate, the owner of the Manchester Inn, will be one of the speakers and sharing some of his online Guerrilla Marketing tips he’s used for the Inn.

So Project: What's on your shelf begins...

Last week I made the first 20 calls. The results were what I expected. 10 were out of business or have switched jobs. 8 answered the phone like they were keeping their business a secret!! Several of these were Marketing Firms. None of the Internet based companies were around anymore - save one. This is why Lone Keep Internet has been around for over 22 years now...

Only two businesses called back. These were the ones who wanted to actually grow their businesses... So they are on my shelf! Next time I'll give you snippets of some of the actually conversations so you do not make the same mistakes on trying to "Get the Word Out" about your business.

Your Thoughts?

What on your Shelf?

In trying to come up with a theme for my blog entry today I put it to my friends on Face Book. The responses ranged from Helping Haiti to the use of Technology like Exchange mail, sync between pda and desktop in real time, voice mail to email and so on. The responses made my head spin! So I decided to clean up the office a bit to try and get rid my headache. In doing so I came across about 1,000 business cards that I have accumulated from BNI, Chamber and general networking meetings over the last several years.

Then it dawned on me! Today’s entry would be on Technology, not the latest but one of the oldest that people still can’t use correctly!! Business Cards! Why do business owners, sales people and just about everyone hand then out and never use then for what they are intended for.

Wikipedia, the online free encyclopedia, defines Business cards as “cards bearing business information about a company or individual. They are shared during formal introductions as a convenience and a memory aid.”

Well let’s put that to the test. When I get a business card I always follow up in a day or two. Most people don’t remember me even then. I guess I should be insulted! I would say about a good 50% don’t answer with their name or that of their business. They try to keep that a secret when you call… WHY? Why bother handing someone your card? Do they hope you don’t call?

So this is the Project. I am going to call all 1000 people whose cards were on my shelf. To the right on this page I will keep a running tab on the number I have left to call, the ones out of business already or switch jobs, the ones that want to actually grow in this “bad economic” climate and those that even bother to call back!

This should be interesting… Not sure what I will accomplish but I’ll start off the conversation with “What’s New?”

What’s new with the New Year?

Well if you ask most people, NOTHING! You get a bunch of different answers but none of them positive. They all are waiting for something to change, someone to change it for them or ….. You get the idea.

I find this most annoying. Something should always be new. Whether in you live or business something should be new.

That is why most businesses nowadays are at a standstill. Nothing is new… No new products, services or even approaches to existing clients. What is everyone waiting for?

We at Lone Keep Internet are always up to something. So what’s new with us you ask?

1. We just revamped our Jersey Shore Coupon site. Now we are beginning to promote the heck out of it.
2. Just found some new Open Source software to help up revamp ShoreGuide.Info. We plan to get that live by the Spring just in time for the Summer at the Shore. One new Feature envisioned will include Reviews of Jersey Shore Restaurants and B&Bs. Others will be a surprise...
3. Already have the First Quarter of our, now World Famous, monthly “Tea get togethers” scheduled with Featured Speakers and Host Locations. Still looking to fill the rest of the year. If interested let me know.
4. Just started a Value-added campaign for Graphic Artists, Printers, Web Designers, Photographers and PR Firms. This has been well received since it enhances the relationships these businesses have with their existing clients and an added feature for new prospects.

So what’s new with the New Year? PLENTY!!!!

Turn up the heat

One extra degree can make all the difference
At 211 degrees, water is hot. At 212 degrees, it boils.And with boiling water, comes steam. And with steam they created an Age!
The Industrial Age.

For those missed this month’s “Tea” Wayne May spoke at the offices of the Jersey Shore Small Business Incubator on the topic of “212.” For those that are not familiar with what an Incubator is…
Business incubators are programs that nurture start-up businesses by providing hands-on management assistance, access to financing, and exposure to critical business or technical support services. They typically offer shared office services, access to equipment, flexible leases, and space all under one roof.
What other way to turn up the heat than sharing resources and information. This also helps get the work out about there own businesses.
Readers may have already heard me go on about the Urban Myth that states “People are afraid of Success” I have found that to be completely untrue. But as in all cases of Urban Myths there is a small kernel of truth way down deep. The actually phrase should be “People aren’t afraid of Success. They’re afraid of the extra work Success brings!"
Which leads us right back to the topic of the last “Tea”, going that extra step. We may be hot but we are not passing that threshold and entering that phase change that allows us to obtain “Exponential Results”.
How many businesses stop just short of that phase change, that one extra degree? For the businesses that are 212 and want to take that leap into the phase change I will be orgainizing a new BNI Chapter in the Belmar Area. The first meeting which is just an informational meeting and will be on January 6th, 2010. If you are interested either email me or call me at 732-988-4044.
Be seeing you.