Slides from the networking meeting held on 24th May 2011. Speakers: Mike Stokes. The Business Club. Matthew Bartlett Metanym Web Design Louise Hudson thebestof.co.uk Malcolm York www.BizMidlands.co.uk

1. Welcome to
Lincolnshire & Nottinghamshire Business Network

2. Agenda
• 9:00 Introductions
• 9:15 How To Network Effectively. Presented by Mike Stokes. The
Business Club
• 9:25 2 Minute Speed networking 1st session
• 9:50 Search Engine Optimisation and Marketing. Presented by
Matthew Bartlett Metanym Web Design
• 10:00 2 Minute Speed networking 2nd session
• 10:25 Sell Successfully Via Social Media. Presented by Louise Hudson
thebestof.co.uk
• 10:35 AOB
• 10:45 close

3. History of the group
• Started on LinkedIn Feb 2011
• Fastest growing Networking group for the
East Mids
• 206 engaged members
• May 2011 Twitter and Facebook page
launched
• July Website

4. Groups Objectives
• To connect businesses across Lincs & Notts
• To provide a platform do elevate its members
• To provide low or no cost marketing
initiatives
• To attract business for its members
• To offer help and guidance

5. How can you help.
• Join the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Business Networking
group on LinkedIn
• Follow LNBNetwork on Twitter
• Post discussion
• Connect on Facebook
• Tweet the event #LNBNetwork @LNBNetwork
• Encourage your contacts to join in
• Connect to each other
• Write a review of the meeting

6. "Last year 1 million
quarter-inch drills were
sold, not because people
wanted quarter-inch
drills but because they
wanted quarter-inch
holes..."

7. About me
• I help SMEs generate business leads and
profit using low or no cost viral and gorilla
digital marketing initiatives.

8. How To Network Effectively
Mike Stokes
Lincs & Notts Business Network
24th May 2011

9. Networking Is Not ....

10. Networking Is Not ....
• Meet the buyer
• A room full of clients
• Guaranteed sales leads

11. Networking Is ....

12. Networking Is ....
• Selling THROUGH the room
• Not Selling TO the room

14. How To Network Effectively
or
The 5 Ps Of Networking
PPPPP

15. Preparation

16. Preparation

17. Preparation

18. Preparation
Check Beforehand
• Venue
• Time
• Format
• Dress Code
• Cost
• Attendees
• Objectives

19. Preparation
Check Beforehand “Must Take” Items
• Venue 1. Business Cards
• Time 2. Pen & Notebook
• Format 3. Diary
• Dress Code 4. Flyers, Leaflets
• Cost 5. Badge
• Attendees 6. Notes & Prompts
• Objectives

20. Performance

21. Performance

22. Performance

23. Performance
• Arrive early – but linger afterwards
• Don’t stick with the same people
• Keep cool and hydrated
• Introduce and get introduced
• Ask questions & take an interest
• Make connections, don’t just sell
• Collect cards & make notes
• Make your “elevator pitch”

24. Patience & Persistence

25. Patience & Persistence

26. Patience & Persistence

27. Patience & Persistence
• It takes 4 to 7 contacts before recommending
• Give any new group a chance to work
• Stay in polite but regular contact
• Pass on referrals & information
• What you give, you generally get back
• Regularly remind what help you need

28. Proper Follow-Up

29. Proper Follow-Up

30. Proper Follow-Up

31. Proper Follow-Up
• Ask permission to make contact
• Get in touch as quickly as possible
• Pass on details you have promised
• Follow-up all leads
• Be a connector of people
• Invite to other events
• Maintain a database

32. Networking Summary

33. Networking Summary
1. Make thorough preparations
2. Remember the “must take” items
3. Always arrive early
4. Work the room
5. Be polite & attentive
6. Make your elevator pitch “memorable”
7. Follow-up promptly
8. Don’t expect instant results

34. 5 Ps of Networking

35. 5 Ps of Networking
1. Preparation
2. Performance
3. Patience
4. Persistence
5. Proper Follow-Up
Mike Stokes

37. anything is possible....
Matt Bartlett
Lincolnshire and
Nottinghamshire Business
Group
24th May 2011
web design :: web development :: domains :: hosting :: seo

38. anything is possible....
Definition of SEO?
web design :: web development :: domains :: hosting :: seo

39. anything is possible....
Text
Other external SEO activities such as link building, article publishing, and pay-per-click
advertising, can be arranged but are not included herein.
web design :: web development :: domains :: hosting :: seo

40. anything is possible....
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ank
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• No gimmicks, tricks or shortcuts. Just good, relevant, up to date and Im p o rs o no h
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web design :: web development :: domains :: hosting :: seo

41. anything is possible....
Good vs Evil
Black Hat SEO
• Keyword stuffing - pages full of keywords
and phrases
• Invisible text - white on white hidden text
• Doorway pages - pages on for search
engine spiders
White Hat SEO
•Create content for users -make it readable
•Longer term process
•Not going to get yourself banned
web design :: web development :: domains :: hosting :: seo

42. anything is possible....
What we don’t know and
what we do know
Google doesn’t release it’s search
criteria but does provide guidance:
•Good links are considered a vote in favour
of your site
•Make the content useful and relevant
•Keep the content up to date
•Social media links help to prove the
popularity of the site and business
•Local search is important
web design :: web development :: domains :: hosting :: seo

43. anything is possible....
Search Engine Optimisation
Why it is important for you.
web design :: web development :: domains :: hosting :: seo

44. anything is possible....
Because......
• Google represents over 90% of UK based
searches
• 92% of people don’t go beyond page 1 when
searching on Google
• 42% of users then go on to click the top ranking
site
• Only 8% go on to click the second option, with
percentages dropping from there onwards
• 77% of users choose organic over paid listings
web design :: web development :: domains :: hosting :: seo

45. anything is possible....
Getting it right means
• More visitors
• Increased income and enquiries
• Out perform competitors
• You take control
• Advertising savings
So why wouldn’t you do it?
web design :: web development :: domains :: hosting :: seo

46. anything is possible....
How Your Site Can Let You
Down?
• Poor design
• Poor content
• Not compelling to users
• Doesn’t load quickly
• Too many gimmicks - sound, landing pages
• Ease of navigation
• W3C compliance
web design :: web development :: domains :: hosting :: seo

47. anything is possible....
Search Engine Optimisation
Ways You Can Help
Yourself
web design :: web development :: domains :: hosting :: seo

48. anything is possible....
Self Help
• Employ a good Web Design and SEO
company!
• Spend time on it - Like tending a garden
• Get involved in social media - Facebook,
Twitter, LinkedIn etc
• Make use of the Google tools available - Key
Word Tools, Analytics
• Check what your competitors are doing
• Backlinks
• Meta data
Above all, make it relevant!
web design :: web development :: domains :: hosting :: seo

50. Selling with Social Media

51. A bit about me...

52. A bit about me...
• I believe in hard work

53. A bit about me...
• I believe in hard work
• I like fast cars, Led
Zeppelin, Puccini, the
wriIen word

54. A bit about me...
• I believe in hard work
• I like fast cars, Led
Zeppelin, Puccini, the
wriIen word
• I love family, friends and
my Jack Russell, Eddie

55. A bit about me...
• I believe in hard work
• I like fast cars, Led
Zeppelin, Puccini, the
wriIen word
• I love family, friends and
my Jack Russell, Eddie
• I’m passionate about
what I do

56. Not convinced about Social Media?
• 96% of the popula.on under 30
belongs to a social network
• 43% of 55 to 74 year olds use the
internet frequently
• Half the mobile internet traffic in
the UK is for Facebook
• 93% of social media users believe
that a company should have a
web presence in social media
• 20% of tweets – 83 messages per
second – contain a reference to a
product or brand

57. Some businesses don’t get it right!

58. But, when they do get it right...

59. Selling through Social Media

60. 1. Take it slow

61. 1. Take it slow
• Iden.fy your target
audience

62. 1. Take it slow
• Iden.fy your target
audience
• Comment on blog posts

63. 1. Take it slow
• Iden.fy your target
audience
• Comment on blog posts
• Retweet (RT)
thoughdully

64. 1. Take it slow
• Iden.fy your target
audience
• Comment on blog posts
• Retweet (RT)
thoughdully
• Compliment something
that’s been wriIen

65. 1. Take it slow
• Iden.fy your target
audience
• Comment on blog posts
• Retweet (RT)
thoughdully
• Compliment something
that’s been wriIen
• Build the rela.onship

66. • Avoid informa.on
overload
• Spread your content out
• Plan it
• Interact not adver.se

67. 2. Give something back

68. 2. Give something back
• Share a white paper

69. 2. Give something back
• Share a white paper
• Run a compe..on

70. 2. Give something back
• Share a white paper
• Run a compe..on
• Invite people to local
events

71. 2. Give something back
• Share a white paper
• Run a compe..on
• Invite people to local
events
• Share relevant research

72. 2. Give something back
• Share a white paper
• Run a compe..on
• Invite people to local
events
• Share relevant research
• Recommend

73. 2. Give something back
• Share a white paper
• Run a compe..on
• Invite people to local
events
• Share relevant research
• Recommend
• Make an introduc.on

74. • Incen.vise users to link
back to you
• Backlinks are crucial –
TwiIer and Digg are
authorita.ve
• Create strategic
partnerships with
clients

75. 3. Give it your best shot

76. 3. Give it your best shot
• Don’t communicate for
the sake of it

77. 3. Give it your best shot
• Don’t communicate for
the sake of it
• Try to make a genuine
connec.on

78. • Build communi.es
• Build a base of contacts
• Monitor audience
opinions
• Measurable data
• Openness and trust

79. 4. Be brave

80. 4. Be brave
• Reach out

81. 4. Be brave
• Reach out
• Update people on
products and services

82. 4. Be brave
• Reach out
• Update people on
products and services
• Build buzz and
excitement!

83. 4. Be brave
• Reach out
• Update people on
products and services
• Build buzz and
excitement!
• Try video

84. • Auto feeding content
• Avoid repeat content
• Applica.ons can do the
job for you
• Don’t be afraid to
experiment

85. 5. Window shopping

86. 5. Window shopping
• Customers will want to
check you out

87. 5. Window shopping
• Customers will want to
check you out
• Expect to be Googled!

88. 5. Window shopping
• Customers will want to
check you out
• Expect to be Googled!
• Consider your personal
brand and online
reputa.on

89. 5. Window shopping
• Customers will want to
check you out
• Expect to be Googled!
• Consider your personal
brand and online
reputa.on
• Know how you want to
be seen

90. • Know your ne.queIe
• Permanence online
• Consider your tone
• Social media is open
and democra.c

91. 6. Let your personality
shine through!

92. 6. Let your personality
shine through!
• It’s all about people!

93. 6. Let your personality
shine through!
• It’s all about people!
• Blog

94. 6. Let your personality
shine through!
• It’s all about people!
• Blog
• Make it conversa.onal

95. 6. Let your personality
shine through!
• It’s all about people!
• Blog
• Make it conversa.onal
• Build trust

97. If you’re not already doing it...

98. If you’re not already doing it...
• Set up Google and
TwiIer alerts to
generate sales leads

99. If you’re not already doing it...
• Set up Google and
TwiIer alerts to
generate sales leads
• Make the most of RSS
Feeds

100. If you’re not already doing it...
• Set up Google and
TwiIer alerts to
generate sales leads
• Make the most of RSS
Feeds
• Use a site like
socialtoo.com to track
and manage your social
graph

101. If you’re not already doing it...
• Set up Google and
TwiIer alerts to
generate sales leads
• Make the most of RSS
Feeds
• Use a site like
socialtoo.com to track
and manage your social
graph
• Use geochirp to find out

102. • Timing is everything –
Tweetdeck/Hootsuite
• Schedule posts
• Pictures speak louder
than words
• Use tags in images,
videos and posts
• Use data to drive your
campaigns
• Stay in touch with your
fans

103. Thank you!