Not Going Out

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Oct 202011
 

Recently I was having an email conversation with Judy Heminsley on Jelly, co-working, networking, in fact, just getting out of the office. This is particularly important for anyone working on their own at home. Meeting other people and building business relationships is so important for success. But just as importantly is maintaining confidence to be out and about and mixing with other people. Many of us suffer from what one might call the ‘I look up to him’ syndrome illustrated so wonderfully in the  ‘Class Sketch’ in the Frost Report back in 1966. (Yes, I know you’re all too young, that’s why I’ve included the link.)

Everyone else is more successful, more confident, better looking, taller; you name it and they are it compared with us. So naturally they won’t want to talk to us if we go to a networking event will they? Of course, most of them are looking at us and feeling exactly the same! And will be hoping desperately that we’ll approach them to chat. A New York Times Survey on social anxiety became the inspiration for the book title ‘… and Death Came Third’ having discovered that the top two responses were walking into a room full of strangers and speaking in public. And death came third. 

The less frequently we go out, the harder it is to do so. So we should seize every opportunity to keep ourselves in the mainstream. Now, although we have been talking about people who work for themselves, the same argument could apply, but maybe for slightly different reasons, to employees of larger companies. The sales people talk to customers don’t they? But wouldn’t it be good if every employee was part of the sales team, the quality team, the service team? I suggest that most companies do not use the talent they have to full effect. The only way to do this is for everyone to understand the customers, to be able to act as their advocates within the business. And to demonstrate their enthusiasm for the products or services of the company whenever they come into contact with potential customers. So come on guys, let’s all start going out.

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Half Of Advertising …

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Jun 272011
 

The industrialist and philanthropist, William Lever, later Lord Leverhulme, famously said, “I know half my advertising isn’t working, I just don’t know which half.” In an attempt to be slightly better informed than the great man, I have been reviewing the impact of my efforts for a couple of different ventures. Although this is hardly a serious academic study, the conclusions are interesting, if not entirely surprising.

My review has demonstrated that direct contact, or as a minimum, referral through a third party, is the predominant route to success. I’m sure that most of you will be familiar with the view that we do business with people we like. And, of course, a prerequisite of liking someone is getting to know them. So my findings just seem to confirm what we already know, but perhaps sometimes forget. It has also shown that cementing a business relationship is often done through more than one channel. Virtual contact through social media, email and by phone builds on physical contact such as at networking events and Jelly co-working days (or vice-versa). In fact, anything we do that helps people to get to know us is a good thing.  The more channels we engage with, the more likely we are to be successful.

Let’s look at it from a slightly different direction with this extract from Todd, blogger and tweeter for Underwood Wines in Warwick:

“I recently completed a questionnaire … One question stood out, one question made me say out loud in an empty room…”oh yea…”

Would you (on a scale of 1-10) say you were more likely or less likely to do business or buy a product from a company or person you have engaged with on social media? 

Without hesitation I ticked 10 and then realised what had happened. Social media had become so powerful that I would put any company I had engaged with above those I had not. … social media lets you meet the human behind the brand, get to know the personality before you walk in the door.”

Unlike in Lord Leverhulme’s era, the advent of the Internet and social media lets us do a great deal of advertising for free, apart from commitment of our time. But unless we make the effort to make personal contact with our prospective clients, then it’ll be the half that doesn’t work.

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Best Networking

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Jun 072011
 

What is the best networking event? Or more accurately, the best type of networking event? That was the subject of a conversation at last Thursday’s Bromsgrove Jelly co-working day. The answer is that I don’t think there is an answer. All have value. At any one you might meet someone who could be a great contact. However, on balance I prefer the smaller events. In fact, the smaller the better. Eight or ten people sitting round a table can have a conversation that involves all of them. They can get to know each other, what they do and what they can offer from a business perspective. A newcomer can be made to feel welcome and at home very quickly – far less intimidating than turning up and finding a room with 30 or 40 strangers! Remember the New York Times survey that showed that people’s greatest social fears were walking into a room full of strangers and speaking in front of an audience? And death came third! Which became the title of a book offering advice on how to deal with the first two. I don’t think they had a solution for the third.

Serious work at Bromsgrove Jelly!

By the way, if you usually work on your own apart from the cat, dog or goldfish, and you would like the occasional day working with other humans, why not find your nearest Jelly event? Networking in the sense of selling is strictly forbidden, but it is an opportunity to get to know other business people and for them to understand what you are all about. And sometimes chance conversations can turn into opportunities. Maybe it is the best networking! You would be very welcome to join us at the next Bromsgrove Jelly on 7th July.

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Rules or Responsibility?

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Mar 112011
 

There seems little doubt that some people like rules. They are happy to have someone else think for them and tell them what to do. They just want to turn up. Of course, they moan if the rules don’t suit them. The alternative to rules is responsibility. Responsibility means not expecting ‘them’ to sort things out. Them is the committee, the council, the management, the government, in fact anyone but us.

Last week we held the first Bromsgrove Jelly co-working day. If  you haven’t come across the concept, Jelly events are held monthly and are an opportunity for people working from home to spend the day working with other human beings. They are free to attend and no one makes any money from them. There is an etiquette (Jellyquette) that attendees should observe.  There is a current debate amongst Jelly organisers as to how to deal with the odd person who doesn’t respect the ettiquette. I have expressed the view that it is up to the rest of the group to take responsibility to ensure that the event operates in a way that is satisfactory to the majority. On a corporate scale, this approach is well documented by Ricardo Semler in his books Maverick and The Seven Day Weekend.

As Semler built his family business from a small engineering company to being a major industrial player in Brazil, he instigated a type of democracy in the workplace that placed a great deal of emphasis on the workforce at all levels taking responsibility for the operation of the various businesses within the organisation. His preferred modus operandi was to do nothing when workplace problems arose. That way, rather than a solution being imposed by management, it was developed and owned by those who it affected.

As a self-confessed perfectionist control freak, I find democracy a bit of a challenge. But the alternative is to run the world myself. However, as I can’t cope with my current To Do list, that may be a little too ambitious.

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Making Jelly

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Oct 082010
 

To Jelly or not to Jelly? Ever since I attended a Shropshire Jelly meeting I have been wondering about making a Worcestershire Jelly. For the avoidance of doubt, I am talking about co-working events, not the wobbly stuff you have with ice cream at parties. If you still don’t know what I’m talking about, a quick visit to the Queen of Jelly and friend of The Watercooler, Judy Heminsley, and all will become clear.

OK, back from visiting Judy in Frome? For a bit more background, pop over to Shropshire to see the Princess of Jelly and founder of Shropshire Jelly, Jan Minihane.

As far as I can see, there are no Jelly events in my home town of Bromsgrove or anywhere else in Worcestershire. As Jelly events are for co-working, are there any home-based workers who would be up for a little co-working with me to start the ball rolling … or should that be to start the jelly wobbling?

Please leave a comment or contact me via my website if you are interested in setting up Jelly in Worcestershire.

But of course, if you are already making Jelly in Worcestershire, perhaps it’s time to break cover and let us all know.

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