Get the most from our table networking feature with this simple guide for M19 newcomers and associates You may know what it's like. You may be thinking about what it's going to be like. But when you walk into a network event there are always the hopes, nerves and excitement wondering if people will get into what you're pitching. It may be your first time, you may be a seasoned professional at networking itself, but the same guidelines of good practice always apply. With the Meet 19 Speed Meet – a version of speed networking – we've also got some new ones and quick tips which might help you make the most out of the session when meeting up to all nineteen people in the room. Feel free to comment below or write in with some additional feedback, we welcome it all, as our goal is simply to make it better experience for all present. In the meantime, here are some answered FAQs followed by some good networking practices to make a mental note or bookmark: Your Speed Meet FAQs Answered 1. What's the difference between speed networking and the Speed Meet? Speed networking tends to be stand alone event whereas the Meet 19 Speed Meet is part of a schedule of content combining an Expert Talk and freeform 'mingle' networking. This is also buttressed and followed up by the online marketing and information throughout the network. Hopefully this counters the notion that networking is all about being 'fast', as the Speed Meet is purely designed to give everyone a fair chance to be introduced and to meet everyone else in the room. 2. How does it work? How long do you get? Can you explain the Speed Meet session timings? Ultimately it's the whole session is quite relaxed and fun: All you have to know is that everyone keeps moving around the tables until we've all met each other, and this can take from thirty minutes to around an hour depending on how many are present. You get 3 minutes per 'meet', which means in fairness, about 90 seconds each (you'll hear a bell sound to tell you that half the time is left). A minute and half should be enough to introduce yourself, say what you do, why you're there and what you want. At the end of the three minutes you'll hear a loud horn and be asked to switch tables.Again, the brevity of being face-to-face for such a short space of time encourages people to cut to the chase (and not waffle, 'hold the platform' or conversely, be interrupted). Because we also have mingle networking after, it's easier (having already swapped business cards) to then both go into further solicited details at your leisure. 3. How is the Speed Meet useful for associates and newcomers? We have found that return associates have been able to check in, repeat or improve their offers to fellow Meet19ers while at the same time consolidating promised referrals, confirming free and paid work, helping out or just agreeing to share their contacts. Naturally it also grows as a bit of a social club too. Meanwhile we have also found newcomers enjoy the format because it's a way to break the ice between them and other business or community enterprise reps by sitting down and chatting one-to-one. 4. Do we all have to swap chairs? What do the arrows mean? Yes. At the end of the three minutes (on hearing the loud horn) associates are asked to vacate their chairs and move to the next table in the direction of the arrows on the table in front of them. There may be specific instructions for tables further away, but don't worry: someone will be there to show you to where exactly the arrow is pointing. Believe us, you won't get lost: if you're the only one left standing then the empty chair left is yours! Good networking practices for the Speed Meet
1. When pitching and introducing yourself Bring contact cards, brush up your 'elevator pitch' or if that doesn't appeal, at least know what you're going to ask for and what you're prepared to offer. There should be plenty of water for a dry throat but be ready because the conversations can get quite boisterous. It can genuinely get quite passionate. Remember that if the person in front of you has nothing you need, they might know someone or a group of people or an organisation who/that does... and vice versa. Our idiosyncratic Meet 19 approach combines the establishing of business with integrity, sharing expertise without compromising livelihoods and paying-it-forward by thinking about community enterprises – helping if and where we can. In this spirit we are about being supportive of the great work of other local or national networks without taking from them or us. It makes no business sense for us or our associates to compromise shared values or create conflicts of interest when all such groups have something generative to offer the business community. If you have an issue don't hesitate to bring it our attention and we'll see what we can do. 2. Employing ethical practices Like all networking events there has to be a code of ethics. Ours is self-governing: we simply expect the best from people because they are the Meet 19 network. If we're about facilitating Meet 19 as a service, then you should be too. We're not about engaging in cynical business or dog eat dog/rat race clichés: Business is hard enough already. So we ask associates to be honourable in their dealings with other associates and to honour any agreements made during the Speed Meet and the events entire. The thing is, as this is networking, the word and reputation can get round pretty quick, and one can't ever make the assumption that this network (and subsequently connected networks) don't get to hear about narrow-minded takers, haters and chancers faster than you can say 'greed is good'. 3. Knowing when email collection for marketing is not a money tree When collecting business cards please be conscious that not everyone has automatically agreed to be on your subscription to your email marketing. In fact it's bad practice to clog inboxes with your promotion just because you have a person's business email. They will especially resent being resold to a third party. You will need to email for permission first: attending a Meet19 event doesn't mean you can just 'collect' associates. It kind of makes you look amateur, desperate and inexperienced and ignores the golden rule that when people want to buy they will let you know. Yes, email marketing can eventually be a money tree; but go look in your inbox and junk mail now and ask yourself if you want to give your time or money to people schedule-mailing you cold because they met you once and have assumed a proper relationship. 4. Using the M19 websites Send us content and we'll stick it up. Just don't make it blatant advertising. Try and send us some relevant or current news, announcements or mutual M19 deals done with associates. For community organisations send us your info and we'll post it to promote your charity or good cause. For those willing to share their knowledge please send us your advice and we'll post it for free in this Experts in the Field blog. All posts get a link to your websites etc. All proofing, editing and SEO is free and you can reuse the copy and backlink using us. Just get in touch or catch us, Tilo or Jonny, at the event.
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10/1/2017 0 Comments Getting the corporate image rightMeet 19 associate, professional photographer Simon Pepper gives a few insights into why and how photographs of you are a must for giving the right impression and raising standards all-round for you and your company Why you need corporate pictures
If you are a business professional, then you’ll need corporate photography of you and your team. A great image can set that all-important first impression of you or your company, long before a meeting happens. Whether it be corporate photography in the studio, on location or at your offices, dedicated imagery for your enterprise ensures that you stand out from the crowd and prove you mean business. Get headshots Business personnel profile pictures are an essential part of your own personal brand. A visual impression is made in an instant, so make your first photographic presentation one that will engage others right from the start. You will need a dynamic and expressive headshot that people will remember and feel compelled to connect with. It’s important that you make the best first impression with a friendly, relaxed and unique image/s for your business. Use a studio A professional studio headshot will inspire confidence and convince others of your authenticity and personality. It will also highlight that you believe in your own personal brand and professionalism. Don't feel restrained by location While my studio is located central Hove, many of my photo sessions tend to be in real life work situations, working on-the-go, or with entire corporate teams. In these cases it's important to be either working in natural/office light or with mobile lighting equipment, or organised and set up in your offices (this may take a scheduling memo or two) to shoot the entire team in one go. Get the look right Spend time with an initial consultation to get just the right style and look for your photo. Sometimes an outfit change can be beneficial to get different looks. I usually advise on what to wear, helping with different locations in and around the office, and in choosing various posing techniques that will flatter and showcase your professionalism. Contact a professional For a quote, or to discuss location photography possibilities further, contact Simon Pepper below. Shoot times can take as little as 45 minutes out of a work day, where images together can also be looked at together to decide which are the most suitable. Mobile 07990 781 342 [email protected] www.simonpepperphotography.com 24/11/2016 0 Comments The Knowing-Doing GapMindset and Personal Growth Coach Aleksandra Wrzos consolidates her marvelous talk at Meet19 November 23rd. But what exactly is the difference between what people know and what they actually do? In my short talk we discussed that we may all know some individuals who are very intelligent, highly educated but not very effective.
On the other hand, we might come across someone who does the job very well without having any formal education. We therefore have to ask: What is the difference between the ones who make it happen and the ones who don’t? There are millions of pounds spent in corporate training but there are not many exceptionally effective people. Anybody can be but not everybody is. So people are being trained and they are being shown how to do things and then they don't do it. People know they can do better in their life, they know they are capable of more and have better results, but that doesn't mean they’re going to achieve them. Knowing is not enough. So what is? Results, they are the name of the game. Results tell us an interesting story, they tell us where the person is programmed. Furthermore, we need to go a little deeper and understand why people behave the way they do: The answer is in a person’s subconscious mind and what we call the paradigm. The paradigm is that section in person’s subconscious mind that gathers habits, ideas and beliefs. When we start to understand how the mind works, and understand the paradigm, we start to understand the power of it. We also talked about two things we must know to change our results with for example, income, health and relationships: Namely we must know where we are and what is our goal. Anyone can be successful in their personal and professional life, and the key to success lies in their decision. They must decide what is that they want and use their thinking in a constructive manner to get there. Success is not a secret, it’s a process. Once the process is learned, understood and applied, results change quickly and permanently. More on the topic above during Aleksandra's next full seminar Become a Leader in Your Field and in Your Life on December 6th at 7pm, at Friends Meeting House, Ship Street, Brighton, BN1 1AF As an ex-restaurant critic and having grown up cooking in kitchens I can tell you I personally can't praise Edendum enough. Gourmet dining or cool café, it's one for the Christmas wish list They are not our host venue for nothing, walking in and being greeted is like Christmas all year round. Warm, hospitable, accommodating, knowledgeable and serving the best of Italian cuisine from all regions, Edendum is the kind of class act that doesn't need to put national flags in their branding or allude to a cinematic version of the Mafia. Situated in East Street next to Toni and Guy, the interesting thing for me as a foodie is how Edendum bridge fine-dining with relaxed continental café culture, and they're are just as happy to see you for a proper coffee as for a three-course dining experience or a full-on booked function. Mention you saw their Christmas menu below through Meet 19 and it won't make a difference (as much as we'd like to score biscotti points): they will be just as welcoming as they are to everyone else! It's this consistency that for us makes them perhaps the top Italian restaurant in Brighton and Hove. Need a second expert opinion? Try the Sunday Times recommendation below. The best in Brighton? Why not ditch the clichés and find out for yourself? Edendum are now taking bookings for Christmas (menu below), reserve your table by email [email protected] or phone 01273 733800 and experience the closest you will get to the authentic taste of Italian Christmas here in the city.
A few Meet 19 associates have asked us, what do you mean to bring something to give away at the event? Well what we mean is freebies, and it's not an obligatory idea, but hey, we reckon it would be nice, and actually, a clever thing to do. The thing is, they act as introductions, promotion and the beginning of trade relationships, as they can get clients through your door. In reality you'll find that most people offering stuff aren't trying to hard sell you either and have already reconciled what they're giving away into the mechanism of their accounts. You can always keep a promo you've been given yourself to pass on to someone you know.
How free stuff works Time magazine has reported that: "companies like Procter & Gamble are figuring that one of the easiest and best ways to get people talking about their products is to simply give them away. An article in the Journal of Marketing found that people who got a product for free talked about it 20% more. Getting a freebie related to the product prompted them to talk about it 15% more..." We guess it's a little like the method of the streetwise drug dealer: give it away in the beginning and get your customers hooked. As extreme a business model as this sounds, it works. As Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson urge us in their business bestseller Rework: “Make your product so good, so addictive, so “can’t miss” that giving customer a small free taste makes them come back with cash in hand…You should know that people will come back for more. If you’re not confident about that, you haven’t created a strong enough product. “ Savvy business promotion For a profoundly excellent example of what we mean, Face Media Group's self-styled Head of Customer Love, Jim Cunliffe (slideshow above) dished out its free business cards offer when he attended the network event last. He is such a pro he will probably ring to tick me off for the crease in the cards, but I'm here to say I always keep them on me to remind other Meet19ers of an easy way to get stuck in, market for more clients and also pay forward to associates. The Face Media promos themselves are valid for "250 quality business cards, on 350gsm card of your choice, be it silk, uncoated or laminated (including matt, gloss or velvet lamination)." First foot forward and in the door Of course you may not be selling products, it may be your time, services, expertise or a combination of the four. You may find it's a stretch to give anything away. But Jim at Face Media knows that when people are quick to take him up on free cards, he knows the company is then the first to demonstrate its preeminence in all-round customer care – with the aforementioned mix of effort above – to earn a distinct advantage gained over competitors. For more on Face Media's business printing try this link: having used their online artwork system myself I can vouch for its supremely organised approach, flexible response and fastidious quality. Plus, Jim Cunliffe, as well as being quite a character, is one of the South East's top print experts and worth listening to regarding design execution and successfully getting across the best image for your business. 15/10/2016 0 Comments October 15th, 2016
For those who missed his free September Meet 19 talk here is Efficiency Consultant Tilo Flache 's comprehensive talk as blogpost: inspired by when he discovered that the 40-year-old eco-friendly concept of a paper-free workflow had seemed to disappear We’ve all heard the term ‘paperless office’, but what does it actually mean? An office without any paper at all? An office with less paper? An office that communicates in a paperless manner? Add to this all that talk about the ‘clean desk policy’ that many companies are trying to implement these days: how do the two ideas link together, if at all?
The ‘clean desk policy’ is really just a policy within an office. Usually, it is the result of three distinct requirements: information security, shared desk use and the boss’ idea of an ‘orderly workspace’. While information security might be a valid reason to tuck things away after use, it could be argued that locking the door when leaving is a much more valid option as it removes the need to constantly clearing stuff away and retrieving it after short periods of time. The desk sharing reason makes much more sense: if two (or more) office workers share a desk, they will wish to start from a clean slate when they arrive, and put their own work away when they leave. As far as ‘order’ for the sake of order is concerned, it could be argued that a certain amount of disorder might be acceptable if it speeds up work processes and does not harm anyone else. Now for a bit of history The idea of a paperless office has first been used in a Business Week article in June 1975[i], more than 40 years ago! The actual term dates back to 1978 in by Micronet, Inc., a distributor of automated office equipment.[ii] Those were the days when PCs were starting to become affordable and appeared in increasing numbers on office desks. Things were getting more virtual at the time and it seemed a logical conclusion to assume that with computer monitors and easy storage solutions things would no longer require actual paper very soon. Clearly there was something to the idea that with electronic communications becoming ever simpler over the years, it would be reasonable to limit printing to the strictly necessary and stick to electronic transmission wherever possible. Growing concerns about the ecological impact of paper and inks, as well as the production and disposal of printers, were certainly playing an important role in some of the decisions taken in that respect. On top of that, it appears to make sense financially, as well, since printing documents has a price tag to it and businesses want to save money wherever possible. What are the advantages of the paperless office? Apart from the obviously lower cost on printing, several other factors that play into the expense side. With less paper around there is less need for storage of paper files, resulting in savings on e.g., archiving spaces, filing cabinets, shelves, etc, that might eventually even lead to adopting smaller office premises. The space issue even comes in on several other levels: work spaces could get smaller as there is not as much need to store documents near the work stations, work spaces could get more flexible as individual workers no longer need dedicated spaces and can more easily move around shared spaces, which in term favours part-time employment as well. Remote working options become more feasible as well, as physical presence in an office to deal with dossiers is no longer a prerequisite for many administrative functions. Another practical effect of electronic files is their ease of transmission. Passing a paper file to a co-worker in the same building is tricky enough, especially if a lot of files are being passed around, but sending files (think communication, documentation, quotes, descriptions, legal paperwork, invoices, etc) to customers or authorities not only is time-consuming (printing the file, signing, potentially scanning a signed letter for filing, preparing an envelope, posting) but also cost-intensive in terms of labour time AND postage. Plus, there is a chance the documents get lost before reaching their destination! Sharing files with other users of the same system is quick and easy. Reproduction or modification of documents is much less time-consuming than having to recreate each document from scratch. Searching for specific files is also a lot easier with modern search systems in place in every device, and on any platform. Just think about finding a dossier in an archive room and having to figure out where it might be. A quick search on the computer will solve the problem easy-peasy. All of this sounds like a no-brainer, so why are we still using paper files? While all the reasons mentioned above clearly are valid ones, especially from a superficial business cost and efficiency point of view, they do not show a complete picture of what we do with documents. Creating, locating and reading files may appear cheaper and easier with electronic means, using those documents isn’t necessarily easier with a purely electronic approach. Considering the cost factor, those early ideas have neglected to take into account a couple of big elements: for one thing we humans are collectors, and every single file we ever create is being stored in several places, just in case. Storage has turned into a huge issue over the years – especially with the explosive increase of email communications and exchange - and these days we not only need extensive electronic storage solutions, but also ways to manage our files more efficiently and personnel to make sure our networks, storage, hardware and software are running efficiently and consistently. Furthermore, continuous training has become necessary to make sure all users of one particular system use it in exactly the same way, following the rules needed to ensure consistency. Just imagine what happens if everyone in an office names their files as they please? Or uses different templates? Or saves files in the wrong place? And not to forget human error – how often do we think we are doing the right thing, but don’t? All these issues lead to hidden costs and are potentially harmful to a proper and consistent workflow. People like the idea of an office without paper, but when it comes down to it we all prefer a piece of paper to a tablet. Considering the human factor, we are not quite as flexible as predicted: as much as we might like IDEA of flexible work hours, remote working, and less paperwork, it turns out that there are downsides to all of these elements. Working more on a computer screen can have serious effects on our health: we move less, sit in uncomfortable positions for extended periods of time, strain our eyesight, and have less personal contact with co-workers. All of this can lead to chronic diseases like deformed backs, carpal tunnel syndrome, decreasing eyesight, even depression stemming from a feeling of being less in control, isolated from co-workers, under higher (electronic) scrutiny, etc. There is another downside to the paperless office theory, related to using documents and files. Some things can be done easier or in a much more obvious way with paper files only! Apart from a personal preference to read a document on paper, you can fold it, add written comments or stick a post-it on it. While you might argue that we can comment using software options available in many applications, and reading and folding are luxury items, those little human things are part of our experience of the documents, help us to relate to the content and assimilate it. Post-its are not just locations for notes, but are being used as spacers, reminders, and structure the document in very visible ways where the electronic version lacks the visceral element. On-screen, all documents look similar and – more importantly – feel alike. There are some general considerations that hold as much importance as those already mentioned: sharing electronic files through networks has added the need for additional levels of security for the information contained in these files. A balance has to be found between accessibility inside and outside the company, while maintaining security against illegal access by outsiders. Paper files could – of course – be taken off-site as well, but there was a physical limitation to that option. Electronic files can be downloaded by the thousands once the security has been breached! Besides these usage considerations, we should never lose sight of the fact that we fully depend on the availability of the relevant technology to make continued use of our documents and files! What if the network breaks down, maybe due to a computer virus attack? What if there is no electricity for extended periods? What if our password no longer works? Are there backups available? How long does it take to access them? Where does this leave us? Paperless or traditional? Both have their distinct advantages and it is up to you to consider these important decisions carefully and make your own choice, based on your own particular situation. Tilo Flache (Outsorting), talk given at a Meet 19 Network event on 14/9/2016 [i] “The Office of the Future”, Business Week (2387): 48–70, 30 June 1975 [ii] The Paperless Office Trademark Registration, United States Patent and Trademark Office, retrieved 13 December 2015 |
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