What is the difference between someone who gets back up after falling?

I believe that it is a combination of mental strength, courage, faith, believe and above all sheer determination in having the ability to over come any adversity to succeed in getting back up and having another go.  From the experiences of very hurtful personal situations like marriage and partnerships break ups or bankruptcy that can destroy a business to force majuere or mistakes from the decisions that we as Entrepreneurs have to make - is the mixture need to reach success.

When i came up with the idea of Million Impossible, it was just one mans dream to create something real, something honest and something that could touch the hearts and minds of all Entrepreneurs regardless of age, race, nationality, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or personal financial circumstances.

The idea went from one mans dream who at the time was bankrupt to second a third a fourth and now over 1000 people are sharing that dream being members of Million Impossible. We expect our membership base to grow astronomically during the next three months as the Entrepreneur community starts to come together in feeling completely comfortable talking about their business challenges as well as their successes.

"The Honest Entrepreneur" is a title well placed to sum up what Million Impossible's business network is all about and I owe my coming out and telling everybody my life and business story to a woman who i think has an amazing commercial acumen as well a being a very heart felt woman called Rachel Elnaugh former MD of the industry leading - Gift/ Experience business called "Red Letter Days" and former panelist on the BBC's very successful and much loved "Dragons Den" programme.

I am so pleased that finally after 9 months of blood sweat and tears from the management team and myself that we have finally started to receive feedback from our members that what we are doing is not only unique in the way that we are approaching the "Raw Entrepreneur" in terms of honesty starting with myself being in the "Limelight of Criticism" but even more encouraging that i have now spoken to so many members that have been or are in very similar situations to myself and feel totally comfortable about expressing and sharing that with me.

IT JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT IF YOU HAVE THE COURAGE AND CONVICTIONS TO WALK THE PHYSICAL PATH THAT YOU ONLY FIND THE STRENGTH TO DO SO IN YOUR DREAMS THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY MAKE THEM A REALITY.

I guess the most important thing right now is to realise that none of us have to be alone and we all have a thing called emotion. Share that emotion and i guarantee that you will not only feel better but you will find an inner strength to continue on your path toward realising your dreams.

Our online digital magazine launches in about 3 weeks featuring Rachel Elnaugh and you visit her new website here http://www.rachelelnaugh.com/. Rachel offers business owners and Entrepreneurs everything from Mentoring and coaching to business Master classes and I can assure you all that it could be one of the most important investments that you could make this year.

If you have been through a challenging time in your business and you would to join us then please register fee by visiting our web site www.millionimpossible.com and you too could feature in the launch edition of our "Dreams to Reality" magazine.

If we all stand together and  help each other we will becomes the worlds most powerful Entrepreneur network.

Best Wishes

Bradley Chapman

I invited some of my clients and I had 9 visitors in the room.  I was glad to see some of them get really excited about the opportunity put before them.  In BNI, you only have one member from a business category, so if you apply and you become a member of a chapter, you don't have any competition!  You get a chance every week to educate your 20+ new sales force and send them out looking for new business they can refer to you.  It's a great day when one of them calls you up and says " hey I was just talking to my (friend, family, client, vendor, supplier......) and he asked me if I knew who he could get to do (....whatever you do......) and I gave him your business card.  I told him you'd give him a call today.............  There's no better way to get a business lead than word of mouth referrals. 

A couple of my clients filled out an application to join the BNI chapter yesterday, and a couple more are thinking about it - because they found the excitement and promise in building referral partners.  What about you?  What's your marketing strategy for the next six months?  Does it include building your referral partner base? 

Networking groups like BNI and local chambers give you the chance to build trusted relationships with like minded business people.  Take the opportunity to ask how you can refer business to them, then do it.........it's a "givers gain" world.  You give them business, and they'll want to give you business in return.

For more information about BNI or to find a local BNI chapter - check out www.BNI.com and www.BNI-Indiana.com

Yang punya Credit Card tentu familiar dengan tools Loyalti dari Provider kartu kredit yang satu ini, yap! Katalog produk. Biasanya dikirim dan diupdate setiap bulan beserta dengan tagihan pemakaian kartu kredit kita.

 Melihat jenis Item yang ditawarkan, variasinya dimulai dari Hp, Elektronik sampai dengan yang paling gress Harley Davidson! Hmm menakjubkan bukan? Dan Harga yang ditawarkan didalam Katalog memang tidak terlalu tinggi disparitasnya dengan harga yang ada dipasaran. Biasanya hanya berkisar antara 50 ribu hingga 150 ribuan untuk HP. Kalopun ada ke istimewaannya, ya jelas soal fasilitas kemudahan pembayarannya. Bisa dicicil tetap dengan bunga atau ada juga yang 0% bunga.

Ehm.. tapi kira-kira berapa banyak dari kita para Marketing & Brand Manager yang sudah mulai merambah pasar gemuk ini? Atau kita malah masih sibuk berperang harga di Channel kita? hmm.. Saya kebetulan adalah pemegang 2 kartu dari 2 provider yang berbeda yaitu BNI dan BCA. Rata-rata kalo saya lihat dikatalog saya, penguasa katalog masih dipegang oleh Handphone (HP), Elektronik – Kamera dan Handycam, Tour Travel serta Jam Tangan. Secara Brand juga hampir semua produknya berasal dari Merk yang sama, ada Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Kodak, Sony, Bonia. Hanya ada selisih harga sedikit. Jika dibandingkan antara mereka berdua, ada yang lebih murah di harga dan ada juga yang lebih enak di fasilitas.

 Anyway, Let’s see this Hidden Treasure deeper..

 Katalog itu dibaca oleh paling tidak ada 4,5 juta orang. Let’s say hanya 10% nya yang punya potensi membeli, maka itu akan berkisar 450 ribuan potential consumer to reach. Dan anggap dari 450 ribu potential itu hanya 1 % yang membeli produk kita dengan nilai Rp.500 ribu/produk maka akan ada transaksi kira-kira senilai 2,250 Milyar perbulan!! Hmm.. itu baru 1% yah.. tapi kalaupun hanya 0,5% saja nilainya masih diatas 1 milyar!

 It’s Really Big Potential Market, New Channel to Explore indeed?

 Secara Promotion Strategy, ini termasuk segmented dan targeted media. Artinya tingkat akurasi penyampaian pesan ke target market sangat tinggi. Dan Jika dilihat sebagai Channel, (Jika digarap serius) Ada banyak potensi yang bisa digali disini. Saya kurang tau apakah bank melakukan beli putus atau konsinyasi. Namun jika melihat mereka suka mengobral barang katalog setelah tidak laku, sepertinya masih beli putus. Artinya terbuka sekali kesempatan untuk bermain TOP (term of payment) disini. Bank diuntungkan dengan rendahnya nilai inventory level dan principal diuntungkan dengan adanya targeted media yang menawarkan produknya secara langsung dengan memberikan kemudahan pembayaran ke 4,5 juta pelanggan.

Meanings, Secara Promotion Oke trus Secara Potensi Trade Strategy juga Oke, So? What are you waiting for? Hmmm.. waiting until it become famous than your entry barrier become higher? Remember Fast Action on the Right Time is the key to drive market.

Banking Catalog: Big Market, Low Player?

"Welcome - Love It - See Ya"
You are invited to a group meeting and are warmly greeted.  You may even meet a few nice, sincere people.  They seem to not only need your services, but actually say they know people who want your services.  Some people even call you to meet for coffee to "understand more about your business."  You give the membership committee your application and check.  You attend for weeks as a visitor and have so many coffee meetings you start ordering decaf.  Each of these people seem very interested in your business.  DON'T BE FOOLED.  Although they approach you with the bait that, "we could be great business partners for each other" they are really sizing up the competition.  As members in one-member-per-profession they have black-ball authority.  If you really feel it's worth it, try only to appear complimentary or better - weak.  I went through this with a group that wasted copious weeks of my time, strung me along and then killed my application.  Needless to say, I was too much of a threat to someone small.  Sad.  Here's an even better one...

"Come Visit - Welcome - Whoa!- Bye"
I do not wish this on anyone, but it did actually happen to me.  I was invited by a member who raved about their group.  I drove a considerable distance - given the price of gas - was warmly greeted, signed in, lunch fee accepted, stack of cards added to the visitor box and met a few nice people.  Then before the lunch began, my sponsor took me aside and apologized that their "business consultant" was upset, escalated to the president that I was not only a conflict but could not introduce myself at all.  My embarassed sponsor returned my lunch fee personally, I gathered my things while the meeting began and left with 40 pairs of eyes wondering what just happened.  So you know, this seminar-hawking-consultant is about as much a marketer as Dr. Phil is a psychiatrist. 

"Like a Rhinestone Cowboy"
They are known affectionately as "category cowboys" - those threatened by anyone remotely in their industry.  Construction contractors who blackball painters; graphic designers who blackball printers; business coaches that blackball marketers, you understand.  Just be ready because "professional business networking" is only a name.  In most cases, there is nothing professional about it.  It's catty, cliquey and fake.  Behind the professions are still people: small minded, scared, insecure - people.  Take the time to find a group that's real and will support you.

Just be prepared.  Think not just about your initial meeting strategy, but beyond.  Get everyone's business card and load them into your Cardscan that week.  Send a bulk mail inviting them to receive your white paper, e-news, a free consultation, whatever.  Sometimes the group isn't for you...or it is, but you aren't.  Be ready - have a plan - touch everyone you meet one or two times more.  You may find a client or referral without the group drama. 

Now, that's networking.

When I first joined the group I didn't know one person in the group.  I decided to send a "Nice To Meet You" greeting card to every single member.  Mind you there were about 20 people in the group at the time.  This technique worked out very well and let me just say they were excited.  Over the next few weeks these new business relationships flourished very quickly.  Do you think that was a good first impression?  Try it out.

Sincerely,
Peter Park
President of UnexpectedThankYou, LLC

One of the sales guys who deals with memberships asked me to talk to one of our clients today and as usual I am talking away about the business and generally as i always do over selling the product and as i say to the client "Million Impossible represents all business but especially business that are going through challenges" and as i am talking about how difficult it is to survive in business, i cross my legs and notice that i have two big holes in my shoes.......

I just thought i mention it because there we are trying to promote Million Impossible and where we intend to take the business and i am wearing shoes with holes in them... !!!!!!!!

It made me chuckle

Regards Bradley

www.millionimpossible.com
www.millionimpossible.com/forums/default.com

We are making sacrifices in terms of time, income, emotions, family and friends in order to keep our dream alive which is to build one of the Worlds most successful Entrepreneur and Business Networks with very limited funds...

The reason that we are trying to do this is to prove that regardless of age, race, financial position, gender, religion or nationality that you can make your dreams a reality if you unite with other people and draw upon their strengths.

Heidi is our operations Director and she has a heart of gold, a solid business head and is one of the most loyal people i know. Always an air of inspiration- A true fighter.  She is also very Shy and does not like her picture on Blogs (but ill tell you a secret - our members can see her full picture at www.millionimpossible.com). Heidi definitely holds our business together and she is the BIG CHIEF and when she says no! We all pay attention.

Heidi Weir "The Shy One"

This is a picture of Colin Stroud who is our web development director and has been the inspiration behind the design of our web sites. Colin not only manages all the art and design work he also manages some 20+ domains that we own and run. Colin is a quiet but observant guy who has a wicked sense of humour. You have to be very careful when you go on a firms night out as he can drink and usually ends up in a corner mumbling "I'm Alright, I'm Alright" - A great guy that is a dedicated, loyal and hard working director and dad of one.

Mr Colin Stroud "The Human Torch".

And this is me Brad Chapman, just a simple guy really. I want to help businesses and change the way that we think as a business community but its not easy because so many people are too proud to accept or ask for help until it's too late but if we do then our businesses journeys become easier and we will all feel more "JOY than "DESPAIR" along the way..

Brad Chapman "Believing is everything"You cannot build a ship without the right team, You cannot set sail unless you have a captain, a navigator and an engineer. In business terms you have an Entrepreneur, a manager and a technician and without an excellent working relationship between these three characters you are dead in the water.

You also need money to fund the project and for that we have to thank Mr Simon Clarke, Mr John Blewitt, Mr John Chapman and Mr Frank Crossley for believing in our idea and funding the initial stages of development and more recently Rachel Elnaugh (former MD of Red Letter Days and panel of investors on the BBC's Dragons Den programme.

We are now 8 months old and are going through growths pain like many other start up businesses. The greatest thing about our business is that we have a great team, who have a big heart and who are prepared to do whatever it takes to make Mi a success..

Regards From all the Mi Team

Bradley, Heidi, Colin, Mat, Ryan, Kirsty, John B, John C, Simon, Frank and Adam

www.millionimpossible.com
www.millionimpossiblemagazine.com
www.millionimposible.com/forum/default.asp
www.businesssourcer.com

I thought that i would let you know where the business currently stands. We started the business last November as you know with very limited capital and we are now approaching 1000 Entrepreneur members. The network is growing and our members have started to talk to each other and share their ideas as well discussing their joys and despairs. 

We have decided that during the "Credit Crunch" period that of course business is tough and we have two choices. Stay as we are and keep moving along very slowly or take on more sales staff to increase our revenues. We have decide to take on more staff and as from Monday we will start 4 more sales staff.

The new staff will increase morale, increase the buzz in the office and more importantly provide us with surplus cash so that we can move the business forward. It is a big decision and we are very much looking forward to a favorable outcome.

Of course we could fail and many business are in very similar situations where they are having to make important business decision that may well determine the future direction that their business takes.

Million Impossible is our main website www.millionimpossible.com and we hope that we will acquire 1,000,000 members within the next 12 months and become the UK's leading Business Network for honest Entrepreneurs who have to courage to talk about their challenges.

We feel that so many business networks talk only about success at Million Impossible we want our members to feel that they can talk to someone else about their challenges so that everyone can benefit not only from our collective successes but also our collective mistakes. We now have members in the USA, England, Scotland, India, Australia, Singapore amongst others.

Join us now and help us build the Strongest Entrepreneur network in the world.. Membership is free and you can register now at www.millionimpossible.com.

You Don't have to have a badge on your sleeve to have honour!

Regards Bradley Chapman

How many Entrepreneurs that are fighting to save their businesses are burying themselves in their problems and feel that are alone and that no one understands their problem?

How many Entrepreneurs after their business has either failed or they felt that they were forced to make a decision that resulted in  massive losses to their business wished that they had taken advice or talked to someone about it?

How many Entrepreneurs feel ashamed that they do not have all the answers or are too proud to ask for help from another person?

If you consider yourself an Entrepreneur and you are building a business a either start up or established business you may at some stage experience challenging and potentially critical decision that could determine the future of your business.

DON'T LET YOUR BUSINESS FAIL BECAUSE YOU DID NOT ASK FOR HELP

DON'T FIND YOURSELF SAYING "I SHOULD HAVE, I COULD HAVE, I WOULD HAVE"

ACT NOW! YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

Do not feel that you are alone because you are not. Million Impossible was created to help Entrepreneurs unite and share their experiences both good and bad with the intention of helping more businesses grow safely and overcome the challenges that we all face every day.

If you have not yet registered you can do so FREE by visiting www.millionimpossible.com. We are talking honestly about our businesses and the challenges that we face, we are all here to help each other.

Million Impossible - The Honest Network for Entrepreneurs visit our website and discover for yourself just how powerful our network is becoming or go directly to the Business forums and open your business to a whole new world of possibilities..

www.millionimpossible.com/forum/default.asp

Regards
Bradley Chapman

www.millionimpossible.com

Mulai bulan April 2008, PT Mabua bekerjasama dengan BNI mengadakan program cicilan 0% untuk pembelian Harley Davidson via Kartu Kredit Platinum BNI.

Hmm.. Apa yang sekarang terjadi? Brand selegendaris Harley pun akan bermain di Term of Payment? Kalo via financing company sepertinya sudah umum. Tapi Via Kartu Kredit?

Untuk Kartu Kredit yang regular (non Platinum) BNI juga sudah melakukan smart spending untuk produk Honda & Yamaha. Sampai disini, saya pikir masih so-so aja. Toh produk mereka sudah seperti kebutuhan sehari-hari, jadi yah.. disamain dengan HP & Peralatan Elektronik lainnya juga ga masalah. Yang penting laris.

Ups.. sorry ya ini kan Platinum. So kartu kreditnya bukan sembarangan dan hanya dimiliki oleh niche people aja. Dapetinnya aja susah belum lagi iuran bulanannya. Lagi pula kenapa rupanya kalo dikreditin via kartu Kredit? Yang penting mereka tetap beli dan harga ga turun alias ga banting harga. So What?

Kemewahan & Ekslusifitas itu berbanding lurus dengan tingkat kesulitan mendapatkan, artinya semakin sulit didapat maka nilainya semakin mewah dan ekslusif.

Contoh : berlian adalah batu yang sulit didapat dipasaran.

Namun dengan banyaknya program diskon di toko berlian, sekarang banyak sekali yang punya berlian. Sehingga sekarang yang jadi ukuran mewah dengan ditambahan siapa yang design berlian itu.

Case Harley, apakah kredit via kartu kredit ini akan membuat value Brand nya berkurang? Walau mungkin secara sales (artinya jumlah orang yang memiliki harley) akan meningkat.

Harley + BNI = For Sales Only? How the Brand Image?

However, according to a recent survey carried out by Vodafone UK, face-to-face meetings are still the most effective way to secure new business. Apparently, only 33% of those surveyed have won business solely via e-mail or Internet marketing, compared with 57% who used the traditional method of face-to-face contact. About 20% of managing directors wouldn't do business with anyone they hadn't physically met, and over a quarter of them would refuse to buy from someone they hadn't at least spoken to on the phone.

About 47% of business people expected to be treated to lunch, 25% preferred to discuss deals over a round of drinks and 10% said they were happiest building a commercial relationship with a prospective client on the golf course.

It seems that online marketing is most popular with younger people – almost half of those in their twenties prefer to do business this way, whereas two-thirds of all business people prefer to network with others face-to-face.

Therefore, the results of this survey seems to indicate that it is important for you to mix old methods of networking with new ones, or else you could be missing out on obtaining that vital contract you were seeking. This also probably explains the popularity of business breakfast clubs such as Business Network International, 4Networking and The Business League, but so much could be said about that it could be the subject of an entirely new blog. So watch this space!

On the other hand I often hear members say, "But I'm a Real Estate Agent and all of the chapters have a Real Estate Agent, why would I want to visit."  Actually that is a very good question, and here are some very good answers.

You will meet people who have professions not represented in your chapter and maybe you can use their services or know someone who could use their service.

You will meet people who have professions not represented in your chapter and you could ask them if they have associates they could place in your chapter.

Just because all BNI chapters run the very same agenda does not mean they do not do something different.  You could take a great idea you liked back to your chapter.  Take the Indiana Business Network that meets on the Northeast side of town, they have taken the Green Thank You idea and printed up their very own version that they use to track one on ones.  Every time a member does a one on one with another they turn in a Yellow One on One Score Sheet.  Great Idea, one you could take back to your chapter.

Maybe you will walk into a chapter and realize that no one greeted you and you felt awkward, and you realize what great Visitor Host your chapter has and why it is so important. 

Regardless of the reason you visit other chapters, there are some common courtesies that you need to remember.
 1.  You are a guest in the chapter, act like a guest.
 2.  You are only allowed to visit a chapter 2 times in a six month period.  Do not
       destroy your credibility by becoming circumventing the BNI Policies.
 3.  If there is someone in the group that does what you do, you may not do your
      regular commercial. Instead, ask for a referral for your chapter.
 4.  Never Ever try to recruit a visitor from a chapter you are visiting. It's their
      visitor, you will have to get your own.
 5.  Remember to wear your name badge.
 6.  If you pass a referral, put the pink slip in their basket.
 7.  Be On Time and Do Not Leave Early

Visiting other chapters can be a great way of growing your contacts, developing your chapter and your business.  Have fun, and remember what your mother use to say, "Mind your manners."

Happy Networking

Hazel M Walker

19 years later Mark is still at it. The difference is that for many years now it has been his full-time job. In the process he has become one of the most sought after photographers in the Hudson Valley. In addition to traditional photography he is one of the few studios to also offer video for your event.

The difference that Majestic Studios offers is their approach. They are not there to photograph your special event. They are there to help make sure it becomes the memorable occasion you've dreamed of. Mark is one of the rare photographers who look at the wedding day through the eyes of the bride. Let's face it guys, you're renting your tux. It's not about you and if it becomes about you...that's usually not a good thing. Mark takes into account timelines, scheduling conflicts and special family needs. Mark makes it happen.

Let's not forget the many other things Majestic Studios does. Corporate photos and event videos, school pictures, graduation events, not for profit Gala's and outings are just a few of the services he provides.

I have known Mark for the past 4 years and he has become my photographer of choice. I use his services for marketing photos and he has become a favorite of the Mid Hudson Children's Museum. 

Before you consider another photographer, make sure you take time to talk to Mark. You'll be glad you did.

You can reach Mark through his web site at http://www.majesticstudios.info

Interestingly i was talking to a business acquaintance the other day about confidence. Not just confidence in what we do and who we are but confidence in the advice that we give and whether that advice actually helps the person/ business that we offered it to?

When Entrepreneurs feel good about themselves and they feel that they have the midas touch it is almost as if whatever they touch turns to gold. To the contrary when an Entrepreneur has been through a rough and challenging time both emotionally and physically they can find themselves not saying what they actually want to say just in case they get it wrong and they become concerned that if the advice goes wrong that it will reflect badly on them....

Confidence "The Meaning"

"A belief and a self-assurance in one's own abilities. In competitive sport, confidence includes having an expectation of success. Very often the most successful sports people have high levels of confidence, but it is situation-specific: e.g. a person who is highly confident when playing tennis may not be confident when swimming."

I would say this about giving advice:-

1 - It's not easy because most people are not honest with you

2 - Giving advice is a way of supporting someone else's thought process

3 - If you have been asked it is because someone obviously respects your point of view

Regardless about how you feel whether you feel like Midas or feel like Mud - say what you feel and go with your first instincts.. After all you are only giving advice and besides the people who ask for advice normally have their own answers, but there may well be something that you say that could help with any given situation that they then consider building into their equation.

I guess the bottom line is that anybody can give advice and i was taught that even a fool can teach you something. However i would much rather say my thoughts now and be right or wrong than not say what i want to say and have any regrets down the line at not having said what i should have..

So my fellow Entrepreneurs whether your feeling down or on top of the world hold on to your belief and your thought processes as it is that kind of resilience that makes us all innovators..

Have a great day!

Bradley Chapman
www.millionimpossible.com
www.millionimpossiblemagazine.com
www.businesssourcer.com

Ceritanya mau ke BCA Riau dan BNI Cicadas. Udah mah perginya jam8 kurang 15, jam8 lebih 15 masih macet di perempatan Antapani. Hhhhh... Orang-orang pada mau kemana siiihhhh??? Ngikutin gw ajah!! Dooohhh, maapkan dosa-dosa hambaMu ini ya Allah... Di saat-saat seperti ini, gw suka berharap punya lift terbang kaya punya Willy Wonka di film Charlie and Chocolate Factory. Mau kemana-mana tinggal pencet tombolnya ajah. Ga akan kejebak macet atau mengalami hal-hal tidak menyenangkan lainnya. Waktu pun menjadi efisien...

Biasanya gw nyasar naek angkot yang ga lewat Riau, sekarang gw berhasil naek yang ngelewatin jalan Riau. Hmmm... pertanda baik kan seharusnya?! Tapi ternyata TIDAK!! Nyampe stengah9 di BCA, ternyata lagi aliran listriknya cnah. Sang satpam menyarankan untuk ke BCA A.Yani, mungkin ga aliran kalo di sana. Oke deh, gw ke sana deh. Tapi eh tapi, ko gw naek angkot Margahayu yah??! Bukannya ga lewat A.Yani tuh?! Huehehehe... Stres sendiri gini gw. Lagian mau langsung ke BNI Cicadas juga, angkot ini kan ga lewat... Haaahhhhh... Tarik napas ntan, jangan maki-maki, jangan mengumpat, jangan kentut (loh?!).

Nyampe BNI udah mau jam9. Dapet antrian nomer 20, padahal masih nasabah ke 12 di teller. Tanggung udah telat lah, jadi santei sekali diriku... Eh, pas dateng ke kantor, ternyata katanya ada ko BNI dan BCA baru di daerah A.Yani tembus dari ARS situh... Huaaahhhh... Gini nih kalo maennya ke BIP lagi, BIP lagih... Ga tau apa-apa. Hehehehe

Here's what our coaching led her to consider as she navigates the current turbulence with a view toward turning a problem into an opportunity:

• Plan your future market strategy. Are middle-managers your ideal clients? While they have been your bread-and-butter up until now, what about C-level executives? With business becoming increasingly global and more competitive, the advantage of being completely comfortable with English is no small issue to CEOs, COOs and others in the corner office. While Betsy's business model up until now has been teaching classes of a dozen mid-level people at a time, she could reposition herself as an ESL coach working one-on-one with senior management--and charging a multiple of her current fees.
• When business contracts, go broader and deeper. She has identified a market of 20 companies in her area, mostly Fortune 500 technology firms. That's a great start, but what about the hundreds of companies just under those big ones?  Would their top-level executives perhaps have even a greater need for ESL coaching? And what about other-than-tech sectors--tourism, for example. Wouldn't an up-and-coming hotel general manager need excellent English to advance in her company?
• Get in the business networking mix. How will Betsy get in front of these new prospects? She hasn't spent a lot of time thinking about (or engaging in) business networking. But she's smart, attractive and engaging and should have no trouble building a referral network through attending Chamber of Commerce events, joining a business referral group and making sure everyone she knows is aware of what she does.
• Craft a new message. When Betsy does get in front of these high-level prospects, what will she say? We talked about imagining meeting a potential client at an event. What would you say to introduce yourself? How would you find a way to ask, "Are you less competent in English than you want to be? Is that holding you back? Why do you tolerate it? Do you want to do something about it? What would it be worth to you to leave your insecurity about communicating in English behind you forever?"

Many small-business owners cling to their original business model, whether it was a model they intentionally conceived or one that evolved on its own. Entrepreneurial business has to evolve to survive. Betsy's business teaches some valuable lessons about identifying new market segments, repositioning existing services (perhaps only slightly) to appeal to new customers, and evaluating pricing structures to be in line with customers' expectations.

What else would you have advised Betsy to do or think about?

BNI presentation

Here is the presentation I did (with music) of a few pictures from past sessions. If you would like more information on a BNI chapter in your area, follow the link and visit a meeting near you.

Recently several BNI members have gotten on Linkedin and connected to me.  This is a great way for us to be able to share connections.  As a result of members signing up and getting involved I have been able to make several connections for them via introductions on Linkedin.

Here are a few things that you should remember Before you ask for an introduction........

• Tell Why you want to be introduced.
• Make sure that your profile is complete
• Make sure it is one of MY 1st degree connections, very rarely will I make the 2nd degree connection.  I might, but I need to be very clear about what you are wanting before I will ask my first degrees to connect you to their first degrees.
• Follow up with me after you have made the connection, let me know if it worked for you.

Also, if you are on Linkedin be sure to write recommendations for each other.  Here are a few tips for the Recommendations.

• Make sure that you write a recommendation that tells  what your results were of having done business with that person.  "They are nice and have a great attitude" will not build a business persons credibility.  Instead, let people know, "I saved money and got the best results ever, we realized an 80% increase in profit, while only realizing and 12% increase in sales."  Now that is a recommendation that sells.
• Don't ask someone to write you a recommendation if you have never done business with them.  I am often asked to write recommendations for people whose product or service I have never used, I just know who they are.  I cannot write an effective recommendation.  On the other hand if you have served in the capacity of any of our leadership team member in a chapter, I am happy to write a recommendation.
• Be kind, if someone writes you a great recommendation, either write one for them or thank them very much for the recommendation.

I look forward to seeing more of you on Linkedin!

Hazel M Walker 

Banyak orang, juga perusahaan yang belum menyadari bahwa BLOG juga telah menjadi senjata ampuh yang mungkin lebih berbahaya secara jangka panjang. Kini, jika anda posting sesuatu di Wordpress, dalam waktu beberapa menit sudah bisa di-search dari Google. Luar biasa!

Nah saya punya satu contoh yang menarik! Dua kali saya menulis keluhan tentang SMS Banking BNI yang sampai saat ini belum mendapat tanggapan yang jelas dan tuntas. Saya tidak berniat untuk menjatuhkan BNI, hanya menceritakan keluhan tersebut apa adanya di BLOG saya. Hal seperti ini sering dilakukan pula oleh banyak orang. Coba anda search di Google dengan kata kunci 'SMS Banking BNI'. Jangan kaget, hasilnya adalah seperti ini:

Dua entry pertama adalah situs resmi BNI, dan dua entry berikutnya (urutan 3 dan 4) adalah keluhan yang saya tulis. Bayangkan, sebetulnya effort BNI untuk menanggapi dengan cepat keluhan saya mungkin tidak besar, tapi dampak negatifnya adalah seperti itu. Dan posting keluhan ini akan tersimpan terus di Internet. Berapa besar biaya iklan yang telah dikeluarkan BNI untuk mempromosikan Layanan SMS-Banking; itu menjadi sia-sia hanya karena keluhan yang tidak segera ditanggapi.

Jadi belajar dari kasus ini, saya mengingatkan kepada perusahaan-perusahaan (apapun) agar mulai rajin-rajin melakukan seaching keluhan customernya di Internet dan tentunya segera menanggapinya secara serius. Mudah-mudahan saran ini bermanfaat!

Salam,
Arry Akhmad Arman
Nasabah setia BNI, juga praktisi TI

Summary: Seth Godin, the marketing guru tells us is it better to farm then hunt. Peter Drucker tells us we must always be marketing. BNI is committed to educating its members and providing a structure for marketing member's businesses. A practical exercise by Steven Covey provides a mechanism to help our farming as we use the economic slow down to increase our fertilizing, watering and nurturing so that we can have a better harvest.

There is no reason to participate in any kind of market slow down. In fact as farmers this is the time to plant more seeds and do more cultivating. Seth Godin the marketing guru and author of The Purple Cow, Permission Marketing and his latest book - Meatball Sundae, had this to say about farming vs hunting on his blog back in 2007.

Farming and hunting

Five thousand years ago, every human was a hunter. If you were hungry, you got a rock or a stick and you went hunting. The problem was that all of the animals were either dead or really good at hiding.

Fortunately, we discovered/invented the idea of farming. Plant seeds, fertilize em, water em, watch em grow and then you harvest them. The idea spread and it lead to the birth of civilization.

Everyone got the idea.. except for marketeers. Marketeers still like to hunt.

What we're discovering, though, is that the god prospects are getting really good at hiding.

Luckily those who are in BNI know about the effects of farming: planting and cultivating and harvesting.

Peter Drucker the modern guru of corporate management wrote in 1974.

Because its purpose is to create a customer, the business enterprise has two--and only these two--basic functions: marketing and innovation.

Marketing and innovation produce results; all the rest are "costs."

Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices: (What is a business?) Chapter 6 Harper & Row [1974]

Please read that statement again for emphasis. If you are not spending the majority of your time marketing or innovating, you are going to be out of business. BNI is the essence of continuing to market and farm. When it comes to getting new leads, every business owner should ask themselves every day, "What else can I do to bring more business." I would suggest the BNI Giver's Gain motto is the perfect answer because BNI is also about farming, about planting seeds, cultivating, watering and harvesting. Think of that which you nurture now is part of your future harvest of referrals. What can you do now to affect the harvest in the future?

Nearly everyone knows about Steven Covey and his 7 Habits of Highly Successful People:

1. Be Proactive
2. Begin with the End in Mind
3. Put First Things First
4. Think Win-Win
5. Seek to Understand, Then to Be Understood
6. Synergize
7. Sharpen the Saw

I have been fortunate enough to attend the three day workshop based on the book and its principals. Before the first of the 7 Habits, the course teaches some basic Foundation Principals. Among them is the concept of The Emotional Bank Account or EBA. It is a concept that can be applied to every relationship in your life: Personal, Professional, Societal, Familial - Co-worker, vendor, client, prospect, family member, chapter member, community member..., the list is endless.

On a plain piece of paper draw a single horizontal line. As close to the center as possible place a vertical line through the horizontal one. On one side of the vertical line place a minus sign (-) and on the other side place a plus sign (+). This will be your measure of the balance in this particular account. You can create one for each relationship in your life.

For this exercise think of a prospect or a referral source or a customer with potential to grow. On the plus side write the deposits that you have made or now intend to make. On the minus side write the withdrawals that might have happened or will happen in the future if you do not take some action. Even if, for every relationship the pluses are more than the minuses, think of new ways to fill up the plus side. Each item on the plus side is either another seed or some water or some fertilizer that will bring future benefits at harvest time.

Yes there is no reason to participate in a recession or any market place slowdown, when you can plant and nurture your seeds during any economic time and each such act is marketing so that your business will grow.

Remember BNI and farming.

Plant seeds
Cultivate
Be Patient
Live Long & Prosper

BNI Business Advantage