Student Services

Providing services for fellow students can be a very smart business move.

written by Nichole L. Torres

We can just see it--that messy college apartment, complete with dirty clothes on the floor and a kitchen so raunchy that people can smell it out in the hallway. Wouldn't it be nice to get other people to clean it--and hey, could they do the laundry, too? Those are the kinds of questions college service businesses answer. These student-run companies can do just about anything, from delivering food to doing laundry to cleaning your average dorm room/biohazard.

Just ask Alan Ringvald and Assaf Swissa about the response students had to their company, College Bellhop. "It's been overwhelming," says Ringvald, 23. "[Students] like how affordable we are." He and Swissa, also 23, started the business as college sophomores in 2002 (Ringvald at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, and Swissa at Boston University). Ringvald remembers calling a cleaning service for his apartment and learning that the cleaning companies in his area charged much more than he could afford. Knowing other students would be willing to pay for an affordable cleaning service inspired the pair to start up (they charge about $60 to clean a three-person suite). Initially, they were the only cleaners--but as word-of-mouth grew, so did demand, so they had to hire staff. Says Ringvald, "By the time I graduated, we had 300 customers."

And who better to know what types of services college students are looking for than college students themselves, says John Castle, lecturer in entrepreneurship at the University of Washington Business School in Seattle. The key to gauging what'll be hot in your area? Ask your peers what they want. "Look around at the things that students complain about," says Castle. "[Perhaps] there's some indication that you could make money if you can provide them a way to get it on a different basis." Services that drive students to weekend ski hangouts or sell food outside fraternity and sorority houses between midnight and 2 a.m. are just a few of the businesses Castle has seen in the Seattle area. He encourages entrepreneurs to ask around their local schools to solidify the price and specific offerings the market wants.

College Bellhop was on top of that focus-group mentality--it added both laundry and food-delivery services to its repertoire after students clamored for them. The move helped Ringvald and Swissa expand the business to colleges throughout the Boston area and grow 2005 sales to a projected $1 million.

Conducting market research and writing a solid business plan can help your college service business become successful, says Castle. Knowledge of the college market helped Spencer Lewin start Soapy Joe's Laundry Service LLC, a business that does laundry for both Georgetown and George Washington University students. Lewin launched the Washington, DC, business in 2003, right before his graduation from GWU, and began building relationships with the universities. Now he has a revenue-sharing model, where the universities allow him to operate on campus and get a cut whenever he provides services to their students. "It works for everyone," says Lewin, 24. He plans to grow sales, which are currently well into the six figures, more than twofold in 2005. Service never sounded so sweet.

Originally published in the August 2005 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine

Retrieved on 22^nd October 2009 from http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/businessideas/businessestostart/article78818.html

Are These 5 Mistakes Holding You Back From Freelance Success?

written by Glen Allsopp

There is a lot of great freelancing advice out there, both on this site and on many others. Anyone who wants to make it as a freelancer has many resources available to help them with what they need to know — everything from dealing with problem clients, to finding them in the first place, to organizing taxes and so on.

In fact, there is so much good advice about what you should be doing that I think it’s helpful to look in the opposite direction — at things that might be holding you back.

In this post, I’ve created a list of 5 big mistakes that could be holding you back from freelance success. Make a little progress with these, and your freelancing will see some definite improvement.

Let’s get started…

Mistake #1 — Not Making The Most Of Your Time

If you find yourself with plenty of spare hours each week and certainly aren’t stretched to get your freelancing tasks done, you’re one of few. For the rest of us however, we only get so much time here and there to ‘do what we do’ and we have to make the most of it.

I’ve been victim to the idea of leaving projects until the last minute and rushing around to get things done, but those days are long gone. You never know when a new project or opportunity is going to come up that will take up your time and if you’re still sitting on a backlog of other work (or other typical life surprises), you may not be able to seize the chance.

Set yourself a schedule for when you will work on your tasks and stick to it. It’s far better to get things out of the way early on then leave them till your last possible opportunity.

Mistake #2 — Holding Limiting Beliefs About Potential

This may sound stupid, but I’m sure some people can relate to my own situation. When I was 17 I was contacted by a large phone manufacturer to help promote their new website blog. They offered me a ton of money (especially for my age) to do the job and whilst I knew I was very capable for the task in hand, I started doubting my own abilities and whether or not I could keep them happy as a client.

Thankfully, things worked out well for me, but that situation still touched upon an important concept: know your worth, and don’t doubt your potential. Limiting beliefs about how much money you can make, how great your finished projects can be and how many clients you can keep a hold of serve you no positive benefits whatsoever.

Limiting beliefs are called limiting for a reason.

Mistake #3 — Casting Your Net Too Wide

I’ve already wrote about this in full detail on another post, but I still think it deserves to be mentioned here. Too many people suffer from the idea that the more they do of this and the more they have of that, the more money and success they can achieve.

Logically, it might make sense, but in theory, it’s not always the best route to take. I had a lot more success in getting clients and making money when I narrowed the services I offered but became a known expert on what I did offer. I narrowed my audience when doing this, but took a bigger share of the market that is out there. Before you start going ‘gung-ho’ for every possible client and service out there, scale back and see how things work out.

Mistake #4 — Always Looking for Shortcuts

I have a friend who runs a very popular blog (where he outsources the writing) which makes him thousands of dollars and a very liveable income each month. The thing is, in looking to grow the blog, he spends absolutely zero time following the fundamentals he used to build the blog in the first place, and spends a lot of his time reading autobiographies of successful people and looking for some ‘trick’ he’s missing.

I’m not saying reading about the success of others’ is bad, but sometimes to take your client base or income to the next level, you just need to keep doing what you’ve been doing. If there are shortcuts which won’t falter the quality of your work then sure, try them, but if you’re looking for ‘tricks’ and ’secrets’ out of laziness, you’re going to find yourself taking an even longer journey than before.

Mistake #5 — Not Measuring What is Working

Just like it’s possible you may be casting your net too wide and still missing all the fish, there’s also a good chance you’re spending time on things which don’t benefit you at all. Possible examples of this could be writing blog posts, commenting on other sites, participating in forums and battling for jobs on freelance marketplaces.

Some of these might be working and the first three will be great if you’re trying to get your name or brand out there, but how many are really converting into clients? Take some time aside one day to look at the people who are paying for your services and see if you can work out where they found you. If you can’t, it doesn’t hurt to ask. It’s possible that only one or two main areas are sending you clients but you’re spending equal time in five.

If that is the case, now you know where to change.

These are just some of the common factors I know have held me back in the past, what others do you know?

Glen Allsopp writes on the subject of Personal Development at PluginID. His aim is to help you 'Plug into your Identity' and reach your full potential.

Retrieved on 13^th October 2009 from http://freelancefolder.com/holding-you-back/

7 Steps For generating New Business Opportunities

Follow these guidelines for creating a plan that will help you bring in more business.

written by Linda Kazares

Entrepreneurs often live with the hope that if they build it, customers will come. But in today's economy, it takes a lot more than hope to get people to purchase your products or services: New business-building practices are a must if you want to expand.

Another necessary element is a clear-cut plan for growth. But many entrepreneurs get obsessed with creating the perfect plan. Or they never get around to putting one together. Crafting a plan is necessary, quick and effective. And we can show you how to do it. The following seven steps should take you no more than four hours to complete-a small price to pay for a tremendous upside. The result? A road map that will infuse new energy, enthusiasm and vision into your company's growth plans. So let's get started.

Step 1: Focus on your core product. A very successful e-newsletter entrepreneur has built his business around this mantra: "Prospects buy when they trust your value is applicable to them and believe your company is stable." This strong position allows him to constantly check up on the services and value he's providing his customers. Keep this statement in mind as we go through the rest of the seven steps, because internalizing this mantra is the key to a solid plan.

It's common in small, service businesses that the entrepreneur feels he or she must do everything the "big guys" do to compete. The truth is, small-business owners can really never compete in the same way. So it's essential for small businesses to differentiate themselves by focusing on the unique capabilities and core products they bring to prospects. Specialization is the entrepreneur's greatest asset.

Step 2: Keep your pitch simple. The last time you asked someone at a party what their company does, did you get a clear, concise response? Or did your eyes glaze over by the time they got to the end of their explanation? My guess is, it was probably the latter. Now imagine that same pitch being presented to prospects who don't have a glass of wine in their hands to distract them! It's not a pretty picture.

What every company needs is a simple "elevator pitch." That's a short, concise message that can communicate your message to a prospect in 30 seconds or less. It explains the value your product or service provides so the prospect understands why it's applicable to them.

Try this little exercise to test your pitch clarity quotient. Ask someone who doesn't know what you do to listen to your pitch. Explain what your company does, and watch for signs of fatigue-eyes watering, lids getting heavy, and so on. Of course, you may have the perfect pitch. But if you don't, you'll recognize it right away from verbal and physical responses.

Step 3: Stay true to who you are. Knowing who you are and what gets you excited (and bores you to tears) will help you reach your goals. Nothing can derail a growth plan more than discomfort and procrastination-it's simply human nature to procrastinate over things that cause discomfort. And there are dozens of daily business requirements that every business owner detests. If you're finding yourself putting things off, it's time to start delegating

Stay true to who you are and what you do best: Hand off those tasks that will blow you off course because you don't like doing them, so you don't! Stretch and grow your capabilities in alignment with your interests and expertise. If accounting is your nemesis, hire a bookkeeper. If your personal organization is out of control, hire a temp to set up a new filing system. Always make sure that you're focused on your priority "A" tasks and delegate your Bs and Cs.

Step 4: Map it. Mapping your capabilities with your target clients' needs is an excellent way for you to determine your service strategy. You'll find that while you may be perfectly skilled in many areas, you're going after customers who don't need your particular expertise.

One common trait among many entrepreneurs is the urge to "cast a wide net" by being all things to all companies. In almost every case, however, a small business flourishes because it has a narrower service offering. Remember, a small company's value is that it can specialize in unique, top-quality services.

Develop a list of decision-making criteria that you expect your clients to use when choosing a provider in your industry. Then rank yourself (and be brutally honest) in terms of where you'd be positioned in each category. After this intense evaluation, make sure that your elevator pitch is still on target.

Step 5: Utilize marketing tools that work best for you. When deciding on a marketing strategy, implement one that fits your personality and the customers you serve. For instance, if you're terrified of getting up in front of a crowd, don't schedule yourself to participate on a panel in the hopes of generating business. You'll derail your efforts if you don't perform well.

Identify the top two marketing tools you've used in the past that have worked for your company. Let's say that's cold calling and a Web site. Then start adding new ideas for a fresh perspective. When selecting your marketing tools, also evaluate them from a financial and cost basis. Decide what will yield the best return on your efforts. Each tool should lead to a revenue-producing result in one way or another.

Step 6: Implement a plan of action. Up until now we've been in the planning mode, but now it's time to dig in and put it to work. Your action plan will also give you the map you can use to measure your progress.

Establish goals that can be reviewed at three and six months. At incremental points within each three-month period, keep checking your plan to see if you're meeting your goals. If you find you're missing the target, ask why. Were the tools appropriate for your target customer? Did you integrate the strategy, or did you just focus on one of the tools?

And don't forget to plug in specific actions that you'll do every day to help you meet your goals. That daily strategy will keep the goals of the plan top of mind.

Step 7: Exercise the plan. This final step is really straightforward: Just do it: Complete the daily actions, and then do something extra to accelerate your success plan. If you approach your plan and get butterflies in your stomach, either get over it or substitute an action that you're comfortable with so you stay on course. Don't let unplanned tasks waste precious time that should be applied toward reaching your goal. And most of all-enjoy the process!

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Linda Kazares is the founder of Face-to-Face Connect. A committed entrepreneur with more than 25 years experience in sales, marketing and channel development, Linda is also an author, publisher and public speaker who presents seminars to entrepreneurs that focus on developing strategies for new business-building practices.

Retrieved on 22^nd October 2009 from http://www.entrepreneur.com/growyourbusiness/exploringnewmarkets/article65210.html

My Mom Doesn't Understand!

How do I convince my skeptical mom that I can start a business?

written by Karen E. Spaeder

Q: I am 21 years old and am starting my own homebased business. I'm a college student, and I work part time. My mother is somewhat skeptical of me starting my own business. She doesn't understand a lot about it. I know I can do it, and I'm going to do it. I sometimes feel discouraged by her, and I don't know how to reassure her that I can do this. What should I tell her? I think she feels I should follow the traditional role of working for someone else. I have never followed the crowd, and I'm very excited about this business.

A: I think I speak for everyone reading this column when I say, "I've been there." The fact is, parents will always think they know what's best for their children. It's just a fact of life. And sometimes they're right; sometimes they're wrong. But hopefully I won't offend anyone by saying that in the end, what matters most is what you want to do, as long as you're not dealing drugs or committing some other crime.

That said, there are ways to make your (and your mother's) life more manageable. Throughout your entrepreneurial career, should you decide to pursue this route for many years to come, you're going to come across people who will challenge your idea, for whatever reason. Sometimes it will be a competitor, sometimes it will be an investor...and sometimes it will be your mother. At every turn, you've got to be prepared to handle criticism with finesse and without getting defensive.

The best way to accomplish this feat is by knowing your business inside and out. That way, you'll be able to weed out the bad advice and appreciate the constructive criticism. Yes, sometimes people will have good advice for you, so you have to know how to identify when someone's telling you something helpful. Since I don't know specifically what kind of business you're starting, I'll just give you some general advice about getting intimately familiar with your business.

First of all, figure out why you're so resolved that you "know" you can start this business. It's great that you've got passion for what you're doing--you'll need that just as much as you'll need a viable business idea--but it's not enough just to "know." What proof do you have that your idea will work? Have you figured out who you're going to sell your product or service to? And whether they'll buy your product or service? How much you'll sell it for? How much of a net profit you can expect? How you'll fund your business? How you'll keep money coming in--will you keep your part-time job? It's time to do some research, if you haven't done so already.

Your local SBA office or Small Business Development Center are good places to go if you're feeling overwhelmed by all these questions. SCORE also offers free e-mail counseling. These organizations can help you develop your ideas and answer all those questions you need answered.

Chances are, taking the time to do some research will not only put your mother's mind at ease, but also help you start your business smarter. As we've seen with the crash of countless dotcoms, it pays to take your time during the start-up phase--and often beyond that. Otherwise, you risk losing it all.

Retrieved on 22^nd October 2009 from http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/youngentrepreneurs/article52984.html

9 Ideas for Teen Businesses

If you want to earn your own money, but are too young to take a part-time job or would prefer to be your own boss, these ideas will help you get a business started.

written by James Stephenson

Do you like to be outside or on the computer? Do you like to make things or fix things? Would you rather hang out with animals or kids than anyone else? To help you get a feel for the world of possibilities awaiting you, we've selected nine business ideas that should suit any teen who has a desire to start a business.

Now, let's get started!

Candle Making
Aromatherapy candles, scented jar candles, floating candles, wedding candles, novelty candles, 100 percent beeswax candles, citronella candles, and decorative bowl and crock candles are just a few of the different kinds of candles you can easily make at home part-time and sell for big profits. The candle making learning curve is short, which makes this an excellent moneymaking opportunity for kids, teens and young adults. The best way to start is to educate yourself about candles--how they are made, what the various uses are, and where you can buy the basic materials needed to start. Purchase candle-making books and videos; attend local candle-making classes offered by community centers, craft groups, continuing education programs, and candle-making studios; and partner with other hobby candle makers to learn the secrets of the craft.

Sell your candle creations online utilizing eBay and internet malls. You can sell directly to friends, family members and people in the neighborhood, as well as at flea markets and from vending carts at farmers' and public markets on weekends and holidays. Also, if you are really ambitious and want a shot at earning big bucks, don't overlook the possibility of mass-producing candles so you can establish wholesale accounts with gift and home décor retailers nationwide. Of course, keep safety in mind when making any product. Visit the National Candle Association online at www.candles.org for additional information about making and selling candles.

Art Jewelry
Calling all creative young entrepreneurs! It's time to earn a ton of extra cash by making and selling beautiful art jewelry. Art jewelry is a catchphrase covering all nonprecious stone jewelry. Art jewelry can be created from many kinds of raw materials individually or in combination, including metals, plastics, stones, ceramics, fabrics, bone and shell, and exotic hardwoods and softwoods. And you can even incorporate some precious stones and materials such as silver and turquoise into your designs. The basic skills and knowledge you'll need to learn can include mold making, casting, soldering, polishing, gem and stone cutting, and setting. But don't worry because there are art jewelry classes taught in every small town and big city across the nation. There are also a multitude of books and videos available on the subject of art jewelry making, and with practice, the learning curve is short.

Once you're producing art jewelry, it can be sold to or consigned with fashion, jewelry and gift retailers, and art galleries, or sold wholesale to retailers at discounted prices. You can also sell to friends and family; on weekends at flea markets, craft shows and mall kiosks; and online through eBay and internet malls. Art jewelry making equipment and supplies are easy to find online through companies such as Auntie's Beads, Fire Mountain Gems andRio Grande.

Bicycle Repair
If you're mechanically inclined and love cycling, you may be able to earn excellent cash repairing bicycles right from a simple home workshop. There are many advantages to starting a bicycle repair service, including low costs to operate, huge demand for the service in an ever-growing sport, and you can work flexible part-time hours nights and weekends.

Even if you're not experienced in bicycle repairs, there are a number of schools offering bicycle mechanic courses that take only a few weeks to complete, such as those offered by United Bicycle Institute in OregonorBarnett Bicycle Institute. Market your bicycle repair services to friends and family as well as cycling enthusiasts in your community by pinning promotional fliers to bulletin boards and running low-cost classified ads in your local newspaper. Describe your services, give contact telephone number and your website (if you have one), and include an introductory offer, such as a seasonal bicycle tune-up at a very low cost to attract new business. When you are not busy repairing your own customers' bikes, you can also work for bicycle retailers to handle their overflow repair and warranty work.

Run an eBay Business
Can you make big money selling stuff on eBay? Of course you can, just like thousands of other people. In fact, starting your own eBay business is a fantastic way to earn a ton of extra cash. The first decision you will need to make is to choose what types of things you are going to sell--new products, used products, or both. Anything can be sold on eBay for big profits. You can sell clothing, electronics, antiques, toys, cookware, collectibles, sporting goods, art, and just about anything else imaginable.

If you are going to sell new products, you will need to find a cheap and reliable source. Your options include buying from liquidators, wholesalers, importers, distributors, or directly from manufacturers. Visit your local library or buy a copy of 202 Things You Can Buy and Sell for Big Profits! by James Stephenson for ideas and information on and how you can buy more than 200 products for resale.

If you're going to sell used products, then a little more work will be needed to acquire and maintain an inventory of saleable merchandise. Depending on the things you plan to sell, used products can be bought cheaply by scouring flea markets, garage sales, auction sales and estate sales. Collectibles of every sort are always very popular items to sell on eBay. There is a lot to know about eBay and eBay selling, so I strongly suggest that you spend time on eBay sites like the eBay Learning Center and eBay Seller's Guide. Also visit your library or buy books like Make Big Profits on eBay: Start Your Own Million $ Business by Jacquelyn Lynn and Charlene Davis.

Snow Shoveling & Raking Leaves
Depending on your investment budget and how much money you want to earn, there are basically two methods for removing snow from walkways and driveways and de-icing surfaces during winter months. One option is to purchase a self-propelled snow blower as well as a manual salt spreader for de-icing. Both pieces of equipment are walk-behind models and would require a truck or trailer to move from job to job if you plan on working far from home. This allows you to make more money because you can do the work quicker and service a larger customer base.

The second option is the good old "Armstrong" method. Armed with nothing more than a $20 shovel and bag of salt, you can shovel snow and de-ice surfaces by spreading the salt by hand. If funds are tight, then this is the best way to get started. Regardless of the option you choose, snow shoveling and surface de-icing is an easy service to start, operate and sell, mainly because shoveling snow is hard work and you'll find lots of property owners will to part with a few bucks so they don't have to do it themselves. Even though this is a seasonal and weather-dependent opportunity, it's not uncommon for motivated young people to earn as much as $100 per day and more when the snow blows.

If you want to earn more money year-round, you can also offer customers additional services like garden tilling, grass cutting, and light yard maintenance. A particularly good opportunity in autumn is raking leaves. Okay, so you might not get rich raking leaves, but you can earn as much as $100 a day raking and bagging leaves for a month or so each fall. This opportunity requires little in the way of explanation, other than to say that raking leaves is hard work that requires a strong back. On a positive note, startup funding requirements are minimal--a rake and a pair of gloves and you're in business. Securing customers is as easy as approaching your snow-shoveling clientele or taking a walk in the neighborhood and knocking on doors to offer your service. I would suggest that you charge in the range of $10 per hour for the service, plus the cost of bags.

Growing Herbs
Here is a fun moneymaking opportunity that can be right for anyone because startup costs are minimal and even a small backyard herb garden can generate lots of extra cash. Herbs can be divided into three primary categories: culinary herbs used in cooking, such as basil, sage, chives, dill, parsley, rosemary and thyme; fragrant herbs used in potpourri and essential oils, such as tansy, clove, rue, thyme and chamomile; and medicinal herbs, such as borage, catnip, ginseng, pennyroyal and valerian. Regardless of the types of herbs you grow and sell, they're always in big demand.

The first step is to get educated about herbs and herb gardening, which can be accomplished by reading books on the topic, joining herb-growing clubs, and obtaining information about herb gardening online. Next, devise a plan outlining the types of herbs you will grow and how each will be marketed. The plan doesn't have to be sophisticated--it just has to outline the basics such as production costs, marketplace and potential, pricing, and selling methods. Herbs can be sold in a wide variety of ways, including direct to the customer as plants or as a finished product, wholesale sales to retail stores and bulk herb buyers, and selling direct to restaurants and catering companies. A very helpful book on the topic is Growing and Selling Herbs and Herbal Productsby Rob and Terry Adams.

Run Errands
Let's face it, today's' busy lifestyles means that many working folk don't have time for even the simplest of errands. Which is great news if you're a multi-tasker looking to start your own simple, inexpensive, yet potentially very profitable part-time business. An errand service involves doing things like picking up groceries or taking the family pet to the veterinarian for a routine checkup. It can be operated with nothing more than a cell phone and reliable transportation. Land clients by creating a simple marketing brochure explaining the services you provide along with your contact information. The brochures can be pinned to community bulletin boards, hand delivered to homes and businesses, and distributed with the local newspaper. A few promotional items such as pens and memo pads emblazoned with your business logo, name and telephone number given out to current and potential customers will go a long way as a gentle reminder of your fast, reliable and affordable errand services. This is the kind of business where growth is fuelled by referrals, so customer service and satisfaction are the most important goals.

For even more business ideas, read 202 Ways to Make Big Bucks and Stop Mooching Off Your Parents, the book from which this article is excerpted

Retrieved on 22^nd October 2009 from http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/youngentrepreneurs/article159548-2.html

Generating More Referral

written by Ivan Misner

There are plenty of opportunities to develop quality referrals--you just have to look for them.

It is certainly true that larger networking groups can generate more referrals exponentially. True, that is, within each type of referral group. Among strong-contact referral groups, such as BNI, studies consistently show that a group with 40 members will typically generate more referrals per member than one with 25 members. It stands to reason: The more people in your group, the more Rolodexes you have access to. But the same thing happens among casual-contact networks like chambers of commerce; a 200-member group will probably generate more referrals than a 100-member group.

However this doesn't imply that a 100-member chamber of commerce will pass more referrals than a 40-member referral-networking organization. The strong-contact group focuses primarily on generating referrals for its members and is structured so that there's time for passing information and referrals in each meeting, and members are personally accountable for generating referrals for other members of the group. A chamber of commerce offers plenty of opportunities to pass referrals, including forming some special committees that can serve as a strong-contact referral group. This type of organization is really made up of three parts: It is part information network, part service organization, and part referral group.

Bear in mind that a master networker does not need solely a high-structured organization to generate and receive referrals. She can do this in almost any setting because she has highly developed relationship skills. She constantly looks for ways to help or benefit her networking partners, and she has a reputation as someone who can get things done, no matter what the organization or situation. For her, a casual-contact group can serve her just as well as a strong-contact group--perhaps better, because there are more possible connections in a larger group, whether structured to make those connections automatically or not.

A master networker carries her entire network with her at all times and can make connections that benefit people in different industries, interest groups and geographic areas who probably would never have heard of each other without her help. This requires a strong desire to help others succeed. Constantly be on the lookout for people who need the services a member of your network provides.

Despite the built-in structure and focus on referrals, a strong-contact group member can fail to generate referrals for other members or to receive referrals for himself. Networking skills are the No. 1 requirement; the setting only makes it easier to use these skills. Simply being a member of a strong-contact group does not entitle you to expect or receive referrals. Nor does being a member of a casual-contact group limit the number of referrals you can generate or receive, if you have the skills and use them.

One savvy--and extremely successful--networker loads the names and cell phone numbers of every member of her networking group, and when new members join, she adds them to her "tele-rolodex" immediately. She has found that she has a better chance of seeing closed business between her contact and the person to whom she makes the referral when she can introduce them immediately--right when she learns her contact's needs.

For example, you are at meeting with a client, who mentions that his wife is expecting twins, and he is consumed with trying to figure out the best life insurance options for his family. You have an extremely knowledgeable life insurance professional in your network, you tell your client, and that you would be happy to provide his contact information--better yet, you say, "Let me just get him on his cell." You give off an organized and well-connected impression, and, if you and this agent are close enough to be on a "cell-phone basis," you seem to know him pretty well, so your client's comfort level with your referral rises.

Whatever you pay to join a referral-networking group is only an admission price--it gets you into the room where opportunities may come your way, but it doesn't entitle you to referrals. It's not enough to simply show up and participate. You must perform to make the most of these opportunities and new contacts.

Called the "Father of Modern Networking" by CNN, Dr. Ivan Misner is a New York Times bestselling author. He is the founder and chairman of BNI, the world's largest business networking organization. His latest book, The 29% Solution can be viewed at 29PercentSolution.com. Dr. Misner is also the senior partner for the Referral Institute, an international referral training company. He can be reached at misner@bni.com.

Retrieved on 22^nd October 2009 from http://www.entrepreneur.com/marketing/networking/article195744.html

No One Takes Me Seriously!

written by Sara Wilson

Got potential clients scoffing at you because of your age? Here's how to have the last laugh.

Q: How do I appear professional and get taken seriously?

A: This is a concern of nearly every young entrepreneur out there. Many people still believe that MBA grads or corporate execs are the only ones whose opinions count, even thought teenagers are now more and more often the ones telling the success stories.

Hopefully, that stereotype will change as people become more aware of teens in business, but until then you will still face the challenge of demonstrating that you're credible, in spite of your age. So how do you do this?

Before you do anything, consider your attitude. In other words, think of your youth as an asset. You have a fresh, new way of thinking that has not yet been tainted by formal training or "traditional" methodology. You have an energy that allows you to come up with innovative ideas and unique solutions to problems. And you have a perspective that may be vital to clients who are trying to reach--but can't understand--the teen market. You have all this working for you, and if you believe this, they will believe in you.

Once you have your attitude in place, you are ready to meet potential clients. If you meet with them in person, it is important to dress professionally and act the part to blend into the crowd. Come equipped with business cards and a briefcase, and avoid talking about certain topics, such as school, your parents or your favorite TV show. If you do not yet feel comfortable with face-to-face meetings, limit contact to e-mails or telephone communication. You can worry about in-person contact later.

As you start out, consider offering special discounts for first-time customers or other financial incentives to try your services. This will give clients a chance to test out your skills and find out that you really do know what you're talking about. Once you have established your credibility, any financial sacrifices you made at the beginning will be made up for in the form of repeat business.

From there, getting clients will start to come naturally. Satisfied clients will breed additional satisfied clients--word-of-mouth will create a buzz about you, and before long any trepidation about your age will be replaced by a genuine respect for you and your offerings.

Just keep in mind that you do not always need a degree or a lifetime of experience to be successful. Tom Monaghan--who purchased a pizza store at age 19 that later became Domino's Pizza--and Michael Dell--who started out by selling PCs from his university dorm room--would probably agree.

Retrieved on 22^nd October 2009 from http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/youngentrepreneurs/article57804.html