NET Networking Entrepreneurs Of Tucson New Member Orientation Packet Where Small Business Meets to Do Big Business

Transcription

1 NET Networking Entrepreneurs Of Tucson New Member Orientation Packet Where Small Business Meets to Do Big Business

2 Dear New NET Member! Welcome to Tucson s NET referral group and Congratulations on being approved by the membership committee for full membership into our group! We know from experience that membership in NET can make for a long and profitable experience for all who subscribe to, and practice, the NET philosophy of Help The Other Guy Win. As NET President I would like to communicate a few things that will be helpful in getting your NET membership off to a strong and profitable start. These would be my suggestions: 1. Review thoroughly the membership roster and bring referrals to your very first meeting! 2. Review and become familiar with the NET Policies brochure and NET Code of Ethics 3. Attendance is critical to the group! Members are allowed two absences (without a substitute) in a 6 month period. In the event that you are unable to attend a meeting, NET asks that you send a substitute in your place, and that person counts as you being in attendance. (Refer to #4 of NET General Policy s brochure). Your substitute can deliver your 30 second infomercial and give and receive referrals for you as well as report back to you what the guest speaker of the day reviewed as important in their work. The use of substitutes is limited to 2 per each 6 months We have this practice because we are all committing our time, service and best efforts to each other and deserve and expect everyone else to do the same. A substitute can be a spouse, coworker, business partner, friend, client, etc. However, you will be best served by attending all meetings. 4. New NET members are required to attend New Member Orientation within their first 60 days of membership. Because of the value of this it is important to attend the next scheduled orientation. 5. Some of the NET customs and protocols of the weekly meetings are: a. Arrive early so that you can welcome guests (7:25). This is also a time to Open Network with members. b. Never sit down before you have gotten your breakfast and the meeting is ready to start. It is not Net-Sit or Net-Eat; it is NETWORK! c. Always try to sit in a different location and next to different members each week. d. Always stand when speaking during the meeting. e. During the meeting, be professional and give others you undivided attention. I will want to sit down with you as soon as possible for a One on One I want you to get off to a fast start. To that end, please call me at your convenience to coordinate calendars. Congratulations again and good luck with our wonderful group! Cordially, Gary Chapter President

3 General Policies of Networking Entrepreneurs of Tucson (The NET) Where Small Business Meets to Do Big Business 1) Only one person from each professional classification is permitted to join the group. The Membership Committee has final authority relating to classification conflicts. 2) Members must represent their primary occupation, not a part-time secondary business. Each meeting will include each member s 30 second infomercial describing their business to the group. 3) The weekly meeting lasts 75 minutes. Members must arrive on time, before (7:45 AM) and stay for the entire meeting (9:00 AM). Ideal arrival time is 7:25 AM to network. 4) Attendance is critical to the group. If a member cannot attend, he/she may send a substitute (not another member) to the meeting. This will not count as an absence. A member is allowed two absences every six months (that is counted semi-annually; Jan-Jun & Jul-Dec). If a third absence occurs in a 6 month period, the member s category will be opened and a replacement will be sought. Also, a maximum of two substitutes per each six month time frame is allowed. 5) Members are encouraged to bring referrals and visitors to each scheduled meeting. Guests are encouraged from membership categories not represented within the group s current membership (i.e. if the group currently has a member who is a loan officer, loan officers cannot be invited.). 6) Visitors may attend meetings up to two times prior to submitting a membership application. 7) Weekly speakers are responsible to bring a door prize. It should have a value of $10 or more and not be related to the speaker s classification. Only members bringing a visitor or a referral are eligible for the door prize each week. 8) It is the member s responsibility to file a concern with the Membership Committee if a visitor in any way conflicts with the member s classification. This should be done before the visitor is approved for membership. If there are no complaints, the Membership Committee will assume their consent. 9) Members who wish to change their classification must submit a new membership application and get approval from the Membership Committee for that classification change. 10) In the case of NET problems with a member, the Membership Committee (normally consisting of two members) may, at its sole discretion, put a member on probation, relating to the member s business practices or commitment to the group. Ties will be broken by the Vice President. 11) A member s classification may be opened for failure to comply with the policies and/or the code of ethics of NET. The Membership Committee may open classifications. 12) NET is not the BBB nor a court of law and will not become involved with or arbitrated interpersonal disputes. 13) Policies are subject to change. The Leadership Team will notify the membership of any changes. 14) In the absence of a Membership Committee for the above functions, the Officers (President, Vice President, Secretary, but not the Treasurer) may fulfill that responsibility. 15) If a member s classification is that of a direct marketing company or a multi level marketing company, only the product or service may be discussed, never the income opportunity. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

4 Code of Ethics 1. I will live up to the ethical standards of my profession. 2. I will display a positive and supportive attitude with fellow members. 3. I will provide quality service at the price that I quote. 4. I will be truthful with members and referrals. 5. I will build trust and goodwill among members and their referrals. 6. I will take responsibility for following up on referrals received. Administrative Policies 1. Initial application fee ($50.00 one time) is paid by check payable to Networking Entrepreneurs of Tucson and must accompany the filled out application. Meeting fees for the remainder of the quarter are also required in the first membership payment, at $15.00 per meeting. Applications will be reviewed by the Membership Committee. All decisions will be final. 2. Membership shall be continuous upon payment of the quarterly meeting fees. Amount of meeting fees will be determined by the Leadership Team and will be payable in advance on the quarterly due date. Late payments will incur a $10 penalty. 3. Memberships are personal membership and fees cannot be transferred. 4. Extended Leave Of Absence may be granted based on the circumstances (such as illness.) 5. Direct written requests for changes in business classification to the Membership Committee. 6. New members will attend the next scheduled New Member Orientation conducted by a member of the Leadership Team. 7. Provide the Information Coordinator with information on your business for posting on the group website: 8. Each member must prepare a 30 second infomercial describing their business to the membership each meeting. 9. Two member-volunteers will prepare a 6 minute presentation for each meeting that describes their business in detail. NET Chapter Courtesies Always stand when talking Sit in a different location each week Mix and network with guests prior to the meeting Your Referral Moment (when it is time to stand and announce your referrals, what do you do?) Be positive. Describe your activities since the last meeting (never say I don t have ): Referrals Solds One on Ones Testimonials about activities of other members Other business announcements beneficial to the group Other Advice Create your list of substitutes. Bring business cards for the member s business card book. Schedule at least one One on One with another member each week. August 3, 2018

5 NETWORKING ENTREPENEURS OF TUCSON 30 Second Infomercial Why develop a 30 Second Infomercial? Whenever you introduce yourself or your business, it is your 30 seconds to help people remember Who you are, What you do, and How they can pass referrals to you. They may not need your product or services now but you want them to think of you when the need arises for them or someone they know. How do you determine if your introduction is good or not? 1. CLEAR speak slowly and directly to your audience 2. CONCISE be to the point, with few words 3. MEMORABLE you want them to remember you when they need your services How to develop an effective 30 Second Infomercial The best way is through practice and asking advice of those in the chapter. Below is an outline of what we have found to be successful. 1, 2, and 5 will typically remain the same in all infomercials, but you should tailor your area of expertise and request for referrals to the audience or your needs at the time. 1) Hi, my name is 2) My company is 3) Our area of expertise is 4) A good referral for me is 5) My memory hook is

6 One on One (Your most valuable activity for growth) A fact of business is that we do business with those that we know, those that we like and those that we trust. To that end, it is important that NET members know, like and trust each other. And while it is a given that members see each other on a bi-weekly basis, the structure and purpose of the business meeting is to briefly catch up with each other, pass business referrals to each other and share a small bit of information about each others business. The business meeting is not structured as a social get together where members have the time to get to know each other well. This is why the One on One was created to bridge the gap between being familiar with a member and being knowledgeable about what a member really does and who he or she really is. A One on One is an off site meeting between two members in a relaxed setting where they can exchange business and personal information with the objective of getting to really know the each other on a deeper level. It s purpose for you is to learn what constitutes a good referral for the other person and to get to know them well enough so that they come to mind immediately should someone you are talking with need their services. Most One on Ones take place over coffee or over lunch during the normal business week. What a One on One is not. A One on One is not a time to try to sell something. It is considered rude and selfish too, not to mention unproductive to launch into a sales pitch. Additionally, even with a large number of members in a chapter, one would run out of prospects very quickly! Trying to make a sale is just silly, not to mention self defeating. If the organization has 30 members and everyone knows people, the membership represents access to the over10,000 people they know. Gaining access to that broad group is the purpose of the One on One. Therefore, treating each member as a counselor and guide is much more productive. If they know, like and trust you you will have entry into the lives of those they know. If you ve listened 80% of the time and gotten to know more about the other person, and know what would be a good referral for them, then you have had a very successful One on One. Following that, you will probably wish to schedule addition get togethers with that member. NET: Where Small Business Meets To Do Big Business.

7 Inviting Visitors to Share Breakfast With Us! All of us want NET to be the best business networking group in Tucson. However, that will only occur if we continually invite quality people to join us at one of our meetings. No organization grows and prospers without constant attention to that growth. It is EVERYONE S responsibility to participate regularly in the inviting process. That is one of the commitments we make to each other when we join NET Who to Invite Your Power Team Open Categories Business Friends and Acquaintances Your Clients Your Clients Clients Your Prospects Personal Friends anyone that comes within 3 feet of you! Why? The more members we have and the better members we have, the more business that will be referred to each other which is why we are here in the first place. What do I say? Hello My name is I meet weekly with a select group of professional business people. We get together solely for the purpose of referring business to each other. Currently we do not have a person in your category to which we can direct our business referrals. I m calling to see if you would like to visit us this coming to see if our group might be something you would be interested in. I think you will find our members to be very useful in helping you grow your business. At the very least, the worst that can happen, is that you would meet other people, pass out your business cards, get to talk about yourself, and have fun. We meet at the Tucson Osteopathic Medical Foundation Board Room, 3182 N. Swan (Swan and Camp Lowell) at 6:55. We always finish by 8:30. What Not To Do! 1) Don t try to Sell NET or joining (you are just inviting them to breakfast) 2) Don t explain the costs (everyone interprets these differently). If asked, just say you don t know for sure, but it would be explained at the meeting. 3) Don t over state expectations (let the meeting speak for itself).

8 6 Minute Infomercial Your 6 minute infomercial is your chance to educate NET members about your business. Since you only have 2 opportunities per year at most, it is important that you utilize the opportunity to the fullest. Your presentation should center on teaching NET members how to market you. What is an ideal client for you? What buzz words should members be conscious of? What does your business offer that makes you different from your competition? Common Mistakes in 6 Minute Infomercial Using precious time to talk about personal life (family, education, work history) Reading your Infomercial Unless you have information that must be conveyed verbatim, practice giving your infomercial from notes, not from a script Using industry language Members don t know the terminology of your industry. Make sure you use terms they understand Passing out literature during your presentation You want members to focus on what you have to say, not be reading your material. Pass out handouts at the end. Presenting your entire line of products/services Pick out 1 or 2 and focus on those. Save the rest for another time or for your subsequent 30 second commercials. Sample Outline For Your 6 Minute Infomercial Introduction and Qualifications 30 seconds Remember you will be introduced by the secretary so make sure your bio is complete and says everything you need. That way you can devote your full 6 minutes to educating NET members. Attention Grabber 1-2 Minutes Get the members attention right from the start. Unique features of your business/product Stories Testimonials Benefits 3 minutes Give members a visual picture of what you are presenting. Close 1 minute Tell members what they can do for you. Who is your ideal prospect? What should members listen for that would make a good referral? Remember Speakers should bring a door prize that is $10 or more and not related to the speaker s classification.

9 NET Invitation Template I would like to invite you to visit NET Networking Entrepreneurs of Tucson. We are a select group of businesses that actively look for opportunities to refer one another to our friends/family, customers/clients. We currently have an opening for a {CATEGORY} and are looking for a business with high integrity and a great reputation that we can send referrals to. I thought of you and {Business Name} because you provide outstanding customer service and would be a valuable resource for NET. NET is a category exclusive group with only one member per profession. NET is a not-for-profit group that has been meeting for over 10 years. We meet twice monthly on the 2 nd and 4 th Wednesdays of the month, from 7:30 9 am at Mimi s Café on Wetmore and Oracle (in front of the Tucson Mall). The cost for visitors is $15 with breakfast included. We invite you to come, meet high quality business people and make some new connections. Hope you see you at our next meeting.