Best Offer D Holder 1: August 2012

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Understanding the Main Components of a Social Intranet

So you want to implement a social intranet. You want to bring your business into the new generation of technology and create an environment where your employees not only have access to everything they need to keep your company running right at their fingertips no matter what the time of day or where they are in the world, but you want them to be able to interact with each other while they do it. In effect, you want to turn your business' intranet into the hot hangout spot for employees.

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So how are you going to go about it? You could simply walk up to your IT Director (unless you are the IT Director, in which case you can just look in the mirror) and demand that your business intranet not only go social but go mobile as well. But do you truly understand what a social intranet is?

A communal intranet brings together the best of two worlds: the company intranet, which allows employees access to all the documents, instructions, calendars and proprietary information they need to do their jobs daily. It's a place where you provide employees with key information that can't be shared in an uncontrolled environment. It's basically the company library and handbook in the digital, mobile accessible form. The social aspect comes in when you decide to add interactive features to your Intranet, and we're not talking about forms and three choice surveys that have been a part of Intranet capability since Server 1.0. A social intranet incorporates blogs, forums, online chat and chat rooms, and other types of social networking like status updates and feeds into the intranet environment. However, before you decide to jump off the deep-end and implement social networking as a part of your intranet system it's important to understand the main components of a social intranet and ensure that it's right for you, your business and your employees.

Understanding the Main Components of a Social Intranet

• People. The first, and most important component is the people that will be involved. In order to successfully implement it all, or at least most, of your employees should be able to access and use your intranet and the features that will be made available. This includes managers, executives, salaried staff and part-time hourly employees. If not everyone is going to have access to the intranet, and especially the social parts, your new social intranet may actually decrease employee morale and reduce your chances of promoting the long-term use among personnel and ultimately creating long-term success.

• Process. When we talk about the process, we're not talking about the process you go through to actually implement a social intranet. Rather we're talking about the process of integration that captures the true meaning of a social environment. For example, you'll need corporate policies and governance for your new social intranet, and you'll also need an enforcer. Currently only 78% of all companies with a social intranet have governance or policies. However, rules are important to creating an appropriate social network within your company's intranet, more so than they are on social-networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

• Technology. Sure, creating a mobile and intranet is, in and of itself, technology. However, when you think technology in terms of your social intranet, you should be thinking about the types of tools you are making available to your staff on your new social intranet that makes it a truly social intranet option that they can feel good about using and actually get excited about. Some of the tools you can consider using in tandem when you develop your social intranet are commenting, forums, blogs and video blogs (blogs), wikis, tagging, presence, portals, employee networking, including status updates and feeds, commenting; forums and RSS feeds, just to name a few. However, these technologies are not the only ones that can be implemented to make your social intranet really special and something your employees will not only enjoy using but will clamor to use.

Essentially, when you decide that your company is ready to start building an intranet you have to consider whether it's right for your company and for the people who work there. In some cases, social intranet may not be the best choice. If your employees enjoy social networking and understand the importance of your company's intranet and also put it to use on a regular basis, then you may have just the right idea. But if this is not the case, then you may want to consider other options, like leaving it the same until you can bring all of your employees on board. You should also consider the cost, time and security ramifications that implementing it will exert on your business.

Understanding the Main Components of a Social Intranet

Craig Bailey is a Sydney based technology consultant. He blogs about technology at http://www.craigbailey.net/blog

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Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Do You Know Your Objectives in Networking?

Networking is Much More Than Socializing

Casual networkers view networking as a form of socializing without focus and without goals. Effective networkers view it as a process of relationship building with very clear goals and objectives.

Business networking, like any other business activity, must be a productive use of time. To maximize your networking effectiveness, you should therefore clearly define your goals and objectives.

Do You Know Your Objectives in Networking?

Following are some of the most common objectives for business networkers:

Broaden your exposure in the marketplace and create a positive impression on as many people in your business community as possible.

Identify those who might be prospects for your products or services

Build relationships with those who offer products or services that might be of value to you or your clients.

Build relationships with those who might become referral or strategic partners.

Build relationships with those who are influential in your business community.

Build relationships with those who can further your career.

Build relationships with those who might provide business counsel or become advisors or mentors.

Those with whom you network are experts in their fields. They can answer questions about their area of specialization, share their business experience and knowledge, and may in some instances become mentors. No one can know all there is to know about business and the advice of others can at times be extremely valuable. Networking at trade association expos and conferences will allow you to meet executives from other companies who might some day be your employer or be able to recommend you for an opening they have heard about. Earning the respect of those in your local community can lead to offers when positions become available. We have all heard the idiom: "It is not what you know, it is who you know that counts." Building relationships with the most influential members of your business community is a key to your success.

Referral partners are individuals who are able and willing to send you referrals in exchange for your help sending referrals to them. To find them at a networking event, you must have carefully thought through who the best referral partners for you might be. You must also have a strategy for turning a casual meeting into an opportunity to develop the relationship. As a business person you and the firm for which you work have needs for a wide variety of products and services. Networking is an effective way of meeting those who provide these products and services in your local community. Your customers also need a variety of products or services for business and personal use. If you can direct them to reputable providers of those services, you will be more valued as a resource and their loyalty will be enhanced. Keeping your client's needs in mind as you meet others at networking events, should be a habit you develop.

Most view this as the primary objective of networking. To identify prospects and create sales opportunities, you must be prepared to describe your business and its benefits clearly and succinctly. You must also be ready to qualify "suspects" and, if necessary, present your Unique Selling Proposition. The goal of an initial networking contact is not to close a deal, it is to create a follow up opportunity. Networking is an extremely effective way of creating awareness in your business community. For many start up companies, it is the only form of marketing that can be afforded. Fortunately, networking can also be the most effective form of marketing available.

Most business professionals view networking as a means of marketing their business, but overlook some of the other objectives that may be equally or even more important. Too much emphasis on selling at networking events can leave a negative impression. If you want to make a positive impression, make sure the discussion centers on them, not you.

What goals and objectives have you set for your networking activities? Which are most important? How will you measure your success? Like any other business activity, you must approach your networking with goals and a plan to achieve them.

Do You Know Your Objectives in Networking?

Watch 52 video clips and articles from the book "Network Your Way To 0,000 And Beyond" at http://www.NetworkingSeries.com - Minesh Baxi and Chuck Gifford are the authors.

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Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Networking Tips: More Ways to Transfer Your Social Networking Skills Into Real-World Networking

For some, the online world of social media networking has been a boon of incredible proportions. They live in rural areas or they are shy or they are young business people who are new to networking. For one reason or another, they entered into and felt more comfortable and accomplished with the online social networking than the in-person, business to business networking.

But like those in the business arena who are refusing to enter into the online melee, those who are avoiding face-to-face networking are missing out on an important dimension of building their personal connections in the real world.

Networking

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Here are three ways for those who are comfortable with social networking online to take it to the real world and grow their personal, face to face network.

Networking Tips: More Ways to Transfer Your Social Networking Skills Into Real-World Networking

Start Small
If the reason you've avoided in-person business networking events in favor of online is because you are introverted, quiet or a bit shy, don't feel like you have to plunge into the local chamber of commerce mega-mixer to begin with. Start small and find business clubs or groups that are smaller. Luncheons can be a good option because even if there are a lot of people attending, you really only have to interact and deal with the 6 or 7 other people at your table.

Start Really Small
When Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, he intended it to transfer sound waves so that we could converse with someone far away. When you get used to "talking" online you forget that the sound of voices together sharing information, laughter and encouragement can be very powerful. If you're interested in building your conversational skills, make a telephone "appointment" with a new online connection. You can also use this to strengthen connections with "old" social media friends who don't live near you.

Take It to RL (Real Life)
You can build your face to face network by starting with your online friends. If you've been "friends" with someone on Facebook or LinkedIn for some time and you have hobbies or goals in common, it would be very natural to meet in person. Set up a coffee meeting. You don't have to do it all the time, but getting together once or twice a year will create much better bond than just connecting online. And, it gives you a great opportunity to practice your conversational skills.

Look to your social media networking strengths as a starting place for building your business to business, face to face network. Take the skills you've already build and convert them to the "real world." For more ideas on doing this, see the sequel to this article titled "Networking Tips: How to Transfer Your Social Networking Skills into Real-World Networking Skills."

Networking Tips: More Ways to Transfer Your Social Networking Skills Into Real-World Networking

Beth Bridges has attended over 2,000 networking events in the last 7 years as the Membership Director and Chief Networking Officer of a large west coast chamber of commerce. She took her in-person networking skills and transferred them online. That worked well, too.

Do you want to grow your network, fine-tune your networking and grow your business? Try the Networking Motivator Newsletter for free at www.TheNetworkingMotivator.com.

Get daily networking tips and connect with like-minded networkers from around the world with the Networking Motivator (tm) on Facebook

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Thursday, August 2, 2012

9 Tips For Speed Networking

Have you ever been to a speed dating event? If you have you'll understand the concept of speed networking.

At a speed dating event you get to meet an awful lot of people in a very short space of time and the idea is that first impressions count, if you hit it off with someone and feel that you have things in common then you can meet up again later and take more time to build a relationship.

Networking

Speed networking is the business equivalent in that you a given a set period of time (2 or 3 minutes for example) to make initial contact with other business people. Just enough time to exchange basic information about your business and the service that you offer as opposed to an in depth discussion

9 Tips For Speed Networking

The positive points about speed networking are that you get the opportunity to meet and exchange business cards with a relatively large number of other business people and at the same the time limit forces you to move on and eliminate the possibility of being stuck talking to the same person for a whole event.

For me, there must also be an informal networking session at the end of the event where you can take time to meet again with other people that you felt you were building a rapport with. In this way you can start the relationship building process rather than it just having finished with the exchange of a business card.

In these types of event it's vital to have mastered the art of effective use of business cards. When you finish a session you may well have a pile of cards and find it difficult to be able to put a face to the card at a later date. This is one reason why my business networking tips below are essential to making the most of speed networking and speed dating alike.

1. Before you decide to attend speed business networking events take time to understand the format. Is it all speed networking or is there free networking time too? If you understand the format you'll go better prepared and make more of the event.

2. Part of the above is about understanding how much time you have with every other person. If it's short then you really need to have a well practiced and fine tuned sixty seconds presentation. If you've got a bit longer you can maybe afford to go a little more in depth.

3. You may be required to follow a set agenda in your meetings such as your name, your business sector etc etc. Knowing this in advance will help you practice the right subject matter prior to the event.

4. Speed networking when there is a fixed agenda is a very comfortable way to meet new people so take time to identify those people that you don't already know.

5. Don't be in too much of a hurry to give your pitch, let the other person talk first, in this way if there are any "common areas" that you want to exploit, you can then adapt your pitch to suit.

6. Make good use of business cards. When you exchange cards take time to read aloud what is on the other person's card. The other person will see this as interest on your part but most importantly it will help you remember the face and the name at a later date. You can also use the business card to make notes. This is an important point when designing your own cards - make sure that the background is a light colour so that anyone can make notes on your card.

7. Considering point 6 - don't forget your business cards and a pen!

8. Don't loose time searching through business cards to find your own. Make sure that you have a place for those that you have collected and for your own. I use two separate pockets in my jacket or coat.

9. Finally, if you feel you have something more to say to someone and that there could be a synergy - make it clear! Now is not the time for polite conversation, be direct and let them know that you would like to have a further meeting and propose a date and time.

9 Tips For Speed Networking

Louise Yates shares business networking tips and business networking advice for generating referrals and operates UK groups for business networking Lancashire

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