Advertising - We Need Your Help

Advertising online is something that I'm quite passionate about! I really enjoy designing an advert or a spot for my company to sit in! I'm well up for linking websites with other business's to help share the love! But what really grinds my gears is these Internet directories that will try to snare you into ridiculously priced advertising spots to be the best posted, highlighted or whatever else they wish you to do.

But what i have found is that there are a few places out there that are totally worth the cost with out signing your business into some bizarre contract that leeches money from you on a slow and painful basis. The only real down side to them is that they have a rating system that puts you in the ranking order based on who is best rated.

So here's the appeal... anyone that would be willing to say that you have dealt with us, whether it be an enquiry or used our service, but I'm looking to get some rankings put on the the sites for us without me cheating and using my googlemail and yahoo mail accounts to lie! Coz I would like this to be realistic! Even if it's just coz you met me at a networking meeting and thought i was polite! that would be great!

And in return we'll do the same for you, if you have a business we'll rate you and put you on our links page. If you have a bebo we'll give you some love! and if we get enough ratings we'll even offer everyone that's done it money off their next order but only if we hit 50 ratings! Good news is to be tops we only got to beat 2 reviews but we still gotta have goals! :D

So come on don't waste any more time reading this click the link below and get rating.

Much Love!! xx

Pink Nik Designs on the FreeIndex 

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Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year

Top Tips on Networking (Addition)

1. Print of an attendance list of folks that are going to be there and bring a pen. This will let you take notes of things that interest you. But more importantly so you can take notes of what people are asking you about your business. That way when you do a follow up and are sending out emails to the folks you chatted to, then you can add in a little bit of info about whatever it was that sparked their question to you. Even if all you put at the end of your email ‘feel free to get in touch in the future about XYZ and I can send you more info or would love to meet up to get the chance to talk to you more about it.’ If you don’t have an attendance list, just use their business cards!
   
2. Always try putting time aside that week to do a follow up email. Even if it’s just to say it was really nice meeting you, feel free to get in touch with any questions, I look forward to seeing you at a future event. Folks will appreciate that.
   
3. Don’t worry about being there on your own or being a newbie. If you are going to a networking event for the first time or on your own, don’t stress! You’re not the only one that will be in that boat! Take comfort in the fact that you are the newbie or on your own because a lot of the time people will come over to you that maybe see you being a wee bit awkward or flying solo. But remember you do have 2 choices; you can bring someone with you, if you know someone that is in business themselves or have a colleague bring them along for moral support until you’re happy to go it alone. Or you can speak to the organisers and ask them to introduce you to few folks to get you started.

A thought on: Speed Networking

Well I had a good 'first' today, I attended my first speed networking event. It was a total marathon!

Here's how it went...

9.30am: arrive, have bacon roll and cup of tea (wake up), informal chat with folks there.
9.45am: take seat and you’re told if you’re a 'mover' or a 'sitter'. I think the names speak for themselves. I was a sitter so folks came to me. You get 2 minutes each to chat about your business and what you do. Then the whistle goes and you move on, or in my case wait for the next person to shift over. Over the first run you get to talk to 10 folks.
11am: break for cuppa, more informal networking
11.25am: next round, 10 more folks to chat to
12.30pm: lunch and chatting to folks you didn’t get the chance to meet or talking more in-depth with those you did.
1.30pm: head back to the office

It's really hard work doing pretty much the same schpeel every 2 minutes without trying to get tongue tied. But what was really good was that in that morning networking you have made 20 definite contacts. Not all of them are something you will use and they might not all want to use you, but who knows! What I found really useful is that out of the 20 folks I got a chatting to there were quite a few that seemed genuinely interested in my business and quite a few that I was really interested in using them.

I definately will do the speed netowrking thing again.

But I think to add to my top tips about networking; I think these 3 really need to be added to the list.... please see next post and check out my top tips labels.