In particular, it is worth getting familiar with these seven applications, because they will fundamentally help build on the good networking work that you’ll be doing in your local Bx meeting:

1. LinkedIn

The great thing about LinkedIn is that it has very robust features, all focused on assisting you with networking. These include InMail for direct messaging, specialised groups for focused interactions, and the ability to publish content. You can establish yourself as a thought leader and expert on LinkedIn, and in doing that, you can be sure that potential partners will be inspired by your insights and reach out to you to discuss further. Make sure your Bx Network contacts follow you on LinkedIn, and it’ll will become an excellent avenue to deepen your relationship with them further.

2. Eventbrite

Eventbrite simplifies the process of discovering and attending events in your local area. Obviously, this isn’t just about your Bx meetings, good networking means that you’re out there at as many events as you can find that are related to your field. Business events and small conferences are regularly organised and ticketed through Eventbrite, so keeping a close eye on what’s going on there is a good way to keep a finger on the pulse for your local business environment.

3. Meetup

Meetup operates as a transformative app designed to bring people together in thousands of cities worldwide. Rooted in a simple yet powerful concept — doing more of what matters in life by connecting with like-minded individuals — Meetup transcends conventional networking. By fostering a sense of community around shared interests and activities, it provides a unique space where individuals can thrive at their best. Whether pursuing professional goals, hobbies, or personal passions, Meetup transforms networking into a collaborative and fulfilling experience. The way to use this in collaboration with Bx is to form a circle through your Bx Networking, and then continue to engage with them – perhaps socially – via Meetup.

4. CamCard

CamCard is a game-changer in professional networking, because it brings innovation to the very first thing you probably ordered from the stationary store when setting up your business: the business card. Serving as a sophisticated business card reader and manager, CamCard enables users to effortlessly scan, store, exchange, and manage their contacts. That means no more lost cards, and easy to search for information when you need it. In other words, CamCard will make sure that both you and your contacts are able to stay in touch, by keeping you all top of mind in each other’s personal databases.

5. ZoomInfo

Tailored for sales, marketing, and recruiting professionals, ZoomInfo is also therefore very useful for anyone that needs to network – because after all, “networking” is 90% of the job in sales, marketing and recruitment.  ZoomInfo has the powerful ability to deliver real-time insights into potential connection and that really elevates networking efforts, making it an indispensable resource for professionals navigating the intricate landscape of business relationships.

6. Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM has become a formidable player in the customer relationship management software domain. It is tailored to meet the needs of businesses across various sizes and sectors. This comprehensive tool empowers organisations to close deals smarter, better, and faster. By seamlessly integrating contact management, sales automation, and analytical insights, Zoho CRM enhances networking capabilities by providing a centralised platform for nurturing and strengthening professional relationships. Its intuitive features make it an indispensable asset in the networking toolkit, offering a strategic advantage to businesses looking to navigate the competitive landscape with finesse.

7. Slack

Positioned as a collaboration hub, Slack is another useful tool for networking. By getting your network of contacts onto the platform, everyone can work together efficiently and easily. Slack creates a cohesive environment conducive to effective networking. The platform’s real-time messaging, file sharing, and integrations with various tools simplify communication, fostering a culture of transparency and accessibility. Slack serves as more than just a communication tool; it becomes a virtual space where networking and collaboration effortlessly converge. As professionals interact within Slack channels, networking becomes an integral part of daily operations, creating a dynamic and interconnected workspace.

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This article was written by Bx | Business Networking Reimagined for our dynamic community of entrepreneurs, innovators, and founders.

Since 2015, Bx® has helped thousands of businesses create meaningful, long-lasting referral partnerships to unlock an abundance of leads quickly. We do this by ensuring every meeting we run is professional yet fun, and it must follow our award-winning & proven formula, which does not include selling to each other! Our members also have access to world-leading business education resources and live & pre-recorded training programs worth more than $20,000. Start your journey to become the business owner you were born to be by downloading your FREE 4-Part Video Series, “How to Generate Income by Networking,” and then opting for a FREE Trial Membership to Bx® (Valued at $199), which includes two complimentary meeting tickets to xperience Business Networking Reimagined for yourself!

Want to unlock the power of referral marketing & get hundreds of quality leads flowing into your business? xplore Bx Business Networking Reimagined today!

The post Key Tools And Apps To Enhance Your Networking appeared first on Bx New Zealand - Business Networking Reimagined.

Earning a prestigious business award is a moment of pride and validation for your team’s hard work. It’s an achievement worth celebrating, but it’s essential to strike a balance between spreading the news and appearing conceited. Fortunately, there are numerous ways to publicise your award without coming across as boastful. In this article, we’ll explore 12 strategies we recommend to effectively share your accolades with your audience.

1. Leverage the Award Marketing Package:
   

   Many award programs provide marketing packages to winners. Make the most of these resources by featuring the news on your website, incorporating it into marketing materials and email signatures, sharing it on social media, issuing a press release, mentioning it in presentations, creating acknowledgment videos, and more. Ensure that your award news complements your overall message without overshadowing it.

2. Engage Your Employees:

   Involve your employees in sharing the news. Start by sharing the achievement internally, as your employees often contribute significantly to your success. Encourage them to spread the word at networking events, on social media, and even in casual conversations. Happy employees love discussing their company’s achievements, enhancing your brand’s reputation.

3. Target Your Prospects and Customers:

   Your database of prospects and existing customers is a valuable asset. While the general public might not fully appreciate your awards, your clients may not be aware of your agency’s greatness. Focus on informing those who matter most, emphasizing your achievements to your loyal customers and prospects who are essential for new business.

4. Explore New Channels:

   While emails and Facebook posts are common methods, consider exploring new ways to showcase your achievements. Incorporate your award into your branding, website, and social media profiles. Experiment with live videos to share your exciting news in real time with your clients, fans, and followers, involving them in your special moment.

5. Issue a Press Release:

   Official press releases are excellent for publicizing prestigious awards. Many regional and national affiliates actively follow press feeds for such content. Additionally, leverage your press contacts on Twitter to share the news with your local communities. Including links to the official award website can also benefit your SEO efforts.

6. Share on LinkedIn:

   Utilize social media as a quick and effective way to share good news. LinkedIn is a valuable platform to reach your professional connections and friends. You can also add your award to the “Accomplishments” section under “Honors and Awards” for long-term visibility.

7. Acknowledge Your Team:

   Instead of forced publicity, celebrate your accomplishment genuinely with your employees. Thank and acknowledge their contribution, allowing them to share their pride in the collective achievement. Encourage your social media team to promote the celebration organically. If you can make it unique and newsworthy, consider sharing a press release.

8. Let Others Speak for You:

   To enhance your credibility, use others’ words instead of your own. Quote or repurpose official announcements from the awarding organization or third-party comments about your award. This external validation carries more weight than self-praise, establishing the authenticity of your achievement.

9. Directly Contact Reporters:

   Rather than relying solely on generic press releases, personally reach out to relevant reporters who cover your industry. Share not only your award but also the bigger story behind your mission and the positive impact your company has on the industry. Craft a narrative rather than a sales pitch to engage reporters and create compelling coverage.

10. Badge on Your Homepage:

    Use your awards as “badges” on your website’s homepage. This establishes credibility and continues to build your reputation long after the initial announcement. Visitors to your website will instantly see your accolades, enhancing your brand’s image.

11. Email Your Contacts:

    For small businesses, emailing your contacts is an effective way to publicize your award. Ensure that your current clients, previous clients, and leads are informed directly about your accomplishment. Share what it means for your business and include a call to action in your email to remind clients of your services.

12. Comprehensive Publicity:

    Promote your award across various channels simultaneously. Be proud but avoid appearing boastful. Utilize social media, online and offline advertising, podcast interviews, and update your website content. This comprehensive approach ensures that you reach a wide audience and effectively communicate your achievement. You’ve earned it, so share your success with enthusiasm!

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This article was written by Bx | Business Networking Reimagined for our dynamic community of entrepreneurs, innovators, and founders.

Since 2015, Bx® has helped thousands of businesses create meaningful, long-lasting referral partnerships to unlock an abundance of leads quickly. We do this by ensuring every meeting we run is professional yet fun, and it must follow our award-winning & proven formula, which does not include selling to each other! Our members also have access to world-leading business education resources and live & pre-recorded training programs worth more than $20,000. Start your journey to become the business owner you were born to be by downloading your FREE 4-Part Video Series, “How to Generate Income by Networking,” and then opting for a FREE Trial Membership to Bx® (Valued at $199), which includes two complimentary meeting tickets to xperience Business Networking Reimagined for yourself!

Want to unlock the power of referral marketing & get hundreds of quality leads flowing into your business? xplore Bx Business Networking Reimagined today!

The post How to Announce Your Business Award for the Best Results! appeared first on Bx New Zealand - Business Networking Reimagined.

Something like 97% of visitors won’t even contact you! 

Therefore, you must keep them interested and give them strong reasons to sign up for your email list.

But how do you do that if you don’t have an online store?

By creating a valuable lead magnet, of course!

A lead magnet is a piece of content attractive enough to tempt people to subscribe to your email list. 

The main idea here is that the lead magnet should be tempting. 

You may wonder how to get people to subscribe to your Lead Magnet? 

There are ways of making this process easier. More on that soon.

First, what kind of things can you offer?

A Lead Magnet is a digital product (book, ebook, software, PDF, etc.) that you give away for free that has your contact information embedded in it. 

That way, each person who downloads becomes your new lead (or prospect).

Reflect on the ‘What’ of Lead Magnets

You want to ask yourself why you want people to subscribe. 

Do you have something valuable to help them? 

Do you want their trust? 

If this is the reason, have a gifting mindset rather than a sales mindset to earn their trust.

Incidentally, the most common lead magnet is a gift. 

Which, in this sense, means a piece of content full of valuable information, such as:

• An infographic, 
• A quiz result, or 
• A video series you offer in exchange for a visitor’s email address. 

Even 7-day challenges can be a lead magnet!

The best lead magnets are tailored and relevant to your audience. 

You know that, right? 

If you’re offering a lead magnet like “7 Steps to Creating a Blog”, and only 2% of your subscribers are bloggers, you need to change it.

The Steps to Create an Enticing Lead Magnet

Here are some factors that will help you create an irresistible lead magnet:

Step 1. 

Research and find out about your ideal customer avatar, the type of person you want to attract to your business, and who would most likely become your customer if seeing your best offer. 

Formulate the answers to these questions:

What are their interests? 

What do they struggle with? 

What do they want? 

To help you do this, you may read public group posts and customer reviews. 

Step 2. 

Create an irresistible offer that will solve one of the problems identified in Step 1,  

Or something that will bring joy and value into their life through a better experience.

You want to use all the gathered information to create the most relevant and meaningful lead magnet.

Let’s say your ideal customer avatar is someone interested in starting a blog. 

They’d like to write about their passions and make money from their blog. 

You could create a free ebook that shows them how to set up their blog with the most popular platforms on the market, giving them all the insider tips.

How valuable do you think that would be for them?

Step 3. 

You want a simple yet effective lead capture form. 

An eye-catching visual, including bullet points on the key benefits, and a captivating headline should do the trick. 

Step 4. 

Install the form in prominent places, like your blog, or explain its value on a web page without sidebars or menu options. 

Benefit points will help convince new people to sign up. 

How to Grow your Mailing List

Growing a mailing list is a strategic process; you must determine what works best for your business. 

It takes good planning and creative content. And remember, if it doesn’t seem like something your target audience would want, it won’t work well as a lead magnet.

Using highly-valued ‘book’ lead offers can be an effective strategy as well, but be careful not to spend too much on advertising if you don’t have a high-priced product to offer. 

Why offer a White Paper?

Researched reports (i.e., white papers) are an excellent way to get your brand in front of potential customers and prospects. 

These reports can offer information on everything from company history and overarching missions, as long as it’s a shared one, to service type summaries, benefits, and use cases.

Michael Stelzner’s experience showed that white papers are an effective way to attract new clients and increase sales—but only if they’re written with the right tone and from the right point of view.

What if you don’t have time to write research reports?

If you’re a business owner who wants to provide in-depth reports for your subscribers but doesn’t have the time to write them yourself, why not hire a copywriter?

As a professional writer, Jennifer can help you create researched white papers for professional services that will:

• Attract new customers.
• Increase sales.
• Make your brand more credible.
• Showcase your expertise in the field.

Hire a white paper copywriter.

So, if you’re struggling with writing your next research report, contact a copywriter to write the perfect script. 

Jennifer Lancaster, Power of Words, is a Brisbane-based copywriter and editor.

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This article was written by a Bx Member, and published by Bx.

It is just one of the ways in which we support our members to achieve success in their business.

Want to unlock the power of referral marketing & get hundreds of quality leads flowing into your business? xplore Bx Business Networking Reimagined today!

Simply book into any of our Online Events as a complimentary guest or find one of your local Face-to-Face Meetings and network over breakfast, lunch or dinner.

The post How to Craft Lead Magnets Your Customers Will Love appeared first on Bx New Zealand - Business Networking Reimagined.

#1 Find Your Audience

We recommend focusing on one or two platforms. This will maximise your efforts and ensure you’re reaching your audience.

For your guest appearance on the Bx Podcast, we will have provided you links to our social posts on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

#2 Use hashtags

Hashtags will help you reach a bigger audience and serve your content to those who are interested in that specific hashtag.

Find a few generic hashtags which describe the content, and then add a branded hashtag can help start building your community.

Here is our example:

#BxPodcast #BxPodcastSeason2 #BusinessPodcast #BusinessTips #SmallBusinessAdvice

#3 Use pull quotes to create images

Social media was made for images!

Even though your podcast is audio, you can still use visuals to the best of your advantage.

The easiest way to do this is to pull quotes from your episode and create quote-based images.

Quotes should help identify what the episode is about and pique curiosity for your listeners.

If you are creating great content, then those quotes will be easy to find!

You can use Canva or WordSwag to easily create quote graphics that you can share on social media.

#4 Use sound bites

As a podcaster, you have tons of audio content and that audio is a huge benefit because it’s content and not only that, it’s engaging content.

You can’t just drop an audio file into your social media because social platforms don’t accept MP3s and because, well, let’s face it – that’s really boring!

You can, however, convert your audio into a video using animation. This way you can incorporate branding elements and it can autoplay on social media.

You can do this yourself using a video tool, like Wavve. Wavve is software that easily transforms audio into video with images, text, waveform animations and more so you can share it on social media.

For your Bx Podcast, we will provide you a link to the audio file for you to do this.

This list is not exhaustive, and we encourage you to find more ways to get maximum xposure because it is an xcellent positioning piece for you in the eyes of your potential clients and customers.

Check out the Bx Podcast on Apple  or Spotify

Connect with Bx | Business Networking Reimagined

Website: https://bxnetworking.com 

Find Your Nearest Meeting: https://bxnetworking.com/locations/

Join the Bx FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/BxNetworking

Bx on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bx-businessnetworkingreima8337

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bxnetworking

The post Four Tips to Market Your Podcast on Social Media appeared first on Bx New Zealand - Business Networking Reimagined.

Whether you are a guest on the Bx Podcast or any other, here we list just ten reasons…

#1: Access to a pre-made and highly engaged audience; with preparation, you can reach hundreds to thousands of highly targeted listeners. 

#2: Easier and far less time-consuming than guest blogging; one of the most popular forms of content marketing. 

#3: Create meaningful connections; with the podcast host, xPerts, and the audience. 

#4: High content production value; Bx puts a lot of effort into production, including professional sound, editing, and creating custom web graphics. 

#5: Unlimited cross-amplification; highly shareable piece of content resulting in more likes, shares, tweets, and traffic.

#6: Free long-form blog posts; transcribe the show and post on your site as a blog post. 

#7: Increased dwell time; embed video on your website to help your SEO efforts.

#8: Create trust badges; use “as seen on the Bx Podcast” eye candy for your website.

#9: Online reviews; repurpose these into highly valuable testimonials for your website. 

#10: Opportunity to generate sales; you can get leads by being an informative guest.

This list is not exhaustive, and we encourage you to find more ways to get maximum xposure because it is an xcellent positioning piece for you in the eyes of your potential clients and customers.

Check out the Bx Podcast on Apple  or Spotify

Connect with Bx | Business Networking Reimagined

Website: https://bxnetworking.com 

Find Your Nearest Meeting: https://bxnetworking.com/locations/ 

Join the Bx FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/BxNetworking 

Bx on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bx-businessnetworkingreima8337 

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bxnetworking

The post 10 Reasons Why Guest Podcasting is the Best Form of Content Marketing! appeared first on Bx New Zealand - Business Networking Reimagined.

And check out this video from the Corporate Partnerships Manager of the Black Dog Institute, Tasman Cassim.

Don’t forget to DONATE to the Black Dog Institute so we can see Matt shave his head!

https://www.teamblackdog.org.au/fundraisers/BxNetworking

The resources Tas mentions are as follows.

Online Clinic: https://onlineclinic.blackdoginstitute.org.au/

HeadGear: https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/resources-support/digital-tools-apps/headgear/

The post The Black Dog Institute Fundraiser and Bx Trivia Night appeared first on Bx New Zealand - Business Networking Reimagined.

The post How to Submit & Win in the Local Business Awards & Australian Business Champion Awards appeared first on Bx New Zealand - Business Networking Reimagined.

The post Matt Alderton on The ‘Success Inspired Podcast’ appeared first on Bx New Zealand - Business Networking Reimagined.

1. Expertise

At networking events, you can find people who have worked in your industry for much longer than you. Through them you can hear about the progress that has been made, the mistakes not to make and insights regarding the future of your industry. It’s not all about what you can gain however, networking also calls on you to impart your own knowledge. At some point, you will meet someone else who is only starting out, then it’s your turn to impart your knowledge.

2. Opportunities

The more people you know in your industry and outside of it, the more likely it is that opportunities will be thrown in your direction. If you’re known as a trustworthy contact, no one will hesitate to throw you an opportunity – anything from joint ventures to partnerships and client leads could start to pop up after great networking.

3. Communication

Many people tend to veer away from networking events because they consider themselves to be shy or introverted, but let’s flip that perspective on its head. Being shy or a bit of an introvert is not a negative when it comes to networking, instead, the events are great opportunities to practice. It can be daunting but giving it a try and enhancing your communication skills while making great connections can hardly leave you at a disadvantage.

4. Reputation

After a few events, you’ll find yourself recommending your new connections to the people in your world. Suddenly, you’ve been made aware of great, trustworthy, hard-working individuals and you have no qualms about recommending them to friends and colleagues. Fortunately for you, you’re not the only one who is spreading the word; your new connections have now begun to recommend you to their people too.

5. Support

All of the previous benefits can be measured through the sales in your business, but there is one benefit that cannot – support. Networking can deliver you like-minded business colleagues who understand the challenge of business ownership.

Regardless of whether you benefit in one, two or all five of these areas, it’s extremely unlikely you will miss out on any of the perks. Set aside some time on your calendar for the next networking event that crosses your path, give it a try and see how your business starts to pick up pace – remember, you have nothing to lose.

The post Is Networking Worth Your Time? appeared first on Bx New Zealand - Business Networking Reimagined.

The 3 traits of a decisive person

Focused – A decisive person has their eye on what’s best for the business in the long-run, not just what will benefit them tomorrow or what will be best for them personally.

Confident – Once they make their decision, they stick by it. This doesn’t mean they can’t admit that they may have chosen the wrong path, but they are confident that they were convinced their choice was the best decision at the time.

Well-prepared – They are ready for the consequences of their decisions, whether they are positive or negative. They’ve thought their decision through completely.

So how do we cultivate those traits?

Be educated: know everything there is to know about your business so that you know how your decision will affect every department. Be across the money, the sales, the administration, even if you don’t usually dabble in those areas.
Speak to others: you are not the first person to ever make a difficult decision. There is no need to pour your heart out to everyone you meet, but speaking to fellow business owners and finding out what they decided in similar positions can help you to discover the pros and cons to your possible decisions.
Explore your options: write down a list of pros and cons for your decisions, conduct ‘what if?’ scenarios. Do what you can to explore every option fully, leaving no stone unturned. There’s no need to overthink it and create mountains out of molehills but being thorough is essential.
Have a long-term goal: sometimes, decisions can cause setbacks in the immediate future but will actually benefit your business in the long run. Having the ability to look past the ‘immediate’ to work towards a bigger goal can help you to make the right decision, rather than the easy one.

Whatever you choose, be committed to your choice. Your business needs someone who is decisive and committed to making the right, and sometimes difficult, decisions. You can guarantee that you will make mistakes; it’s part of the process of decision-making.

If your business has some difficult choices ahead of it, we find it’s better not being done is isolation. Like-minded peers can be great sounding boards, have you thought about joining one of our supportive business networking groups? Visit BxNetworking.com

The post How to be more decisive in your business appeared first on Bx New Zealand - Business Networking Reimagined.