I was really excited about this event when I registered for it a couple of weeks ago. Now I have even more reason to be excited. I was told earlier this week that I was a finalist for their Rookie of the Year Award. I hope you'll come out and support me at this event. Of course, I'm not the only reason you'll want to register today to attend on April 20th... This year's keynote speaker will be Dr. Randal Pinkett, winner of Donald Trump's - The Apprentice. Dr. Pinkett will talk about his own successes and challenges in growing his own small business into a multimillion dollar company. Tickets for this event are only $50. Better yet, for only $20 more you can start your morning on the day of the BiG IDEA Awards with Gary Hoover at the BiG Breakfast. Gary will share his 8 Keys to a Successful Business. For those of you who don't already know Gary Hoover is a gifted visionary and entrepreneur who has done it all, can explain it clearly and connects with any audience to whom he speaks. He founded Bookstop, Inc., which went on to over $2.5 billion in sales before being bought out by Barnes & Noble in 1998 and Hoovers online, the number one  source for online business information that was sold to Dun and Bradstreet. He now devotes his energies to teaching the strategic thinking, learned lessons and principles of entrepreneurship that guided him up the ladder of success. He encourages audience members to step back from the details and look at the big picture of accomplishment. For more details and to register: BiG IDEA Day Stay tuned. I should be able to share with you the complete list of finalists for the BiG IDEA Awards. Happy networking! Scott IngramNetworkInAustin.com

Coming May 16: The Austin Independent Business Alliance CLIC Trade Show: Connecting and Linking Independents with Commercial DevelopmentsCreated for the local business community, the CLIC Trade Show will provide you with the Knowledge, Connections and Tools you need to grow your business in Austin, Texas. To be held on Tuesday, May 16, 2006, 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. at St. Edward's University, 3001 S. Congress Ave.Knowledge...Find out how to leverage public and private preferences for local business. Attend sessions on Leasing, Lending, Marketing, and General Business Development led by experts in these industries. Connections...Network with leaders in the Central Texas commercial development industry, schedule one-on-one sessions with financial institutions, meet successful local retailers and representatives from the City of Austin. Make valuable connections to help you take the next step forward for your business.Tools...Attendees will receive training opportunities ranging from business plan basics, setting up a DBA, and procuring build-out loans to negotiating leases and becoming a subcontractor for new developments.Stacy Mitchell, Keynote SpreakerStacy Mitchell is a senior researcher with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, a 32-year-old national nonprofit organization working to advance sustainable, community-based economic development.  Ms. Mitchell specializes in strategies to strengthen and expand locally owned retail businesses and has served as an advisor to policymakers, community organizations, and small business groups across the country.  She is the author of the book The Hometown Advantage, regularly contributes articles to magazines and newspapers, and has produced reports such as, 10 Reasons Why Maine's Homegrown Economy Matters and 50 Proven Ways to Revive It.  A frequent speaker at conferences and forums, Ms. Mitchell also chairs the board of the American Independent Business Alliance, a coalition working to build awareness of the value of locally owned businesses.  She lives in Portland, Maine. More information about the Institute for Local Self-Reliance can be found at olhttp://www.ilsr.org/ lram 0000,0000,00olSpecial Offer! Network in Austin Members can sign up for the AIBA member rate. Register Todaylram 0000,0000,00 for the Full Event, or the Keynote Breakfast at olwww.IBuyAustin.com lram 0000,0000,00or call 512-441-2123. ollram FFF9,0000,00ollram 0000,0000,00For Exhibitor Information, contact Melissa Miller at olMelissa@IBuyAustin.com lram 0000,0000,00or 512-266-3328.

Consistency is probably the most important element of any marketing strategy.  I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the various things that I do. Almost all of it comes down to helping people market and build their businesses or careers. Of course networking is my personal favorite marketing strategy, and the work I do with Levelfield as their referral program coordinator is about helping people develop successful marketing tools.  The number of marketing tools and strategies out there is absolutely endless. None of them work if you don’t implement them and do them consistently over time. I’m not saying that every marketing strategy works. Something what works exceedingly well for your friend may not work in your industry or with your target market. Most people spend too much time trying to find the marketing magic bullet. There is no magic bullet. The best strategy is the one that you do consistently over time, and continue to refine as you learn more about that strategy. If you’re like me and most of the people I know; the best way to learn is by doing. Reading more and more books and not acting on any of the information you learn will NOT help you get more clients or find your next job.  Now STOP reading my blog and go sell something! (but, feel free to come back later… AND be sure to act on the things you learn here.) Happy Networking! Scott IngramNetworkInAustin.com Yes, you’re right! I’ve not been blogging as consistently as I used to. Having a new baby girl has had a fairly significant impact on my own level of consistency. Thanks for your patience as I work on become both more effective and more consistent myself.

After years of networking, referrals still don't always make sense to me. They never seem to come from the people I'd expect them from. The lesson I've learned is that it's most important to take care of those people who DO refer you. Referral partners don't always work out the way we think they will. I'll be the first to admit that I've spent dozens of hours getting to know certain individuals who I thought could refer me a lot of business. I've bought them lunch after lunch, learned about their business, their families and their interests. I worked hard to make sure I gave them value. Usually in the form of referrals to help them grow their own businesses. Even still, some of these folks have NEVER referred me. Not because we don't have a great relationship and trust each other. It just hasn't happened. I went through this experience over and over while I was building my IT consulting business in California. Fortunately I've learned from my mistakes since I've been here in Austin. I'm always surprised by where my referrals come from. The individuals that refer me are almost never the people I would expect. Here's they key: If someone refers you once they are far more likely to refer you again... and again... and again! Pay close attention to where you referrals come from. Spend the bulk of your time cultivating relationships with those people who DO refer you, not on those who COULD refer you. Of course I'm not saying you shouldn't be building new relationships with people who are in a great position to refer you. I'm simply suggesting that you invest in the people who are already helping you. Add value however you can. Certainly the best way to thank someone for a referral is to turn around and refer them. That's what most people are looking for, but don't assume. Take the time to get to know the great people who refer you. What makes them tick? Look for things that you can do for them that may not be obvious. Only by asking and building an even stronger relationship will you learn how you can really help someone. If you're anything at all like me one of the key reasons you network is to get referrals. Do a good job of taking care of the people who take care of you, and you'll get more and wonderful referrals. Happy networking! Scott IngramNetworkInAustin.com