Matt GenoveseI wear a number of hats, and one is that of an engineer.  As such, I love talking to other engineers about professional networking.  Why?  Because most of my brethren don't do it, at least on purpose Read more »

Congratulations to the members of the 2010 Class of Leadership Austin who are just beginning an incredible journey together: Read more »

Emily CrawfordSo, you know most of your business comes from referrals.  That's the case for most of us, right? But how do you get more of them when you need them most? Here are 4 strategies for your weekly calendar to promote introductions to the people you want to meet all year long.   4 CALLS PER DAY Call four people from your Sphere of Influence each day. Schedule time in the morning in a location that lifts your spirits to call the people who matter most to you.  By now (or now!) you should have sorted your database to establish your Top 100.  These folks should hear from you often. They should know who you are and want to see you succeed. For some. it may take time to build to this number.  On the other hand, advanced networkers may double this number and top out at 200.  Bring a spirit of service and generosity to your calls.    3 PERSONAL NOTES Write three personal notes each week. Advanced networkers will enjoy three per day!  Hand written correspondence is powerful because it is ALWAYS read. In the swirl of email and texting, personal notes stand out.  Be sure to send a handwritten thank you note to anyone who sends you a referral or provides an introduction. You may be surprised how good you feel when you mail your notes.   2 DATES The most valuable thing you can give is your time and attention.  Schedule at least two one-on-one meetings each week to connect with your Sphere and to follow up with new people whom you are considering for your Top 100. Seek out locations that are uplifting.  Look for what brings energy and vitality to the face of your associate.  Give them feedback and encourage them in this direction. Focus your attention on how you can help this person but don't be afraid to ask for what you want as well.   1 EVENT Host or attend one event each week. These are opportunities to meet new people and connect with your current Sphere of Influence in a group setting.  Find events that stimulate you and bring out your best.  Be on the look out for people who 'get you'.  Follow up with your best connections using the one of the above methods. Finally, experiment with hosting Client Appreciation Parties to say thank you to your top referral partners.    Don't let another week fly by without attending to your most valuable business asset: your Sphere of Influnece. Exercise the 4:3:2:1 habit to cultivate rewarding, powerful relationships and generate new business with more ease. -- Emily Crawford is a native Texan and UT graduate. She is an active agent with urbanspace Realtors, as well as a Trainer and Coach. Emily was recently named Volunteer of the Year for Small Business by the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce.

For the last few months I've been working with an incredible team to develop a vision: The Membership Organization Leadership Series. Most of my own community leadership experience is working with these membership driven organizations: Chambers of Commerce, Rotary Clubs, Young Professionals Organizations, Networking Groups and of course NetworkInAustin.com. In working on the boards and committees within these organizations and occasionally consulting with groups I find that what they're trying to accomplish is almost universal. Yet each group tries to find solutions and answers to the same questions in isolation. The Top 6 Questions: How do we grow our membership? How do we retain our existing members? How can we better engage our members so that they attend more events, volunteer on committees and ultimately help us on the board? How can we add more value for our members? What can we do to make our events unique, valuable and worth attending? How can we control costs and increase revenue so we can do all of this? NetworkInAustin was designed not just to serve individual networks, but also the various business, networking, civic and non-profit organizations throughout the Greater Austin area that host networking events. What better way to serve them than to bring together their leadership (board of directors and committee chairs) to work together to find answers and best practices around these 6 key questions? That is precisely what the Membership Organization Leadership Series is all about! The vision is quickly becoming a reality. The first part of our 3 part series is scheduled for Tuesday, September 15th. You'll find the complete details and registration information here. We've worked to make the series very affordable and until August 31st you can register to attend all 3 events for just $85! This post can't possibly be complete until I profusely thank the host committee and our incredible sponsors. Without them all of this would still just be a dream:                  Ali Khataw, Chair Austin Asian American Chamber of Commerce Amy Welborn, President-Elect Austin Young Lawyers Association & Board of Directors Austin Bar Association Ben Marks, Heartland Payment Systems Christine Choate, President-Elect Entrepreneurs' Organization Christopher Popov, President-Elect Austin Young Lawyers Association Donna Fox, Fox Career Mentors Heather McKissick, President/CEO Leadership Austin Kim Wilson, Director of Development Greenlights Lamar Romero, Romero Capital and Funding Laura Valentino Romero, Absolute Austin Realty Matt Kouri, Executive Director Greenlights Maurice Benson, Chair Leadership Austin Emerge Natalie Kennedy, Kennedy Creative Pilar Sanchez, President-Elect Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Priscilla Guajardo Cortez FuturoFund Scott Lawrence, Membership Chair Catalyst 8 Dave Jobe, Karmadillo Happy Networking! -Scott Ingram NetworkInAustin.com