CONUNDRUM & PERSERVERANCE

As Gary Player is alledged to have said "it's funny the harder I practise the luckier I seem to become" so here goes.

In 12 months I have built my current business to a turnover of £1m + with 90%+ coming from some form of networking, whether it was personal referrals from satisfied clients (the best), email newsletters, friends (mainly sport - rugby but particularly cricket).

I joined 4Networking about 200 days ago (thanks to the counter on here) and during that time have completely failed to gain one single business introduction and there has to be a reason.

I appreciate that the product I am selling will have no direct appeal to most members but we all know people, or people that know people that face recruitment challenges some of which I might be able to help with.

During the week I sent an email around existing clients and contacts and was astonished by the positive response that has certainly given me food for thought.

Why, with little effort, can I grow my business, through other forms of networking and whatever I do nothing seems to work for me on 4N?

Thats the sympathy vote appealed to!

Anyway onwards and upwards I'm off to Poland on a recruitment drive on the 26th June for a week and the advertising campaign kicks off at the end of next week if anybody knows anybody, that knows anybody who might know someone, who could possibly etc...

Here is my current shopping list

CALLING ALL ENGLISH SPEAKING POLES

JOBS AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE UK

GO TO WEBSITE FOR FULL DESCRIPTION AND APPLICATION PROCEDURES

SNAPSHOT OF CURRENT VACANCIES

ELECTRICIANS UK WIDE 10 £7-£15 JULY GOOD

TIMBER FRAME 4 SITES 5 £7-£11 JUNE PRE INT+

HOTEL DEVON 4 £5.55 NOW 2 X GOOD

2 X PRE INT

FOOD FACTORY SOMERSET 2 £6.00 JUNE GOOD

PRODUCTION LINE SOMERSET ONGOING £5.75 ?? PRE INT

CHEFS YORKSHIRE 5 £7-£10 NOW INTER +

BUTCHERS GLOUCESTER 4 AGRIC SEPT PRE INT

Have 3 more to add as a result of the recent email 2 in the Hotel sector in Cumbria, 4 joiners in Hampshire and possibility - if it is genuine - of 50 to Malaysia, who are "shopping" in the UK for construction skills - more evidence of the global village we now inhabit.

Higher skilled positions are a possibility but are getting more difficult and certainly take more time owing to the weakness of the £.

This isn't a knock at 4N but if others know of tricks to unlock the 4N network please let me and others know the techniques as I know I am far from being alone in having got no business out of 4N.

If you think I can be of assistance, then subject to receiving/constructing a job description please PM me with any leads and they will be followed up within 2 working days.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Hi Chris, maybe you need to analyse your approach?

Just to clarify, Is this about the online side or the physical networking side you are talking about?

Chris,

I have been a member only for a short while. During that period, we have gained 30 new clients ( Thank you all for that!). We are just finalising details with one 4Networker who is so enthusiastic about our Bluetooth product, that he will be our exclusive reseller for the 4Network community.

I have to say, I have been suscribed to at least 12 other business forums, and 4N , by far stands head and shoulders above any other. I came on here, not only to hopefully get new business, but to receive help and give help whenever possible and to become part of a community that is really like one big family. This is a great forum and no 'jobs worth' moderators who have no other ambition in life but to feel important regulating a forum. having said that, I don't feel there is any need for one on this site.

I am not quite sure why you are concerned anyway, you have built a business up to a T/O of £1m without 4N, I would say carry on with what you are doing, it is obviously right. Good luck for the future!

Chris,

I think any form of business networking works in different ways for different people.

Firstly, I'm sure you've found good quality suppliers through 4N, these in turn may lead to more business.

Secondly, use the passport with a passion. Make sure you're getting the most value out of your 4N passport by visiting as many groups as possible. Your basic service isn't that difficult to understand - if someone wants decent quality Polish staff, you will source them - so it strikes me that that should be delivered to as many different people as possible. As well as the actual 4N members in the room, I am guessing the venue hosts would have a huge interest in your service as well. In Oxfordshire, for example, Hackett's of Witney already employ several eastern European staff to great success, and presumably have a turnover which needs managing whereas another venue tell me they don't wish to employ eastern Europeans because of a perceived language barrier.

Thinking on that, bearing in mind that 4N use quite a lot of Whitbread plc venues, I wonder how they manage their eastern European staffing?

I wrote an article for the forthcoming 4community magazine on networking - I would have thought an article on employing Polish staff would also interest a good number of the members (you might tell me you've done that already). Something about the pros, cons and pitfalls to avoid. Again, if you're not doing it already, a 4Sight tour on the same subject would be good.

And, if I might ask a question, what business have you passed out to others Chris? What connections and contacts do you have that will benefit other 4N members? And do they know that?

Great post.. great approach Chris.. the £1mil turnover, ben refered to from persoanl network, how long have you been "networking" with those constituants?

There so many intengibile business benefits from 4N, yea i recognise the need to win new business from 4N.. and cleary it comes as you well know from other members. But its not a guarantee, but a platform.

Someone said recently to me "4Ns not working, so i won't be renewing beyond the trial passport, but i'd really like to be able to come along now and again because i really enjoy it".

In that case, 4N is working.. garnering enjoyment out of it, which has a knockon effect on that persons work day, life and environment.. Your business £1m turnover is sensible, additional work would be nice (and i will address those points, in a later post in this thread, later) however your getting benefit from being a member of the network whether its translating to the balance sheet. You are still getting some benefit, business, personal and increased network.

Tony as above has paid £0 he's never even been to a group yet has had massive biz benefit. So the question you need to ask yourself is, is the £500 membership + £10 per meet breakfast worth it to you, if the answer is no, then theres your answer. Or should you just stick to the online bit for £0

If however like the person above who said "4N isn't working, but i quite enjoy it", in the same way you enjoy a glass of wine to relax, then there is some benefits to be had.

I'll come back to htis thread later as regards some possible angles to win some 'real ££ business'..

Just to add, i really admire your approach in this thread Chris.. all joking aside. I hope the community can all contribute to this.. in order to help with the answers.

If you thrive on a direct, shopping list, non-social approach to gaining business, then I suppose you need to be matched to other people who favour the direct, shopping list, non-social approach to helping you find it! Maybe trying to do the social bit, at the expense of having a clear shopping list, means that your specific business requirements are falling down cracks? Is this the first clear shopping list you have produced in 4Networking?

What twaddle, you stay as you are Chris, you are a breathe of fresh air in this network, your honest no nonsense approach is fantastic. Too many people state things to me offline however when I read their posts on here, they are totally different. I guess this is the tactical side of business or simply being a snake in the grass, either way it's not a path I will be treading.

Maybe one of the reasons you don't find business from 4N, is because very few members employ people who you are targeting. I think it's that simple and didn't take 1000 words.

(1) Stefan - In my case, Chris as a client of mine has been generous in passing on leads to me from his own network as well as giving me some valuable and much appreciated advice.

(2) Chris - in terms of passporting, have you been up to this neck of the woods?
Ie. a radius of Cheltenham - Redditch - Hereford - Monmouth
Possibly some businesses and sectors up here to be tapped into? Eg. agricultural, food production, light industry.
Walls, Gloucester. Bulmers, Hereford. Robinsons jam factory in Ledbury.
4N member Gary Watts of 7Y services in Hereford may be of use to you. They have an Agricultural Services division. Feel free to mention my name if you contact him.

Chris commissioned my services a few months ago, he has since expanded or businesses relationship due to favourable results. One thing I will say, in my opinion he is one of the most genuine people on this network.

Solid post Gillie

Perhaps certain 4N members (the ones who are finding it successful - both online and offline) could act as 4N Mentors?

I understand that any one is approachable, as am I, but maybe there needs to be a more accessible form of help?

I personally believe a big factor is based on business model.

Just an idea :)

Yea we thought about that, its a solid idea and principle. But in all fairness it starts placing a structure in, and there's an outside chance "lording it" could happen as a result. Everyones accessible, online and throughout the groups. Not only that one person will not have the answer just because they a prefect.

True,

Actually thinking about it, a certain other business networking site is a bit like that!.......

I feel though that people will probably not feel that they can approach someone for fear of spamming?

More emphasis should probably be placed on "everyone being accessible".

Yes, agreed. Lots of food for thought Gill (for lots of people) and particularly relevant here because of your personal relationship with Chris.

Chris, I don't have much to add to the sound advice here, except to say that I hope to receive the details of that lead I PM'd you about last week soon.