Global Marketing Plus

Networking is not just a great way to get new business, it also is a great way to meet people who can help you get business and to grow your business with their expertise and support.  I believe that the more support and assistance you have, the better.

A mentor is a trusted counselor or influential supporter who takes a personal interest in your success.  One great source of mentors is SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives).  SCORE is free and you can have one-on-one counseling for your business and build a long term mentor.  I like to think of SCORE as a board of directors for a small business that cannot afford one.  I know small businesses who have several counselors, each with his or her own expertise.  One might be a marketing professional, one an accountant, one a retired banker, and so on.  When you need advise and help with marketing, you call on your marketing professional.  SCORE is a great resource that you never have to pay for.  And you never have to worry about confidentiality because to be a SCORE counselor, you have to sign a contract with the SBA. 

You can contact me if you would like to find a SCORE office near you.

A strategic alliance is someone who is in a position to open the door to resources and contacts.

In my web design business, I found it very difficult to find those business owners that currently needed my services.  So I have created several strategic alliances with other professionals who already either have a large clientele of business owners or contact business owners on a regular basis.  When they come across someone who needs a website either built or fixed, the refer them to me.  They give me their contact information so I can follow up on them.

Running a small business on your own can be daunting and difficult.  A mentor or a strategic alliance can ease your way through the tough, competitive times.  Mentors and strategic alliances opens doors for you to knowledge, skills , referrals and contacts you might otherwise need years to access.

How can you develop these resources for yourself?  We will discuss that tomorrow.

So today, go out and create a profitable day!