Why I’ve networked with the BWN for 10 years…
Sarah Travers from Ajax Wealth Management was the second person to buy a 2021 Golden Ticket for our networking and business growth events. As we sent the invoice we noticed that Sarah has been networking with us since 2010!
We asked Sarah why she networked with us so much and this is the reply Sarah sent us.
“I have had the pleasure of being involved with the Business Woman’s Network for 10 years. Wow! That time has flown by and I have enjoyed every minute of it. Read on to find out why I still network with the BWN after all these years.
Support
One of the most important aspects for me is that the business women (and men) who regularly attend the BWN are incredibly supportive of each other. Whether that is helping with ideas, connecting with others, or simply just being a sounding board, the members are genuinely interested in each other’s businesses and want to help them thrive. Who wouldn’t want to meet people like that?
Mandie Holgate, who founded the BWN, also cannot do more to promote and support the BWN members. She has a passion for helping businesses to succeed and her energy and enthusiasm brings a real buzz to the meetings.
Education
As I am constantly telling my children, we never stop learning and the BWN meetings have excellent guest speakers covering a variety of subjects aimed to support people in business. I cannot think of a meeting where I have not learned something and always feel it is time well spent.
The confidential Insider group on Facebook is also a great place to ask questions, find resources, learn and grow without any selling at other members.
Fun and Friendship
Over the years I have got to know many lovely people that I have met through the BWN and consider them to be friends as well as business associates. Although the meetings are for serious business, they also have a generous helping of fun; one of the most memorable for me being a visit from Mary Poppins (aka Nicola Goodchild) who had us all feeling like slightly naughty, giggly children. Laughter really is the best medicine, even for serious business owners!
Networking That Works
When I first started networking, I would dip in and out, attend a meeting here and there then get too busy to attend. That doesn’t work. I am now a Golden Ticket holder for the Colchester events and make sure I attend every month. It takes time to build relationships and trust, that can only be achieved by being consistent, being yourself and being reliable.
Golden Ticket holders can also write for the BWN blog and attend other BWN meetings for a minimal fee. With the meetings being held virtually at present location is not important and I am getting to meet even more fantastic business owners.
If you haven’t tried networking, or have tried in the past but didn’t get anything from it, I wholeheartedly recommend you give the BWN a go, I’m sure you won’t regret it.
Sarah Travers, Independent Financial Adviser, Ajax Wealth Management
To learn more about our Golden Ticket click here
To join us on the confidential mastermind group click here.
Our events are virtual and are the 1st Wed, 2nd Thurs, 3rd Fri and 4th Thurs of every month. We also have exclusive events for our mastermind group – The Insiders that you can watch again whenever you like from top international speakers and business experts.
And Sarah’s investment with us this year has been £190!
How to get the most out of networking with The BWN
If you are looking to grow your business, your confidence and your profit, we are so much more than just somewhere to network once a month. Here is how to get the most our networking with The BWN.
1.Help yourself to our social media. We actively encourage our members (and a member is someone who walks through the door once a month) to talk about what they are doing, creating, building, winning or even struggling with on our social media;
- On Facebook you can post to our page and we will like and share your content.
- On Twitter if you mention @BWNcouk we will like and retweet your content for you.
- On our LinkedIn page you are welcome to post discussions, ask questions and talk about your business.
To access all of our social media just visit the home page and click on the right social media logo.
2. A Golden Ticket means you get to network at one venue for better than the early bird rate and you get all these discounts and benefits too;
- Write for our blog for FREE (Usual fee £75).
- Guaranteed 60 seconds Promo Slot.
- Give your 60 seconds to another business woman (We only have a maximum of 25 Promo slots at each event) and you can bring your banner to the event for FREE – Great evergreen marketing for you.
- Feature on our website for FREE.
- Discounts on sponsoring the website.
- Discounts on sponsoring an event.
- Discounts on exhibiting at an event.
- Can’t make an event? Still get your opportunities and events mentioned in the Business Ops slot of that event and other relevant local events. (Please note this requires a minimum of 48 hours notice.)
3.How to make a Golden Ticket really sparkle. If you want even more out of your Golden Ticket you can purchase multiple events tickets and gain even more savings!
- 1 venue – £125 (Full price £165)
- 2 venue – £230 (Full price £330)
- 3 venue – £315 (Full price £495)
4. The Insiders is a confidential learning zone, research centre and advice mastermind group that has helped business owners;
- Increase profit
- Take on new premises
- Employ their first staff
- Overcome fears – fear of the phone, fear of asking for what you want, fear of saying No to a customer when they ask for too much, fear of going live, fear of creating video, fear of blogging and getting your opinions out there to help you sell more.
- Learn new skills that have directly led to new business, new opportunities and new sales.
- Get 1st refusal on PR and other opportunities
- Access webinars from our affiliate experts
- Access discounts from our Insiders affiliates.
Best of all it is just £5 a month – Business women say it is the best money they spend on their business, every month!
5. Do you find yourself making notes of who you need to connect with on social media and who to email or call and a list of ideas thanks to the speaker then find you don’t get around to taking action and doing the things you learnt. You get back to the office and the business cards, notes and ideas get added to your long list of to do’s but don’t get actioned.
Annoying isn’t it?
The BWN Success Manual is a great way of putting your ideas, notes, your calendar, who you met, what you said you would do, and even create a strategy to ensure you do it, in one place. It includes;
- A place to write who you met, what you said you would do and how you could help them, so you can build a relationship from day 1.
- 2 x 1 year calendars.
- Space to structure what you learnt from the masterclass and how to ensure you take action.
- Top tips and ideas to help you network more successfully, follow up more effectively and make networking more cost effective.
- Space to add additional thoughts and journal what you notice.
- A way of looking at your networking strategy and results to see how to improve, where you are already improving and where you could do with some assistance.
- Golden Nugget ideas.
- Goal planning sections – short term, long term and the plan to achieve.
- You can buy yours at any event for £10 or online for £16. We love seeing the BWN Success Manuals at events making life easier for you.
6. Sponsoring the BWN website is a great way to get seen by our audiences all year round. One of our sponsors has already signed up to the end of 2020 so you can see this could be very useful to you and your business.
7. Our blog is packed with ideas and solutions and some really emotional, fantastic and inspiring stories from our members. You can read it all here https://old.thebusinesswomansnetwork.co.uk/bwn-blog/
8. You can sponsor a BWN event. We only allow 1 sponsor per event so its a great way to stand out. You get 1 ticket, 1 exhibitors stand, your business literature on every place setting and your business promoted on all of the marketing for that event on and off line.
You can access all of these offers (and more!) via our website, and just head to the offers heading to find the offer right for you.