The benefits of the BWN
Here our Founder Mandie Holgate shares a lesson that she has learnt about The BWN…
When people get in touch about attending the BWN they assume it’s going to be about increasing sales, confidence and success…. well our tagline is “As passionate about your success as you are.”
And we have cut a path for ourselves as an organisation that offers networking that gives you coordinators that go out of their way to learn more about you and your business so that they can help you get the results they want. (As a member we get you to answer 5 questions that we then post on our blog about you too)
And put you in front of some of the top speakers in the UK, that is why we know that our networking genuinely delivers. However more and more over the last few months I’ve become aware that the BWN does something just as powerful.
The BWN was founded by me in 2009 after my coaching practice saw me working predominantly with business women and regardless of what they brought to the table I realised we needed an environment where we could ask any question, say anything and get the results we wanted to succeed, overcoming fears and striving for success.
Creating an environment where you could confidently say anything and not feel stupid or self-conscious about it has had a knock on effect. I’ve heard story after story of life long friendships being created.
Of business women dashing across the UK to be there for one another, why? Because they met at the BWN many years ago, and that’s what you do for friends right?
Whether it’s a bereavement, , illness, a divorce, a poorly loved one or just a lousy week, these business women know that whether you need to be able to turn up on a doorstep and have a hug or just talk in a direct message on Facebook, BWN are there for each other.
This is a whole new level to our network and one I for one had not foreseen but I’m immensely proud to hear is happening.
If you don’t want to be a part of this, you would never know it was happening, because I’m so adamant there will never be any clickiness to our events. Why?
Because I was on the outside of that as a young girl! Hearing girls giggle and making the ridiculous assumption that they were laughing about me, regardless of what the laughing is about, it’s horrible right? We need to work together to achieve success, however it’s all too easy to slip back into that negative mindset when you hear laughter at an event and think “What are they laughing at?”
So if you are looking for events that could help you gain new business, increase your confidence (because as a coach I see this play such a critical role in people’s success) and increase your success AND gain some team members that will be there no matter what. I highly recommend the BWN.
I too have found myself on the receving end of love, kindness and caring. Now when you consider that also comes with buckets of sales and new skills, that’s definetly a win win situation and all with no membership!
(The BWN is growing fast with new locations launching in September in October. If you don’t see a venue in your area, have you considered getting paid to network? Learn more here, or get in touch.)
How to create a successful YouTube Channel
Elene Marsden rocked it at our Marks Tey Hotel event in Colchester this January with 50+ business women left wanting more. And 2 lucky business women will be featuring in Elene’s YouTube TV Show very soon. 
Well done Melanie Winning and Sandra Sparrowhawk! Sandra will be presenting a 10 minute how to use scarves to make a statement and Melanie (award winninng Make Up Artist) will be sharing how to create the Audrey Hepburn look!
(Well done ladies and we look forward to seeing more!)
Elene loves the BWN so much, that Elene has signed up to be a member too! Here Elene shares how to create a successful YouTube Channel, thank you Elene!
With over 1 billion users on YouTube and viewers spending on average 40 minutes a day watching videos, isn’t it time you looked at using YouTube in your business?
What are the benefits?
- Educate customers and prospects
- Entertain your viewers
- Demonstrate your professionalism
- Be a leader in your field and inspire others
Once you decide to use YouTube you’ll need to create your own channel. Follow this link to set things up https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/1646861?hl=en-GB
It’s also important to set goals, e.g. how many subscribers do you want, by when?
Follow these steps once you’ve created your YouTube channel
- Fill out the About section
- Upload channel art
- Add social and blog links
Creating the channel art can be tricky, here’s a link to create a template using the correct dimensions
https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2972003?hl=en-GB
Now it’s time to OPTIMISE YOUR CHANNEL
- Add a channel trailer
- Add sections
- Consider using Featured Channels
- Create playlists
Divide your own content into playlists and also create playlists using videos that you’ve curated from other channels that complement your own content.
Follow these steps to upload your videos to YouTube
- Edit video before uploading
- Add title
- Add description
- Include links to websites and other videos
- Add keywords
- Watch and like your own video
- Share on social media
Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to our Preloved Chica Channel where you’ll see these recommendations being put into practice
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBZVyOE7BSpCFaBkoRJDoVg
Best Wishes
“Share our Passion for Fashion.”
How To Get The Most Out Of Exhibiting With Us
Spending £25 on a stand to exhibit your products and services at one of our events is not going to break the bank, however we want to share ways to help you really maximise on exhibiting with us. Here is our quick top ten tips to help you get the more out of exhibiting;
1. Know why you are exhibiting. Yes you want people to buy from you, but what else? Signing up to your newsletter? Getting to know you on social media? What actions do you want people to take? And don’t assume anything, if you want people to connect with you on social media, have a clear poster that gives a QR code and says “Use this QR code to keep in touch. (You can create your own QR codes easily, just Google it); 
2. Exhibiting is just that, a chance to create a shop front that enables people to see how you can help them. The full scope of what you do. Think about what are the assumptions that are made about what you do and ask yourself do we address them on our stand? Do we answer the “No’s” that people have? (A top tip here that by knowing and understanding the “No’s” that stop a sale, you can get them into your marketing to break down the No’s. Cool right?)
3. What are the big goals? Okay so you get them to sign up to get to know you on social media, they want to know more and sign up to your newsletter and email campaigns but what would the ultimate goals be? If you sell something what would the follow up purchase be? What else or how often do you want them to buy? Do you tell people about these opportunities when you exhibit?
4. Tell everyone! Okay so with The BWN you know we go out of our way to promote the fact that
you are at our events, however it is not an assumption you can take the risk on taking. What warm leads do you have that you would love the chance to tell them more about what you do? What connections do you have that could also benefit from this event? By spreading the word this can help your event success in a number of ways; firstly you get to spread the word on the event to increase the foot fall, secondly you get the chance to remind people why you and how you invest in your business and the professionalism of your company and thirdly think how much the event organisers will love you for spreading the word. The next top tips share how to do this!
5. Share the link to the event you are exhibiting at on your social media. Include the organisers social media (ours is @BWNcouk in case you were wondering!) so that they too can spread the word on you, promote the event and raise yours and the events profile. The more people that know about the event, the more people know about you and your business.
6. Tell people in your next newsletter or email campaign. Writing a blog article? Add in there something like “If you would like to learn more I will be offering taster sessions/bringing this fabulous product to this event, and it would be great to see you there. Include a link. Remember marketing is about making it easy for people to get involved.
7. If you are networking, add it to your 60 seconds promo slot. The more people you can get to your stand to see what you do and how you help people, the better.
8. What do your guests get? So a freebie chocolate, free pen, pad or entry into a raffle
may get you a smile out of a delegate, however if there are 20+ exhibitors in the room will you be remembered in a weeks time? What can you do to ensure people stay in touch? What about saying thank you or “Hi” on the coordinators social media. Getting in touch after the event. Remember to be consistent, relevant and non salesly. If you have attended an event its highly likely many will automatically have added your details to their data base. The epitome of salesly, no respect for your time attitude that can seriously risk your ability to create and nurture a new relationship that will enable business to happen, so what would work?
9. Think about the delegates event experience. By the time they get to your stand, they’ve been asked maybe 20 times “What do you do?” “What do you think of the event?” “Do you use X?” How can your stand have an impact? How can you ensure people walk away from your stand smiling and thinking “That was good!” rather than here we go again!
10. Don’t stand behind your stand. One of reasons you are exhibiting is so you can expand
on the business card and 60 second promo slot so that people want to buy from you. To do that you want to build relationships either with people that don’ know you or who know you a little. A table is basically a physical barrier between you and the delegate. It can send a sub-conscious message to the brain that says you are unapproachable. When The BWN exhibit, we put the chairs to one side of our stand and encourage delegates to take a seat. Most women are in heels and guess how popular we are when we encourage people to have a seat and tell us about their business and how we may be able to help? By being on your delegates agenda and finding out how you can help them, you can really start a great relationship. And exhibiting is about creating a shop front that people want to stick around and learn more about and then buy. So from today to the event, make the journey into a sale a fun, enjoyable (and easy to achieve) one!
We hope you find these top tips helpful. There are lots more resources on our website under blog and reports and our founder Mandie Holgate‘s Website, who will be selling her books. Ooo did you see what we did there!
See you at Our Big Christmas Events this December!
Ninja, Jayne Lloyd Photography at The BWN
If you are a regular at BWN events you will no doubt have seen me snapping away at the monthly meetings – I’m Jayne Lloyd, and for the last year I have had the pleasure of being the BWN Colchester’s official photographer.
I attend most BWN meetings and photograph the events in a discreet, documentary style. 
I always try to capture the feel of the event so that people can get a real sense of what the meeting was like, as well as providing a record of the event for those who were there. After the meeting I process the images and add them to the BWN Facebook page, where each businesswoman is tagged.
It’s a great way to show your Facebook connections what you’re up to and keep the conversation going beyond the event itself, as well as being a great opportunity to add some professional photographs to your online marketing.
I’m really happy for attendees to use the watermarked web copies online – so if I take a shot you’d like to use as your profile picture I’d be delighted for you to do so! I just ask that you let me know, credit ‘Jayne Lloyd Photography’ and include a link and tag where possible.
As an extra bonus for regular BWN attendees, if you would like to use any of the images at high resolution for your marketing materials you can purchase the digital file for a special rate of £15 and use it for all your promotional needs. 
All the images from past events are available to view on my website, where you can order the files directly: www.jaynelloyd.co.uk/bwn
I look forward to continuing to work with the BWN and with all the fantastic businesswomen I meet at each event.
Do come and say hello, and if you’d like to connect in the meantime please feel free to add me on Twitter: @jaynelloyd,
Facebook: Facebook.com/JayneLloydPhotography,
Instagram: instagram.com/jayne_lloyd/ or email me at jayne@jaynelloyd.co.uk
Jayne Lloyd is a freelance photographer based in Colchester, specialising in working with businesses and organisations to create images that communicate their brand visually.