What's New?

We once considered writing a sitcom about the business center industry. It would be called As the Business Center Turns or The Young and the Old. We believe that it would make for some good stories, and we are sure that you have some juicy stories of your own. Our business is ever-changing and so is our clientele. We recently attended the ABCN Strategic Summit and the OBCAI conference and got some interesting stories about how our industry is changing to meet the demand of our clientele. At both conferences we learned about a new trend in our industry – self-storage facilities combined with office space. At first, we dismissed the idea. But after learning about the business model, it made perfect sense. Many of our prospects do not need the image of a Class A operation; they just need a place to incubate while launching a new business. We offer this new idea just as means to get your creative juices flowing and challenge you to come up with the next big idea for your local market and clientele.

Masters of the Academy

The ALLIANCE Academy dream is now becoming a reality. When we started the company as a resource to the business center industry, we knew we had to reach all four corners of the world to truly make a difference to the centers and the clients' they serve. The Academy has a Master Trainer in Germany and we are in the negotiating phase of adding Master Trainers in Spain and Italy. So, if you don't speak southern, don't worry – we will be providing workshops in your native tongue in all countries in the near future. If you feel that you have what it takes to empower team members to be the best they can be and you are fluent in a second language then contact Susan Smith to learn about the benefits of joining the ALLIANCE Academy.

Training that Works

Networking: It's the Way to Grow

Some people are born networkers. They see a room full of strangers as a buffet table of business prospects. But for many of us, the prospect of meeting new people with a view to gaining business is about as appetizing as making an appointment for a root canal. Here are some common concerns expressed by new networkers:

• I don't know how to talk to new people about what I do.
• I don't want to waste other people's time.
• I don't know where to go to network.
• Networking seems like a waste of time; I don't see results.

While these may seem like daunting obstacles at first, with practice and a couple of those deep breaths, you can overcome them all and network like a pro.

Know what you're selling. It pays to know in advance how you would briefly describe what you do, and what makes your services stand out from the crowd.

"I help companies empower their workforce and increase profit," is much more likely to spark interest and provoke follow-up on questions than a bland, "I'm a training consultant." Once you have your listener's interest, you can go on to give more detail. And say it like you mean it. If you don't sound confident about your services, you won't inspire the confidence in others that is essential to successful networking.

Provide something of value. The most successful networkers are those who have learned how to listen actively and identify opportunities. If the executive you're chatting with at a networking event tells you he's struggling to find good employees, don't mentally switch off because you're not an HR specialist.

Instead, ask yourself how you could be helpful. Do you know a great HR consultant you could refer him to? Did you just read an article about a related issue that you could offer to send him?

You won't always be able to provide assistance, but when you can, you accomplish at least two goals — first, you have shown yourself to be a connection worth keeping, and second, you've given yourself a great opportunity to follow up with your new contact, reinforcing the professional link that may one day result in new business.

Be open to networking opportunities. You shouldn't be shy about asking other clients what networking venues they find to be the most productive. You may be surprised how willing they are to help the newbie, and you'll know to "pay it forward" when you have a chance to lend a hand to someone else starting out.

Don't overlook some other prime, yet perhaps less obvious, networking opportunities. What about your former classmates at that dreaded class reunion, or the other parents shivering on the sidelines of your first-grader's weekly soccer game? It's perfectly acceptable to mention the kind of work you do and to ask about the professional interests of those around you. You never know what business development seeds you'll be able to plant until you try to get them in the ground.

The Internet also opens up new realms for networking. Reaching out to let colleagues from the past know what you are doing these days is a snap using any of the abundant business-oriented social networks such as LinkedIn. You'll be amazed at how delighted people are to hear from you and how interested they are in your new professional role.

Don't expect instant results, and do expect to work hard. Many new networkers become discouraged when their networking efforts don't translate immediately into tangible results. Understand that it takes many networking efforts to generate a piece of actual business. Think of each networking effort as a small piece of a bigger structure — your professional networks — that, over time, will establish your credibility and reputation.

If you decide, for example, that you are going to secure one speaking engagement for the next calendar quarter, and have one in-person networking meeting each week, you are much more likely to follow through and achieve those goals than if you simply have a vague plan to "get your name out there."

Networking seems daunting to many people when they first start out. But if you can inject some planning and a lot of enthusiasm, you will find it both professionally and personally rewarding.

Case Study

Helping your clients get business helps you retain them as a client. Is your focus on making your clients more successful? If not, listen up — because your competitors are doing just that. We were recently engaged by an ABCN Member to shop their centers and their competition to develop a training program that would enable them to edge out their competition. What we discovered is that the competition's managers were truly interested in making their client more successful and gaining new business for each client. What a concept! No wonder this operator has unbelievable retention rates for both team members and clients.

How do they do it?

• They hire people that understand their role in the local and global economy;
• The managers have ownership of the day-to-day operation;
• The managers are responsible for lead generation;
• They never lose sight that the customer is the sole reason for being in business – so give the customer more business.

To be successful in these tough economic times, you must make your clients more successful. So, walk the floors and find out how your clients find clients and start mining for some prospects for each client in the center.

If you would like to find out how you and your team can better connect with your clients to help them reach their goals, contact us today.

Focus On...

These Are Ever Changing Times

Change happens. It maybe be a worn out cliché, but really, change is all around us – all the time! What's important is that we embrace change, realize it is coming, and continuously plan for its arrival. Change is that relative who keeps showing up at your door, so let's get used to him.

While managing workplace change is often difficult, there is a silver lining. Change can represent an opportune time for executives and team members to re-evaluate their company culture or brand.

While executives are sometimes eager to share the details of an organizational change with the external audience, we can't stress enough the importance of educating your team first. Your own team can make more of a statement than any amount of advertising can, just delivering on your brand promise, exceeding expectations, and creating legendary customer experiences.

When communicating a brand or culture change to team members, don't start by training them to adopt new practices and procedures. Take a step back. Take time to answer their questions about the change, while focusing on the benefits. Like most audiences, employees want to know what's in it for them.

You should also emphasize the importance of teams' role in delivery. Explain that you can only convey the new brand messaging with their help. Make team members feel like a valued part of both the transition process and the customer's experience. You'll be amazed at their motivation and the quality of communications and service they'll deliver in return.

Insider Tips

Successful Team Members = Successful Business

Your business is more than just brick and mortar – it is truly a living, breathing entity, pulsating with energy and in possession of a soul.

Management and team success are intertwined. We can gauge the health of any business center in the faces of the team, for beyond all the mechanics of the operation there is one truth - a business center is a collective human endeavor. Much of what is wrong in a good deal of current businesses is their failure to recognize that the heart of any center beats to the rhythms of its team.

The bottom line must not be profit, because profit can only come as a fruit of the health and dreams of the human endeavor the center represents. Management's quantitative goal – making the numbers work – is the relatively easy part. Remember, always and in all ways, a business is a living, breathing organism. The human element is the lifeblood of your endeavor.

Make collaboration your path to success. The "Only I know best" is a terrible mindset for managing a center and inspiring team members. It discourages communication and builds walls. Once you have locked yourself in, it's like being in solitary confinement, within your own perceived limitations and prejudices.

It's far better to collaborate. We prefer to plant seeds in others' minds while they plant seeds in ours. Some germinate, and some do not. But those that do tend to sprout and bloom for us in unimaginable and wonderful ways.

For more Insider Tips, visit the Academy site to access the Training Bytes section.