Truly “olympian” performance by everyone at Exeter Business Network!

The Exeter Business Network event at Sandy Park on 1st August 2012 brought together numerous decision makers keen to enhance their businesses.

Before THE Networking lunch Olly Dymond hosted a seminar that gave an insight into how to make money on the stock market……starting with just £100.  Olly demonstrated how you can achieve an income of £1 million per annum – Working from home!

Olly also covered “Can Network Marketing really work??”  What do you need to do achieve success in Network Marketing and what is the next big trend? 

The networking lunch followed with a room full of conversations, connections and opportunities.

Mark Leveridge’s  fabulous and thought provoking 10 minutes was on the value in looking at marketing a business other than your own and the ideas that you can generate that will help you.   The example of how a bookshop can compete with the likes of Amazon, the supermarkets and even the Kindle was inspirational and full of great ideas!

Following the lunch Andy McCreadie of Sandler Training delivered a seminar on ‘Getting Decisions’ –

Many businesses struggle to get decisions from their prospective clients, they get a lot of prospects saying they want to ‘think it over’ and good opportunities end up going no-where.  The session certainly created numerous tips and ideas on how to create honest conversations and get quicker, clearer decisions from your prospects.

The West of England School and College for young people with little or no sight. We are Gilbert Stephens’ Charity of the Year. When : 19.00 Thurs 13th September Where: WESC campus (free parking), Topsham Road, EX2 6HA Team Info: Groups of 6 / £6.00 per person Book a team: Call me on 01392 454 335 or email mailto:cburkie@westengland.ac.uk

There was a real WOW delivered by Dave Barr presenting the Best of Exeter Business Gives Back Exhibition – 27th September 2012 – supporting Devon Air Ambulance when  Les Christiansen – Exeter CAB and Stuart Devlin of e-Strategy both won a free exhibition space and everyone who attended received a free entry ticket to the exhibition and a chance to win a multitude of prizes given by the businesses participating in the exhibition

Business Network SW has donated 6 months of membership and lunches (worth over £370!)

For your chance to participate, visit and win

Somerset Business Awards 2012 – announced by Hugh Davey – The Bid Coach

Winning companies are innovative, progressive and most importantly profitable.  Entry for the 2012 Somerset Business Awards will close on the 31st August, 5pm!  Its free to enter!

As one of the eight fabulous Table Hosts Ally asked the question “How has  Exeter Business Network helped you?”

Consistently delivering fantastic networking opportunities and getting our name known in the local community”

Ally Colton – Families for Children

BNSW has been an effective way of communicating with local businesses – Barry Martin – Old Mill 

“building rapport with likeminded individuals”  Hugh Graham – The Bid Coach

“We always meet a diverse range of interesting people who have innovative ways of helping business and people”  Olly Dymond – Shopping Sherlock

“..great to meet a lot of new people and continue my transition from rugby player to rugby salesman” – Chris Bentley – Exeter Rugby Club

“A great way to network with other local businesses as well as secure new business” – Belinda Newton – The HR Dept

“Chance to learn from a huge range of experts” – Nigel Wilkinson – WNW Design

To quote Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits of highly effective people” networking in action!

Habit 1: Be Proactive

Take initiative in life by realizing that your decisions (and how they align with life’s principles) are the primary determining factor for effectiveness in your life. Take responsibility for your choices and the consequences that follow.

Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
Self-discover and clarify your deeply important character values and life goals. Envision the ideal characteristics for each of your various roles and relationships in life. Create a mission statement.

Habit 3: Put First Things First
Prioritize, plan, and execute your week’s tasks based on importance rather than urgency. Evaluate whether your efforts exemplify your desired character values, propel you toward goals, and enrich the roles and relationships that were elaborated in Habit 2.

Habit 4: Think Win-Win
Genuinely strive for mutually beneficial solutions or agreements in your relationships. Value and respect people by understanding a “win” for all is ultimately a better long-term resolution than if only one person in the situation had gotten his way.

Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood
Use empathic listening to be genuinely influenced by a person, which compels them to reciprocate the listening and take an open mind to being influenced by you. This creates an atmosphere of caring, respect, and positive problem solving.

Habit 6: Synergize
Combine the strengths of people through positive teamwork, so as to achieve goals no one person could have done alone. Get the best performance out of a group of people through encouraging meaningful contribution, and modeling inspirational and supportive leadership.

Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
Balance and renew your resources, energy, and health to create a sustainable, long-term, effective lifestyle. It primarily emphasizes on exercise for physical renewal, prayer (meditation, yoga, etc.) and good reading for mental renewal. It also mentions service to the society for spiritual renewal.

Among those who attended

“It is important to remember that we all have magic inside us”  JK Rowling