Does dyslexia get in the way of your progress?

Jacqui Flisher of A New Way Dyslexia Consultancy joined the Newbury branch of Opendoorz in May. She is a Dyslexia Specialist who works with both children and adults. Her previous life in the corporate world and her long term contract with the Police Service mean that she is adept at coaching for performance. Jacqui is trained in the Davis Dyslexia Methods and brings this innovative style to her work. She has more passion and energy than most people we know and this enthusiasm raises the spirits of her clients.

When asked, Jacqui often replies that she has the ‘best job in the world’. She is totally dedicated to helping her clients reach their goals and aspirations. She goes to great lengths to explain and help them to make sense of why they struggle with some aspects of their life.

As well as being a Dyslexia Specialist, Jacqui is also a fully qualified teacher of adults and has worked for many Further Education Colleges, as well as Workplace Training Providers, where she provided much needed help and support to individuals who were required to hone their skills in English, Maths and ICT, in order to complete their qualifications.

Continuous Professional Development is something that Jacqui takes very seriously and she has recently completed the OCR Level 7 Certificate and Diploma for Assessing and Teaching Learners with Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia) , which allows her to carry out formal psychological assessments for Dyslexia and Dyscalculia. Having a formal assessment enables her clients to obtain extra time or be granted special access arrangements in examinations. She also holds a Teaching, as well as a Practising Certificate, which allows her to assess those at university or in higher education, in order to claim Disabled Students’ Allowance.

As well as running her own Dyslexia Consultancy, Jacqui works on a freelance basis for Genius Within, a company specialising in Workplace Dyslexia Coaching. She is also Specialist Student Support Tutor to Thames Valley Police, where she works with dyslexic student and probationary police officers and PCSOs. In the past she has been called upon as an ‘expert witness’ in industrial tribunals, where employees have been discriminated against, due to their dyslexia.

Jacqui truly understands the dyslexic thinking/learning style and sees it for what it really is, not a learning disability, but just a different way of thinking and learning. As well as helping dyslexic employees to overcome their issues, she also gets them to recognise the unique gifts and talents that they possess. When working with their employers, she shows them ways of using their dyslexic employees’ talents to best effect, which provides benefits to the employer and employees alike.

Dyslexia or Neurodiversity, as she prefers to call it, is not all about issues with reading, writing or spelling. When asked to explain in more detail, Jacqui went on to comment:

“It can manifest itself in many forms, such as not being able to stay on task, issues with poor organisational or timekeeping skills. The inability to listen to what is being said or to follow a sequence of instructions. Being unable to make sense of maths, work out how much change you should receive or being able to tell left from right. I also help people who are struggling with the concept of change or consequence, as well a showing them how to remove and overcome the ‘blocks’ that are stopping them realising their full potential.”

We’re delighted Jacqui has joined Opendoorz and she will be a valuable and interesting member.

How fat is your wallet?

The purpose of business networking is not to empty the wallets of your fellow networkers but to encourage them to look for genuine new business opportunities for you. Your role is to encourage, motivate and educate fellow members in how to make valuable introductions for you and there are a number of ways in which you can speed and strengthen up this process.

Building rapport and getting to know and like each other. This takes time but is essential in order to develop the level of trust and confidence required to refer you. If there are reservations about introducing you – guess what… they won’t!

Educating fellow members fully about what you offer your clients so that they have a good understanding of how and who you can help. This is not about what you are but what you do… Think about the benefits your clients are left with once you have delivered your product or service.

Pain prevention. Make sure you highlight the pain that using your service reduces or eliminates. Some people like to moan…if you have a solution to what is causing the problem then this is a great time to be introduced.

How to spot an opportunity – what are the key triggers that someone may need your services. Take a few minutes now and write down the top three triggers that you would see as an indicator that your service may be required. Now you have highlighted them you can explain them to your fellow members. Our subconscious has an uncanny ability to store this information and remind us of it when something resonates

How to make an introduction and create an opportunity. You are the best person to explain your product or service in detail but you do want your fellow networker to be able create the opportunity for you to do this. When they recognize one of the triggers or signs what should they say and do. If you don’t make this part comfortable for them to do – guess what… they won’t! Equally if they try to door say too much they could end up losing you the opportunity. 

Your most valuable connectors and introducers will trust you, know who you are looking for, see potential opportunities and feel confident and comfortable about introducing you!

How well do your fellow members know you?

Fake It Until You Make It!

Do you battle with nerves before a networking event?

If you suffer from ‘rabbit in the headlights’ syndrome as you arrive at a networking event then these tips might help…

Check it out…

Ask whoever invited you what will happen at the event. Find out who will be there and what will be expected of you. It is better to go in with your eyes wide open and then there are no unexpected surprises.

Avoid last minute panics…

Plan what to wear, particularly if it is an early morning breakfast meeting. Make sure it’s comfortable and appropriate business attire. It’s not necessary to always be suited and booted but your appearance should be professional and smart. If you’re not a morning person set two alarms, just in case!

Don’t rely on sat nav..

If possible drive to the venue in advance so you know exactly where it is and you can check out the parking arrangements too.

Do you take cards…

I know… you are thinking business cards! Whilst I do not advocate throwing around hundreds of them it is worth taking a few with you. What I meant was credit cards. Most venues won’t take them so if you need to pay make sure you have cash with you.

Set Objectives…

Getting away as quickly as possible, unscathed, is not an option. Collecting 20 business cards might seem like a plan but will be no more than a fruitless exercise that only serves to fill up your desk drawer. A better objective would be to chat to two people you don’t know, find out more about them and see if there is synergy and the opportunity to continue chatting over a coffee at another time.

Fake it till you make it…

Ummm….think about someone you know who appears at ease….. when networking! How do they dress, stand and speak? Check out their body language, the level of attention they pay to others and their overall behaviour. Then it really is ‘Tonight Matthew I am going to be….’ as you need to copy some of those traits. If you fake it well and for long enough it will soon be second nature to behave that way.

Visualise

This technique doesn’t work for everyone, but if it works for you it can make all the difference. Arrive at the meeting a few minutes early, stay in your car, close your eyes and imagine yourself walking into the room brimming with confidence, the hugest smile on your face, comfortably chatting with people and oozing magnetism.

Don’t forget to let us know how you got on when you faked it!

Exposing yourself in the right places is essential to business growth!

Statistics say that a prospective client needs to be ‘touched’ 7 times before they will buy from you.

Traditionally these ‘touches’ were achieved by using flyers, newspaper adverts, PR articles, local rags, radio, TV, direct mail, email newsletters, hoardings, bus stops, yellow pages, Thomson local, cold calls … and the list goes on…

Unfortunately you can empty a huge pot of money and still be waiting for these magical 7 ‘touches’ to pay off and seal that deal.

The problem with the above is you are an unknown quantity promoting yourself to an anonymous audience. They probably do not even need what you have to offer right now.

Then along came on line directories where you can at least benefit from the recommendations of others.

Now social media is here to add to the ways in which to reach your audience. This avenue creates a following or ‘Tribes’ as Seth Godin describes. This allows your prospects to get to know you a little better and to spread the word amongst their followers too. This works much better as it fast tracks these ‘touches’. It is particularly powerful for internet based businesses who are looking at a global audience.

However if you are looking for more localized business then I am absolutely adamant that the most effective way to speed this up, and dare I say reduce the statistical ‘7 touches’, is through business networking.

If an individual expresses the need for a product of service to a trusted contact and they highlight you as the person best able to deliver then it does not matter whether they have been touched once, twice or never. You will undoubtedly get an opportunity to at least discuss their needs. It is not a guarantee of the business that depends on a number of other things. You can, however, have confidence that you are spending your time with a genuine prospect who has a level of confidence and trust in you that no amount of the above can match.

Networking takes time and energy so it is important to do your research and find an organization that has the right caliber of membership. Professionals that operate in a similar arena to you who will have the type of contacts you would like to do business with and most importantly are committed and willing to help and promote each other.

My recommendation for exposing yourself in the right places is to take this list in reverse order and start by engaging in the right kind of business networking, definitely add to that all aspects of social media – after all you are probably reading this on my blog right now. Then mix in a couple of the first, more traditional, ways. Measuring the results is key, but do remember that the results from networking and social media will consistently grow where as many of the initial ways to ‘touch’ a prospect are a one hit wonder.

Enjoy your networking but do keep your clothes on!

Do you suffer from Premature… Expectation?

So you’ve found your networking group and paid your money. Now all you need to do is turn up and the business will roll in… right?

Wrong! One of the main reasons members leave networking groups is because they got little, if any, business. This is the symptom, what I would like to talk about is the cause. There is a common networking problem that affects women as well as men and it is called premature expectation.

The following may help you understand the problem a little better.

Networking is about relationships

Like all relationships these take time to develop. The more time you invest in developing them the quicker they will deliver results.

I love you!

Well maybe you don’t have to be loved but you do need to be well liked. The more you put yourself out, are generous with your time, support and information the sooner others will want to help you in return.

Trust me I’m a ….

It is not likely that anyone will put their reputation on the line and recommend you to a valued contact until they know they can trust you. Trust is built by talking about what you do for clients, sharing testimonials, highlighting expertise and qualification in your field. Offering free tasters of what you do and giving free advice can also heighten levels of trust.

Confident Aura

Confidence should be like an aura around you. The way you look, behave, engage and conduct business all instill a level of confidence. The higher the level of confidence in you the higher the level of business you will receive.

Your product or service will also affect how quickly you receive business opportunities. If you are a printer most of us understand what you do, we can readily spot an opportunity and will be more prepared to give you a try with a low value referral. However, if you are a “Business Consultant” it will take longer to get to grips with exactly what you do, the opportunities will not be so obvious and your cost will be substantially higher making referring more prohibitive initially. I should add though that, across the year, a printer will need a higher number of opportunities than a business consultant.

If you are going to join a networking group you need to be prepared to commit fully and not expect a quick buck. Membership of most networking groups is for a year which for many businesses is the length of time it takes to develop the relationships, trust and confidence required to gain quality opportunities. Once these start to flow they will continue unless you jeopardize the trust, confidence and popularity you have built with fellow networkers.

Unfortunately the end of year one is the most likely time for members to throw the towel in…. usually just before they started to enjoy real business transforming results.

What you see is what you get!

There are two types of communication that occur at a networking event – verbal and non-verbal.

When attending networking meetings you are encouraged to plan, prepare and practice ensuring you’re armed with the most inspiring introductions, perfect presentations and quality questions.

This is all important but what about the things you say without words, the non-verbal communication.

The way you dress, behave, even stand, all send a message out about you and peoples interpretation of that message will vary based on their own beliefs and experiences. This is assumption and assumptions become truths. Some assumptions may be accurate but other will not be. So all the planned, prepared and practiced words in the world will not have the desired effect and potentially great opportunities will be missed.

 

The way you dress, behave, even stand, all send a message out about you and peoples interpretation of that message will vary based on their own beliefs and experiences. This is assumption and assumptions become truths. Some assumptions may be accurate but other will not be. So all the planned, prepared and practiced words in the world will not have the desired effect and potentially great opportunities will be missed.

The Danger Area	Your Non-Verbal Communication	Your Message	Perceived Trait
Attending	Turning up lateLeaving Early	Networking is not importantYou can’t be bothered You are better than others Your life is more important than others	Arrogant Disorganised
Appearance	Scruffy/dirty shoes, stained ties, bobbly woolly jumpersHems down, buttons missing Inappropriate dress ie short skirts, low cut tops, medallions… Looking miserable	You’re not bothered and not professionalYou’re a ‘Jack the Lad’. You’d rather be somewhere else	LazyLacking Pride Low Confidence Depressed
Materials	Cheap business cardsHotmail email addresses Flimsy flyers Poor grammar and spelling mistakes Frantically giving out business cards	Quality is not important You rush things It’s all about you	Not CredibleNo Attention to Detail You’re a Taker
Follow Up	Spamming the email listNot following up on what you agreed to	You’re all about youYour word has no value, you do not deliver	Lacking respectUn-professional/Liar

You may have very valid reasons for being late, dressing inappropriately, using a hotmail email address or not following up, but others won’t know your reasons and will read this non-verbal communication in a negative way.

The answer is simple and the same as for verbal communication – plan and prepare in advance!

The Power of Word of Mouth

Word of Mouth is the most powerful way of getting new business

Professional business networking embraces this concept adds structure and actively encourages members to promote each other in this way.

It will take time so be patient. Once you have gained trust and respect people find it easier to promote you. When they are constantly speaking highly of you and your business you have hit that vein of gold.  Business opportunities will begin to flow without you having to go out looking for them.

So what can you do to encourage fellow networkers to become your biggest fans and rave about you..?

You must always deliver a first class experience to clients.  Whether you have a product or service it has to be the best and your customer service second to none.  Make sure you stand out from the crowd in all aspects of your business.

Go that extra mile and impress the pants off clients and referrers alike.  It is not just your reputation on the line here but the credibility of those who refer you too. Don’t leave them with egg on their faces by under delivering, acting unprofessionally or letting clients down….mediocre is simply not good enough.

If there has been a problem, and we are all human, deal with it efficiently, professionally and above all quickly.  Avoid blame culture and accept responsibility. Many a great advocate was gained when a mistake was rectified well.

Don’t be shy about singing your own praises from time to time.  Bombarding your contact base with self-praise is not good practise. Try a more subtle sophisticated approach by sharing success stories and testimonials during networking meetings.

Always make the time to thank those who have recommended you; keep them up to date with the progress. A thoughtful thank you gift can turn good relationships into great relationships. Keep introducers in the loop and if there has been little hiccup it is better to be told of it by you.

If you value your referrers and treat them well they will value the relationship too. Where possible refer back to them or at least enquire whether there is anything you could do in return.

Mutually beneficial relationships require trust and respect and some people rush the process and never achieve them. If you do they will escalate your business success and deliver time and time again.

Reading Opendoorz Launches With a Bang!

The day we’ve been looking forward to dawned at last! The second Berkshire Opendoorz group was launched on 28th March by Sharon Pugh.

The spectacular Forbury Hotel hosted this exciting event in a room buzzing with excitement and anticipation. An incredible thirty plus high calibre local business professionals joined the Opendoorz team to hear about their strategic yet sophisticated networking model. They obviously recognise a good thing when they see it and want to increase both their business and professional development, as well as build synergies and partnerships.

Opendoorz is a dynamic way to network, working on the robust theory that business networking works better when others open the doors for you – hence the name.

New Opendoorz Associate Sharon was delighted with the reception by Berkshire businesses: “At Opendoorz we recognise the key to successful networking does not lie in volume, but in bringing together quality members with businesses of a similar calibre. We are unapologetic about the selective criteria we apply to potential members as each new member directly influences the business success of all the others. Our success is measured by the quality rather than the quantity of introductions made and business resulting”

We’re certain this group will boost Berkshire businesses to grow and develop, ideally complimenting the Oxford and Newbury Opendoorz groups.

Sharon Launches Reading Opendoorz!

Opendoorz attracts a fabulous selection of discerning business professionals. We are very proud and excited to announce that we now have three Associates who run the North Oxford, Newbury and Reading groups.

The two Oxford groups are going from strength to strength with Kate Mercer at the helm of North Oxford. Neil Ginger is quickly expanding the Newbury group and our newest Associate, Sharon Pugh, has just launched Reading Opendoorz.

Sharon, a Partner of Crispin Rhodes ltd, brings professionalism, experience and vibrancy to Opendoorz. She has over twelve years’ experience as an HR practitioner gained in a variety of demanding environments including the legal sector, charities and the professional services industry. Sharon has a vast amount of experience in all generalist areas of HR, specifically redundancy, TUPE, dealing with difficult situations including disciplinary and grievances and conflict resolution. She has considerable management experience, having line-managed teams of people during her time in the industry.

Sharon loves Salsa dancing, football and killer heels so she fit in very well at Opendoorz! She also enjoys the challenges of life and her vodka glass is always half full!

The launch of Opendoorz in Reading went with a bang and we’re sure they will grow to become an exciting, motivational group full of good ideas and excellent business contacts.

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The business community welcomed Opendoorz with excited anticipation, open arms and a glass of fizz, when we launched in Oxfordshire in 2010. Attracting high-level business professionals Opendoorz is more of a professional and business development group than just your average networking meeting.

With the word on the street that we were different, refreshing and all about calibre and quality (not quantity) we were being seduced by new and inspiring areas.

And so the Newbury Opendoorz group launched recently under the very capable leadership of Associate Neil Ginger of Ginger Photography.

We are now delighted to announce that our infiltration into Berkshire continues with a new Opendoorz opening in Reading on 28^th March.

Reading Opendoorz will be hosted by the vivacious and talented Sharon Pugh of Crispin Rhodes. Her aim is to bring the concept of building valuable, exciting business relationships at a high level to even more companies.

Imagine being part of a closely knit team focused on supporting and helping you grow your business. Word of mouth recommendations, business and personal development, genuine introductions and business opportunities plus the ability to share expertise and knowledge with trusted, like-minded professionals; these are just some of the benefits our executive members value most.

“When I joined Opendoorz I didn’t buy into a networking group I bought into a business growth tool” Mark Walton (Executive Member Oxford City)

Both Sharon and Neil are passionate about delivering a service beyond your expectation – give us a try!

Are you interested in finding out more about our Oxfordshire or Berkshire groups? We hold guest events once a month so please contact us to discuss an invitation.

We have interest from several other potential associates who would like to welcome Opendoorz to their towns, including London so we’ll be with you soon…..