Dangerous Thinking

I’ve promised to spread the word:

[we'd] like to raise the profile of Book Crossing by inviting as many people as possible to swap books at Caffe Nero, South Street, Worthing on Saturday 5th November. This event (part Book Crossing, part Flash Mobbing) will be a great chance to pick up some new books. bring some fun to Worthing. and meet fellow Book Crossers.

So. Saturday 5th November, 11am, Caffe Nero. don’t forget to bring a book or two.

I’m going to be there. I hope you will be there, too.

If you want any further info, I’d be glad to pass your questions on to the organisers.

Sorry about this, all you Plaxo-haters in my network.

It’s now saved two valued relationships from dropping owing to their details changing, so it’s proved itself in my eyes. I’m now adding the details of all recent e-mail contacts I’d like to keep in contact with to my Plaxo account.

Please feel to opt out if you haven’t seen the light and you get a Plaxo mail from me.

It’s the last Tuesday of the month again, and this month Sussex Downs Ecademists are back at our old home of The White Hart Hotel, in Lewes High Street, just up from the station.

You’re more than welcome to come along for some informal networking, and to meet a great crowd of people.

We’re there from 7pm until around 10, in the lounge, just to the right of the main entrance. Please feel free to come along even if you’re not an Ecademy member. There’s a free gift for all new faces.

As regular readers will know, I’m a member of Ecademy and other online networks.

These are undoubtedly A Good Thing, but sometimes I pull my hair out at the strategies of some people. I just got a message from a fellow Ecademist (I shan’t identify him/her):

Hi

Regards,
??????

Now, a large personal network online is also undoubtedly A Good Thing – there I agree with Thomas Power, head of Ecademy, but notes like this are just a waste of time, and only say something negative about the sender.

I’ve replied in a similar tone; it’ll be interesting if the conversation goes any further,

Come and network with us in Brighton, if you’re in the area.

I’ll let the e-mail I wrote to our Sussex Downs Ecademists club members fill you in on the details:

Dear Sussex Downs Ecademist

Confused by the Ecademy Web site? You’ll be pleased to know Sussex Downs Ecademists has invited Andrew Widgery down to Brighton for one night next Tuesday, September 28th, to host just one of his acclaimed Widgery Workshops.

For just £8 (pre-paid), you get the benefit of the knowledge of the man who knows Ecademy.com better than anyone – and without the time and expense of going all the way to London, PLUS…

*Great sales tips – for small businesses and sales professionals*

Want to get some tips from one of the UK’s top sales experts? – our speaker was the one the BBC turned to when they wanted to turn around the performance of a failing salesman in The Stress Test.

If you enjoyed Richard White’s tips on cold calling in May – everyone who filled in a questionnaire certainly did! – then you should know that Craig Goldblatt (www.craiggoldblatt.com) is a man whose seminars Richard attends.

Yes, Craig is another master of the softer, consultative sell, and a great presenter to boot! And, believe me, £8 is a bargain to see him and ask questions.

*Reserve your place now!*

Click here http://tinyurl.com/34uw8 for all the details, and to reserve your place for the Widgery Workshop and/or Craig Goldblatt’s ‘Magic of the Golden Circle’.

Or pay £15 on the night.

And, please bring a friend – the price is the same if they join Sussex Downs Ecademists. Otherwise it’s £12 here: http://tinyurl.com/3medc.

Best regards

David ‘Copywriting’ Rosam

PS still not sure? Here’s what people have been saying about Widgery Workshops:

“If you are struggling to get to grips with Ecademy site and navigation, attending Andrew’s workshop is a must – informative, well delivered and helpful.”

Isabella Chaves

“…the Widgery Workshop is a “must”…..it is a very inspiring induction to Ecademy…”

Jesvir Mahil

See the complete blogs here: http://tinyurl.com/6umzx

And about Craig Goldblatt:

“I now really understand how easy it is to succeed if you follow the process ”

Wendy Pyne – Paramount People

“I learned a lot more about how to speak to my client and present myself … professionally”  

Stephen Cockburn – FVTH Self Drive Hire Ltd

“Craig Goldblatt’s presentation at one of the series of Surrey Enterprise Hub Business Breakfasts was very lively and informative. Young technology businesses often lack professional sales expertise. Craig’s very professional “Golden Circle” presentation of the key steps in the sales process gave the audience a clear route map of how they could immediately enhance their opportunities to close important deals. They went away keen to put the ideas into practice.”

Marilyn Huckerby – Surrey Hub Director

Is there really a case to stay in and watch Eastenders? Things will be far more stimulating at Sussex Downs Ecademists. Just click here http://tinyurl.com/34uw8 to reserve your place.

Everyone’s welcome, but as you’ve probably gathered, it’s cheaper if you’re a member of Ecademy and Sussex Downs Ecademists. Membership of both is free – join Ecademy, and then Sussex Downs Ecademists.

Sam and I spent last night at the BrightonGrid Photographic Awards at Joogleberry in Brighton.

It was a great night, with lots of familiar faces to talk to and more than one client.

Thanks to Ida Lee of BrightonGrid for putting it on.

And don’t forget to go along to Joogleberry in Manchester Street, Brighton to see the photographs.

I’ve been a bit lukewarm about Plaxo in the past, but since setting up my online Plaxo account – I don’t use Outlook or Outlook Express – to catch all those annoying Plaxo reminders, I’ve been amazed how many times people have been changing their contact details.

The clincher, though, is that I caught up with an old client who had subtly changed his work e-mail address for some reason, and whose previous e-mail address was just bouncing. Logging on to Plaxo, I found the change, all logged and ready for me.

Umm. It’s so tempting just to add everyone to the thing and be done with it.

Don’t worry. I’m still operating a strictly permission-only policy, because I know how annoying Plaxo can be if you’ve decided not to use it.

In the meantime, if we’ve e-mailed each other, please feel free to add me to your Plaxo set-up.

It comes to something when the only thing memorable you take away from a networking event is the the inevitable three days being talked at by Mr Halitosis.

I know who to avoid next time!

Seriously, though, why don’t people chomp on some extra-strong mints before they go interacting with other people?

You wouldn’t fall into that trap, would you?

This evening, we’re hosting the first Sussex Downs Ecademists Club networking event in Brighton.

Here are the details from the reminder we sent out over the weekend:

We’d like to give you one last reminder about our networking event in Brighton on Tuesday. We already have over 40 Ecademists and non-Ecademists attending, so we hope you’ll be coming as well.

*Improving confidence in Cold Calling*

Most people can talk to others through a piece of plastic without any problem. Yet the prospect of cold calling turns them into a quivering wreck. Richard White will share with you some on the strategies he has used with clients to help them improve their confidence in cold calling.

About Richard White:

Richard White is a business development consultant and coach and has helped many clients to increase confidence and results from cold calling. Richard is moderator for Haslemere Ecademy and Ecademy’s “I Hate Selling!!!” club. For more information about Richard, please see his profile at http://tinyurl.com/3avfq.

We’ve seen Richard present three times now, and I’ve come away excited on each occasion. He really has something to say to small and service businesses, which is why we’ve invited him to be our inaugural speaker

*When and where*

The Quality Hotel, West Street, Brighton at http://tinyurl.com/2gh2g (just behind the Brighton Centre, close to the sea front, and straight down the road from the station) on the Last Tuesday of the month, 25 May.

*The evening*

6:00 Meet us in the bar for food, if you want to eat before the event
7:30 Networking in private room
8:30 Richard White
9:00 Q&A
9:10 Networking
10:00 Event ends

There is a nominal charge of £5 to cover the room hire – please bring along cash on the evening.

You’re more than welcome to come.

Before I start lapsing into an Elvis Costello whine, I thought I’d better draw your attention to this strangely pre-bubble burst feeling page tracking the Internet presence of most of your favourite YASNs. (Nice to see Ecademy isn’t counted as one ).

Social-all