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	<title>Trina Newby is President and Founder of Women About Biz, a powerful membership-based network for Businesswomen. Let Women About Biz show you how to develop a working  business plan and assist you growing your business.</title>
	<link>http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/author/index/697/Trina-Newby.php</link>
	<description>Trina Newby is President and Founder of Women About Biz, a powerful membership-based network for Businesswomen. Let Women About Biz show you how to develop a working  business plan and assist you growing your business. - Latest business
news &amp; management advice on how best to build your own business -
Free, independent business articles on Strategy, eBusiness, Change
Management &amp; much, much more.</description>
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	<pubDate>Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:34:35 +0000</pubDate>
	<managingEditor>admin@buildyourownbusiness.biz</managingEditor>
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	<item>
      <title><strong>There's Diamonds In Your Backyard! - Part 2</strong></title>
      <description><![CDATA[There's Diamonds In Your Backyard! Part 2 Building Relationships - The True Gems in Business by Trina Newby

Getting your share of diamonds (business relationships.) Let's get started!

Know how to build a solid business relationship Just passing out your business card won't do! After receiving contact information be the first to call the individual for a second introduction. Ask for a meeting over coffee or lunch to learn more about how you can help each other. This is the first powerful step in creating a relationship that could turn successful for both parties, because you will have each other's undivided attention without the distraction of others. What more can you ask for? It's the perfect situation. Now, all you have to do is to nurture the relationship and learn how you can help the other person. This will take time and many conversations with them.

After the first meeting send a thank you letter along with some suggestions on how you can help each other. Be aware that they might not need your services or products right away, but that's okay because you are in this for the long haul right?

Next, make sure you have a way to keep in front of your contacts. This could be in the way of an e-newsletter, monthly mail out or just by giving them a call monthly or bi-monthly. Also remember to index them properly in your Rolodex or contact management system. This way you can refer new and existing contacts to them as the need arises.

Be there early Make it a habit to be on time to your networking and one-on-one meetings. Being early has so many advantages. Arriving late for a one-on-one meeting can give the wrong impression and if you're meeting with someone who is a stickler for time - you've messed up!

Be willing to give Three important steps in building a solid business relationship is 1) to show a genuine interest in the other person's business 2) be willing to listen and 3) be willing to give as much as you receive.

A one-ended relationship wil ..]]></description>
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      <title><strong>There's Diamonds In Your Backyard! - Part 1</strong></title>
      <description><![CDATA[I came to understand the true meaning and value of a business relationship over 10 years ago after spending thousands of dollars in traditional advertisements with little return. This is not to say that traditional advertising is wrong - I just didn't have the money to do it! I then realized that without the funds to do consistent traditional advertising that I had to develop business relationships that would provide referrals, as well as resources.

Once I started meeting with other business owners one-on-one I discovered that no advertisement or marketing plan in the world could beat the true value of developing a business relationship that involves trust, value and the willingness to share and refer.

How many times have you heard the saying, &amp;quot;the diamonds are in your own backyard&amp;quot;? You know it's really true! After evaluating where my business came from in 2003, it was either through a referral or from a relationship that I had developed.

Yes, develop a good business relationship and just like the brilliance of a diamond, it will shine throughout your business in the form of referrals and profit. The true source of new business prospects and profit really is just a relationship away!

So, the big question is if this sounds simple and your business can grow from developing relationships, why isn't it being done more amongst micro and small business owners? The answer is simple - it's because they don't understand the true value and benefits of developing a business relationship.

When a small business owner first starts their business they are in what I call their dream stage. They have a tendency to mock what they think or see a successful business as being, but lack the true understanding of why it is being done. Therefore, most small business owners get business cards, create flyers or brochures and wait for the business to come - as though the mere existence of their business will have customers begging for their product or service. Unfort ..]]></description>
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      <title><strong>Writing a Working Business Plan</strong></title>
      <description><![CDATA[Many women are so confused by the words - &amp;quot;Business Plan&amp;quot;. What is it? Who do I show it to? Do I really need it? What is it really going to do for me?

A business plan is a written blueprint for your business. It describes a summary of what your business is about and its' goals. It also outlines how your business will function. The term &amp;quot;business plan&amp;quot; was first developed by bankers who wanted a detailed report of how a business would result in profits before they would make a decision on lending money. Today, no business banker will even entertain a business loan application without a business plan.

In a nutshell, the answer is yes, you really do need a business plan if you really want to build a solid foundation under your home-based business.

I guess the reason so many women procrastinate in doing a business plan is because they think they have to come up with some imaginary figures and statistics about their business which is of course very scary for anyone. This type of plan is known as an Executive Business Plan. This plan is shown to banks, SBA and other lenders who you may apply to for a substantial loan. Usually, this type of business plan must show a 3-5 year projection of how much money your business would make if they should lend you a specific sum of money. Although you will need this type of business plan should you wish to expand your business, the most important thing for you to know now is where you will be in the next 3,6,9 and 12 months. One of the best form of business plans to start out with is the &amp;quot;Working Business Plan&amp;quot;. This plan answers the 5 &amp;quot;W's&amp;quot; - Who, What, Where, When and Why.

There is no pre-required length that a Working Business Plan should be. Just remember that you aren't writing to impress, you are writing to address the important issues of starting your business. This plan is just for your planning purposes and can be expanded later on into a full executive plan. The following ou ..]]></description>
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