Our chapter is sponsoring a membership drive competition from now until November 30. The member who brings the most guests to our November meeting will receive a $50 cash prize. Members need to bring at least two guests to qualify to win, and ties will be resolved by holding a drawing to determine the winner. Of course, the best way to win is to just bring more guests than anyone else, and then you don't need to worry about competing in a drawing. The member who sponsors the most new members joining our organization from September 1 through November 30 will receive a prize at our Holiday Party on December 15.

Jeff Barnell is our guest speaker for our November meeting, and he will be speaking about using social networking in our businesses. Social networking is one of the hottest topics in business today. Are these applications purely teenager entertainment or can they deliver real benefits to your business? When used to their potential, they can dramatically change the way you communicate with your customers, manage your brand, create leads and provide service.

Social networking is not a replacement for any of the marketing techniques you use today. Nor can you make money selling social networking. Instead we will examine how social networking can make your existing efforts more effective. This will in turn create more qualified leads, build brand recognition, and enhance customer allegiance.

We will have the opportunity to discuss specific questions and opportunities offered by the members.

Jeff Barnell is an accomplished speaker, writer and consultant. For the last 25 years, he has helped companies turn their innovation into sustainable revenue. Jeff has had the opportunity to work in a variety of markets, both domestic and international. His work has touched leading edge technology including Internet security, telecommunications, digital voice, data and TV. His experience also includes banking, retail, construction, manufacturing, packaging and distribution.

Clothing Drive at our November Meeting
Please collect your clothing for the women's shelter and bring them either to the November meeting at Charlie's at the Windsor Golf Club or to my house anytime at 5581 Carriage Lane, Wikiup, Larkfield, Santa Rosa. Call first to make sure I am home: 528-6992

Our holiday party will be a blast. We will gather at Camellia Inn, 211 North Street, Healdsburg on Tuesday, December 15th at 6 p.m. Cost: $30 for members, $35 for guests. Bring your favorite wine. I am looking for volunteers for appetizers and desserts as the dinner is catered. We will have our traditional ornament exchange. Suggested ornament cost is $10 or less.

After the Holiday Party on December 15th, if you don't want to drive home, we have a special treat for you. Camellia Inn is offering rooms for $99.00. Two members may share a room.

Offer Something Free for People to Sign Your Mailing List
First, to get people on your list you want to offer something of value for free. Information products like DVDs, guides, special reports and ebooks can be easily created and replicated at a very low cost, yet have a high perceived value.

Create a Website for People to Sign up for your Free Product
Once you have your freebie product, then it's time to put together your lead collection page where people sign up to get on your mailing list in exchange for your free offer. The one-page landing page website model will result in higher sign up rates. If you don't want to do this with your main business web site, another option is to create a separate web site and domain simply for lead collection and then use that site when you advertise.

Follow Up
Once people sign onto your list, it's important to follow up with them and take the soft sell approach, or at least don't aggressively try to sell each time you communicate with your leads. Also, once a lead or prospect actually buys, you should move them from your list of leads and onto your customer list. Don't continue to use hard sells with people on your customer list. Continue to make them offers while providing great content and information.

Keep in Regular Communication with your Leads
The last step is building a constant contact program using email, hand written cards and a printed monthly newsletter. This regular constant contact and communication is a great way to keep in touch with your customers and leads.

Be sure to put good quality content into your monthly newsletter. It doesn't need to be expensive either, with lots of fancy graphics and pictures. What is important to the readers is that the newsletter provides good quality content.

In Summary
For a copy of last month's presentation, and to receive a free thank-you gift, go to: http://www.thekaizenbusiness.com/abwa/