[Hidden-tech] biznik

[Giannina Granata Silverman]

Adam,

Good insight.

My best advice to anyone who wants to join Biznik:
How to *really* work it—invite more people in your own area and beyond, 
gain critical mass, and then gather together both offline and on. A 
woman started her own group of Bizniks in DC, by inviting all her 
friends, and hosts her own events. And they, in turn, invite their 
friends, who are now exposed to the orig woman's business, who also gets 
major play on Biznik now. All because she dared to start something.

Also, don't sit around waiting for the network to find you.
Actively use the tool. Post on the Board every so often so people will 
notice you and then read your profile, and feel free email other Biznik 
people that you might have synergy with to say HI. Tons of people have 
done this to me, from other states.

Biznik can be anything you want it to be. You get out what you put in. 
Post, email, start discussions. And create a great profile. A great 
profile is the key to getting noticed.

Now start inviting all your friends. Get critical mass.
Throw parties, have seminars, have fun.

A dare: that one of you bold individuals (or a group of you) will take 
charge of starting a critical mass of Bizniks in WMass and get this 
going. If anyone ever needs advice on this, email me.

-g






Adam Connor wrote:

> ** The author of this post was a Good Dobee.
> ** You too can help the group
> ** Fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
> ** If you did, we all thank you.
>
>
> I'd like to tell you all about my experience with Biznik. I originally 
> signed up not long after they started and but have since left the 
> network.
>
> At the time there were far less members in MA than now ( I think I was 
> one of 12) and possibly the only person this side of Worcester.
>
> First impressions were great, the website itself was a breeze, and I 
> enjoyed the idea of being able to promote my business to a ton of 
> people who then might be able to refer me.
>
> I began to try to figure out how best to get my name out there and 
> meet other members. Well, that didn't work so well. While Biznik has a 
> great online presence, the main benefit to its members is still the 
> human interaction aspect of networking, which calls for events, which 
> never seem to be anywhere around here. If you look, their site even 
> talks about how they are an "event driven" organization, and further 
> analysis shows that the bulk of those events take place in Washington 
> and other places far from driving distance of Western Mass.
>
> So after about 8 months without a single referral, and without having 
> truly met anyone else in the network, and I tried. I left the network 
> and had them take down my name.
>
> Let me say this. those of you discovering Biznik - give it a try, just 
> remember the importance of human interaction not just to Biznik, but 
> to networking in general. Who knows, maybe if enough of you get 
> together you can start throwing Biznik events.
>
> As for HT, I agree that although the website could use some updating, 
> we need some definition as to what the group is and will be.
>
> -adam
> Little Green Toaster
> www.littlegreentoaster.com
>
> P.S. - Since then I've joined a local BNI chapter and LinkedIn, both 
> have been great and helped me expand my business.
>
> Jeff Rutherford wrote:
>
>> ** The author of this post was a Good Dobee.
>> ** You too can help the group
>> ** Fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>> ** If you did, we all thank you.
>>
>>
>> On first glance, Biznik looks very cool.
>>
>> I would recommend that Hidden Techers also join Linked In and invite 
>> each
>> other to their respective networks. If anyone is currently on Linked 
>> In and
>> would like to send me an invite, feel free.
>>
>> Linked In can be useful for referrals and business leads.
>>
>> Jeff
>>
>> ------------------------------------
>> Jeff Rutherford Media Relations, LLC
>> Jeff Rutherford
>> jeff at jeffrutherford.com
>> 50 Delabarre Avenue
>> Conway, MA 01341
>> tel: 413 369 4128
>> fax: 909 752 4363
>> mobile: 413 475 0087
>> AIM: JeffreyRutherfrd
>> Skype ID:JeffRutherford
>> ------------------------------------
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: hidden-discuss-bounces at lists.hidden-tech.net
>> [mailto:hidden-discuss-bounces at lists.hidden-tech.net] On Behalf Of Chris
>> Duncan, GISmatters
>> Sent: Friday, January 05, 2007 1:06 PM
>> To: 'Hidden Tech Discussion List'
>> Subject: Re: [Hidden-tech] biznik
>>
>> ** The author of this post was a Good Dobee.
>> ** You too can help the group
>> ** Fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>> ** If you did, we all thank you.
>>
>>
>> Just to echo and amplify what I think (IMHO) are the key points from 
>> this thread:
>>
>> * defining/imagining/planning HT as an organization needs to PRECEDE 
>> revising/replacing its web design
>>
>> * the one thing I'd say there's consensus on is the need to reach 
>> consensus (or at least agreement) on which of many possible things HT 
>> is going to be
>>
>> * it's good to know that I'm not alone in my sense that it's not 
>> always clear what the opportunities are for shaping HT - I hope the 
>> upcoming "introspection" is well organized and well advertised to get 
>> maximum input
>>
>> I'll just add that some of the mentioned possibilities for HT would 
>> greatly lessen its value to me and my contributions to it (admittedly 
>> minimal to date). Since I have found a number of great benefits to my 
>> involvement with HT (and believe that in small ways I've also been of 
>> benefit to HT or some of its members), I am very interested in being 
>> involved in any discussions of future directions to try to preserve 
>> and enhance what I think are its most important and unique qualities, 
>> so I hope that such opportunities are substantive and inclusive.
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Chris
>>
> _______________________________________________
> Hidden-discuss mailing list - home page: http://www.hidden-tech.net
> Hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net
>
> You are receiving this because you are on the Hidden-Tech Discussion 
> list.
> If you would like to change your list preferences, Go to the Members 
> page on the Hidden Tech Web site.
> http://www.hidden-tech.net/members
>

-- 
Giannina Granata Silverman
Rocket Ranch Design + Advertising
gsilverman at rocketranchdesign.com

Seattle: 425.939.6823
Mass: 413.303.9453
Cell: 425.780.1693

www.rocketranchdesign.com