Making New Connections

Networking is such a powerful tool and you never know who is going to lead you to someone that is going to make a real difference in your business and your outlook. As a woman in business I sometimes find it surprising how reticent other women are in working together and sharing resources. I am not sure if it goes back to the dating competition or what - but it is sometimes disheartening to me to see women almost jockeying for space rather than gaining strength in alliances. This is not always the case, and hopefully it is getting better, but it still comes up.

Well - yesterday was NOT one of those days! I urge you all to take a look at the Entrepreneur Circle and their blog - http://resourceforbusiness.blogspot.com/ developed by an incredibly dynamic woman, Maria Keiser; she is a force to be reckoned with. We were suppose to meet for about an hour and four hours later had a hard time leaving! It is so uplifting to meet someone so focused in assisting others grow their businesses. As a person who is committed to making a difference we connected even before we met.

Again I am continuously amazed at how a mom like me who just wanted to keep our kids safe has gone on to meet the amazing people that I am connecting with. I've worked with my partners to take www.s1bags.com from 4 products to 16 in 4 short years! It just goes to show you that if you have a dream and make a commitment to make it a reality it can happen. Time is what it is and anything worth having must be worth working for - so don't focus on how long the journey is - focus on learning while on the journey - then the time won't matter.

I hope that this blog is working to make it easier to find resources to build your business and strengthen your networking connection - so join me on the journey. Together, we can make a difference.

Promote Clients and Safety Together.

Well it has been a busy Monday morning for me - thankfully! I have had more people contact me today looking to promote their clients and love the safety element that S1 Bags brings to the table. Our clear bags and backpacks give marketing and promotional companies to opportunity to take a premium product and personalize them to brand and promote their clients while offering a timely item.

It is amazing how many companies are looking for something new and unique and want to combine minimizing time spent at security checkpoints with a quality product that is cutting edge. Visit our site - www.s1bags.com and you will see why S1 bags are the finest transparent bags on the market.

Security measures are being implemented everywhere and S1 is looking to make it easier for safety and convenience to coexist. With high-quality, durable designs, S1 bags are clearly safer, clearly stronger and clearly more comfortable than the flimsy see-through plastic carryalls that many people have purchased as fashion accessories through the years. Heavyweight, temperature-resistant vinyl, fabric lined and reinforced seams and a three-year warranty against manufacturers’ defects guarantee each S1 purchaser a bag that will last.

I hope that you will join us as we expand our product on a global marketplace. Believe me, if I can do it with my mission and product line - you can too. Take the time to look at what we do and lets see how we can best work together to make it safe out there for us all. S1 - the CLEAR Advantage!

Making the Network Work for You.

Well - in finding all these new resources literally at my fingertips now I am looking to make the networking really work! Too many times I see people joining groups or networking sites and then never updating their profiles or looking at what others are doing to get their name out to others in the social networks they are signing up for.

When I first sent out connection requests I simply looked for someone that I thought might be interested in sharing contacts and information without really seeing if they were actively involved in their networking. Now, I look at the last time they updated their profile, added information, posted to their blog and generally to see if they were really looking to grow their network or just here for no other reason than to have their name somewhere.

Believe me I was just as guilty in not updating my information and have since learned that all you need to do is change one word or two and it is an entirely new submission and shows that you are active in your networking. Having joined numerous networks in the last few months I am committed to devoting time each day - even if it is only a half hour - to logging on, answering messages and getting my information out there. With a company like S1 - for Safety First - our audience is far reaching. When you visit our site www.s1bags.com you will see what I mean. With a full line of see through bags and backpacks we are really open to everyone whether for business, travel, pleasure or back to school, we have a bag for your every need.

That is why it was hard in the beginning for me to know who best to contact. Even though S1 has a product for everyone connecting with everyone is not the answer. I would rather have fewer connections that are truly interested in sharing ideas, business building and other services than a network of hundreds or thousands that are doing nothing.

So with all that said, take the time to see if the person you are reaching out to is someone that is looking to network to the fullest or if they are just there for so their name is out there. It takes a couple of extra minutes but it is well worth it.

A New Network and a Great New Product!

Hello to all that are finding this blog a helpful place to find new insight to building an on-line presence through social networking and new on-line tools. I am bringing two new things to light today - Marketers-R-Us and Talk Fusion.

You can visit Marketers-R-Us at http://marketersrus.ning.com. They are the newest site that I have found that is completely focused on business building and networking. Lloyd Dugan is an excellent source for marketing and networking and he is building a site that is targeting the strong business minded people that I am looking to connect with - an hopefully you are too!

The new product I want to share is Talk Fusion - and you can visit them at http://talkfusion.com/1000695. This newest video email technology is the coolest one I have ever seen and even if you choose to incorporate it with another program to deliver your message the videos you can produce are amazing. Take a look and let me know what you think.

These are the 2 new places that I am working with to see how we can get our product and services out there and hope you will join me in my effort to become a strong on-line presence and resource. I hope that sharing my mission and my site site - www.s1bags.com I can find a way to assist a parent find a clear bags for their child going back to school, aid a traveler who wants to cut time at security, a fan going to a ballgame and wanting to bring in your things into the stadium or business people who are interested in new timely products for your office or clients - I know that S1 has all your clear bag needs in mind.

It still amazes me that I have gone from a mom trying to keep our schools safe to someone that is learning all that I can about how to make the WWW really work for me and for you! I hope that the information that I continue to share along with our products is helpful to all. Remember - together we CAN make a difference.

More Social Networking.

As we all navigate these new waters of on-line social networking I wanted to bring a new site to you all. Perfect Networker, the online home for serious business professionals.

Perfect Networker Online is one of several tools created to provide you with a comprehensive business networking system, designed specifically to allow you to create, strengthen and nurture long term, win-win, mutually beneficial relationships with other business professionals who make relationship building a priority in their business. You can learn more about them at www.perfectnetworker.com - and right now they are offering a free life-time membership to the first 1000 people that sign up on their network - just tell them Dori sent you!

Personally I think this is a great site - they are new and innovative and are doing all they can to be cutting edge - so look for new features on a regular basis.

One of the biggest things I have learned about being an on-line presence is getting your name out there in more than one network. Also - it is very important to fill in the little things they ask like your favorite movies or books. Believe it or not, people can find out who you are with these little things. In the beginning of my on-line journey, I always left this blank because I was there for business - not to make friends! Well - I quickly learned that business often develops when people see that they have things in common with you. Simple things can make you interesting as you develop an on-line network of people. Our diversity is what makes us unique and our likes bring us closer to someone that may be on the other side of the country or the world for that matter! Guess what - it really is a world wide web!!!

I am constantly amazed at how our products strike a cord in the network that I am building. Who would have thought that trying to keep our schools safe by designing clear bags and backpacks would branch out into shipping to Australia for correctional facility officers! Go figure - I am just a mom who wanted to make a difference. See for yourself how our products can assist you - visit us at www.s1bags.com and let me know what you think. How can we help you or your company or your not for profit group - please - let me know how!

Technorati Link

Technorati Profile

Technorati is a great way to promote and track your blog or weblog. They regularly update search, surface and organize blogs and otehr forms of user genterated content to assist as you are looking to become an online presence. Visit www.technorati.com to register your blog and get noticed!

Becoming an On-Line Presence

Becoming an on-line presence is something that I am learning more and more about on a daily basis; there is so much to grasp as I delve into 2.0 technology!

I just want to say this to those ignorant of computer technology people out there - I am one of YOU - I know NOTHING about computers and half of what they are talking about - but I can follow simple directions and it is as easy as a click of your mouse or hitting enter on the keyboard - and you look like an absolute technology wizard. It is the old adage in business - "Fake it till you make it!" I can't believe how easy it has been to update my blog with www.Widgets.com and www.Feedblitz.com because they have links with just a click, copy and paste - it is so simple but something that I was so afraid to even attempt. Now what widgets are I still don't truly grasp - but I learned that they are really important -so there you go!!!

When I first started to learn about all of this through webinars and teleseminars my eyes would actually being to glass over and I had to take copious notes just to stay awake because it was all gibberish to me. I can't pinpoint which learning experience finally got through but all of a sudden I finally HEARD what was being said - I finally really LISTENED and there it was. There are places on-line where the links are in place for you to take advantage of - and it is just that simple.

Through www.FastPitchNetworking.com I learned where to make these things happen - and have expanded my network with the amazing technology available on their site. You can become a free member or pay different prices for various services - and whatever you choose - they offer a great network and up-to-date technology right at your fingertips. They even link up with other networks like Facebook and LinkedIn for more exposure.

ShopINUSCities.com is a newer social networking site that I also recommend as it has the right blend of business and pleasure and as a newer site will continue to offer new updated services as they grow. I don't know about you - but I love being in on the ground floor as things grow. It is also a personal connection that brings me to them - through S1, my company that has a full line of clear bags and backpacks, we are committed to the Merchant Scholarship Fund that www.ShopInUSCities.com has created. I urge you to see what they are doing and become part of this great network committed to bettering our communities.

See there are on-line social networks that offer business that makes a difference! Making a difference has been the driving force in my beginning www.S1bags.com and now in trying to become an on-line presence to assist others in building their dream one day at a time; understand that the challenges are what make us strong.

Come with me! Be part of the adventure because it is true, "Together, we can make a difference!"

More Networking Steps!

Well- I have come to learn that it is not enough to blog - you have to read other blogs and comment on them, too!!! What an interesting concept - learning from what others do!!! Go figure!!!

Now - when I look back on the learning process, I guess this should be an obvious step - but who are we kidding here. Just as in networking - we have to really invest time and energy in learning about those we are developing networking connections with.

We need to share ideas, bring new products and concepts to each other, and find the best ways to see how the process of networking can really be something beneficial to all involved.

At the same time, we need to remember why we began. We have a product or service or idea or mission to share and we want to find the best ways possible to bring our dreams to fruition as we work to help others do the same. Well - at least that is why I started S1. First and foremost I had a mission to keep our children safe - and have continued on that course even though we have expanded into so many other areas of safety and security.

I welcome your ideas, your commitments to networking, and hope that I can find a way to be of service as you pursue your dreams. Visit me at www.s1bags.com and drop me an email - or leave a comment and I will return the favor.

Also - give me ideas of what blogs are addressing networking, safety, parental concerns, travel and other venues where we fit in. I promise to do the same. See - together we can make a difference!

Networking Through the Summer!

Well - summer is here and with that comes a lull in networking. People are on vacations, have kids to deal with, or are just too darn hot to worry about making the most of their networks and connections.

I for one am doing all that I can to take advantage of the telesiminars and webinars that are available to learn all that I can about the new technology and how best to make my computer and world-wide business center.

There is a wealth of information out there if you are willing to look, listen and learn. For me, learning about this is akin to listening to Charlie Brown's teacher in the Peanuts show - "wa, wa, wa...wa, wa, wa wa wa!" Even so - I am still trying all that I can to apply what the experts have talked about, widgets, twitter and tweeting, social networks and all the rest!

I have to tell you - for a mom who's only mission was keeping guns and drugs out of schools - the growth of our network is astounding. When I began S1 it was for the sole purpose of keeping our learning environments safe - now if you visit our site - www.s1bags.com - you can see how my mission has grown and now encompasses keeping us safe no matter where we are. I have to say - what an amazing ride this has been - and the journey continues.

I invite all of you to join me in this adventure. Please, send comments, give me advise and just plain work with me on this. I know together, we can make a difference.