I’ll start with the latter. As you guessed from my title, this isn’t Facebook. What I mean by that is that Google+ isn’t the place you come to reconnect with old friends, people you knew (and didn’t give a shit about then either) in high school, or people you hung out with in college. For the most part, those people aren’t here. They’re on Facebook, and despite the fact that Zuckerburg and company regularly disregard their privacy, think they’re too stupid to make choices for themselves (EdgeRank), and show a general disregard for anything they’d want to see done with the service (instead catering to advertisers), they’re comfortable there. They’re not going anywhere.

So, if you come here, try to find some of these people, maybe find a few, make a few posts and don’t get any feedback, you’re going to go right back to Facebook complaining that G+ is boring.

You will also have missed what Google+ is about. To sum it up as simply as I can, Facebook is where you connect with old friends. Google+ is where you find new ones.

See that search bar at the top of your screen? Unlike the site on which you’re accustomed to spending your time, the one here is actually useful. Interested in poetry slams? A quick search up there (https://plus.google.com/s/poetry%20slam) will show you who else shares those interests. Photography? No sweat (https://plus.google.com/s/photography). Harry Potter? Twilight? True Blood? Pottery? You’ll find it here.

Take a few of those people that share your interests. Add them to your Circles. Interact with them. Post things here about the things you’re interested in. The more you do that, the more you’ll start to see where G+ shines, why it can do what no other network before it could do so very well.

And for God’s sake, fill out your profiles! Really can’t stress that enough. If you circle someone, chances are they’re going to check your profile (I always do). If there’s nothing there telling them why they should circle you back, it’s likely that they won’t. It really doesn’t take all that long to type a few lines about who you are and what you’re interested in. Feel free to see mine as an example (someone can see that and know exactly what I’m about without ever having to see a single post from me).

Oh, and don’t be afraid to comment on the post of someone you don’t know. People make posts public for a reason; to encourage interaction with as many people as possible.

Let me give you a couple of people to add to a Circle to get you started. +Natalie Villalobos is a given; she’s a Community Manager here on G+, and will always keep you in the loop on cool things that are happening around here. +Daria Musk is another one to keep an eye on; she’s practically the Official Singer/Songwriter of Google+.

The more you’re here, the more you’ll meet people that you find interesting and decide to add them. The more you interact with them, the more fun you’ll have here.

Edit: Oh, can’t believe I forgot this one. DO NOT ASK HOW TO WRITE ON SOMEONE’S WALL! There is no Wall. This isn’t Facebook. Leave that mentality behind. You cannot post anything on someone’s page. If there’s a post you want them to see, tag them in it, and it will appear in their notifications.

That’s all I got for now, so again, welcome to Google+, and I’ll catch you all later.

It’s important to build your referral machine around strategic relationships. When you qualify your new contacts, it sets the stage for strong and profitable relationships.

To do this, just ask this simple question…

“Do you have a [your profession] that you refer business to?”

If you get a “yes,” here’s how to respond…

“I completely respect that relationship, and I would never ask you to break it up. I believe in strong relationships, and I have a database full of power partners that I refer business to all the time.

“I’m currently looking for a power partner in your profession. Do you know of anyone I could connect with?”

And if you get a “no,” then you’re in!

It’s time to schedule a meeting to get to know that person better. You can say something like…

“Great! I would love to become that person. Of course, I understand that I must earn your trust. I’ll give you a call in the next few days to set up a meeting so I can understand your business better and learn how I can pass you referrals.”

Learn more…

For more tips on how to connect people and build business, visit BusinessByRelationship.com, where you will learn step-by-step how to build a successful business through relationships. Our proven system allows you to manage your relationships, “win the day,” and attract more referrals.

This is especially true when it comes to networking events.

Since the point of networking events is to connect with people, it makes sense that you will meet more people if you arrive early.

By arriving before the event begins, you put yourself in a position to meet the first wave of guests.

This allows you to become part of the welcoming committee, shaking hands and introducing yourself before the others arrive. You meet more people and get to spend more quality time one-on-one.

At this point, you become the unofficial host. In most cases, you can even help the official host set up and run the meeting. By doing this, you provide even more value.

Arriving early is also important for business meetings.

There is nothing worse than sitting and waiting for people to arrive.You don’t like waiting, so don’t make others wait!

You should never be late for a business meeting, and it is best to arrive at least 15 minutes beforehand.

Spend the extra 15 minutes preparing for the meeting or even getting the meeting started early. An early start gives you more time to take care of the day’s business.

So be the early bird next time and see how many worms you catch.

Learn more business etiquette tips…

Often it’s the small things that have the largest impact. Using good business etiquette will increase the quality of your business and the satisfaction of your clients. Check out more business etiquette tips here.

The word is getting out! Dundada Society is hosting a speed networking event on March 8 in San Ramon at the Wellness Haven Yoga Studio.

Everyone is pumped about this event. It’s a big opportunity to connect with tons of local professionals. And on top of that, it’s going to be a blast.

If you’ve never had the heart-pounding experience of speed networking, you won’t want to miss out.

Limited space…

There are only 75 spots open, so purchase your tickets now. We’re offering an early bird discounted special to the first 20 ticket holders.

There are only a few early bird tickets left, so wing on over and snatch one now.

Invite your power partners

This is also a huge opportunity to invite your friends and partners to a premiere East Bay networking event.

Just visit the invite to speed networking page and submit the form. Immediately your associate will receive a personalized invitation…so dundada!

We look forward to seeing you all on the big day. If you have any questions or suggestions, or would like to be a vendor, please give me a call.

Dundada San Ramon had another great turnout Thursday morning. So great, in fact, that people were hauling in any chairs they could find.

Casey Heusler continued his series about proven ways to build better relationships. This week he focused on using email.

It’s a good sign when you see several conversations happening in the lobby–20 minutes after the meeting has ended. The group has grown from a core team to an enthusiastic hub of activity.

We were delighted to meet Maggie Wulff, a small business specialist for LegalShield. Her company offers a wide range of small business legal services for a low monthly fee.

So remember this…next time, try to beat the crowds and get a decent seat in the board room. It may get competitive!

Derek touched on the forthcoming definition of the word “dundada” and the accompanying slogan, “That’s so dundada.” The word will eventually mean everything that makes Dundada so powerful–like dreaming big, setting ambitious goals, and getting things done.

This brand-new, exclusive word is still in development. So let us know what “dundada” means to you.

Casey covered several ways to build relationships using phone calls. He mentioned calling to pass referrals, give birthday wishes, or just to give a virtual high-five (there should be an app for that).

We were excited to meet Dashy Garcia, a fantastic wedding photographer (do yourself a favor and check out her portfolio sometime).

In short, it was another awesome, energetic Dundada Society meeting. Drop by sometime, and if you can’t make the drive, stay tuned, because Dundada is probably coming to a location near you.

It’s America’s greatest weakness: the smart phone.

Staring at your smart phone during a meeting is disrespectful to the presenter. It says “I care more about my business than your presentation.”

You don’t mean it that way. But that’s how it appears to others. And trust me, when you constantly look at your phone, everyone notices.

Sure, you’re busy being successful. But if you want to become even more successful, focus on the relationships sitting around you.

Leave the phone in your pocket. If the buzzing noise tempts you to peek, just turn it off completely.

There’s a tech breakthrough you should know about. It’s called voicemail.

If you miss a call, you will get an actual spoken message from the caller–and you’ll even be able to return the call as soon as the event is over. Amazing!

Networking events are great opportunities to build live relationships, which result in referrals, connections, and better business.

So don’t choose the smart phone over real people, or you may find that your smart phone is actually making you dumber.

There were eleven people, seven of which were visitors. Several members of the flagship San Ramon chapter took to the highways to attend, coming from as far as Lafayette and Concord.

The meeting began with a quick rundown of the core values of the Society, with some impromptu question-and-answer.

Derek Fox followed up with a presentation of “Business by Relationship,” an effective system used to build and maintain profitable relationships with your network.

Dundada Society represents a new era in business—an “offline shift,” so to speak.

In this new era, people are realizing that a tweet will never have the impact of a handshake or a high-five. Businesspeople across all industries are holding hands and bringing their businesses to the next level together. The givers gain.

Dundada Society is bringing high-fives back. It stands for healthy, mutually-beneficial relationships that bring new and better business for everyone involved.

During his presentation, Derek Fox said, “Sending a hand-written letter takes 30 seconds. But that note carries some serious love with it.”

And if you’ve ever received a hand-written note, you know this is true.

The meeting ended with a round of “Referral Roulette,” where everyone adds a business card to a hat, and each networker draws a card at random. Everybody walked out with more connections than they had walking in.

Here’s the bottom line: new business success is literally waiting for anyone willing to invest in a thriving personal network.

Dundada Society is focused on educating you about this process—while giving you actual opportunities to make it happen.

So Dundada is much more than just a networking group. It’s a street-level view of an exciting shift in business.

2011 Rundown

Dundada Society was reborn in winter 2011 with an ambition to be different. Our passion is building relationships and working by referral as a community.

Our goal is to be an organization that is social, creative and productive. We want professionals to find our meetings valuable, educational and fun.

Since we began, we have continued to see exciting growth. As you probably noticed, we’ve had a steady stream of visitors at each meeting. They have all been amazed at how much fun we have and the relationships we build.

Thank you all for your dedication, leadership and support. Dundada Society is off to a spectacular start, with more exciting growth ahead!

Now that 2012 is here…it’s time to go to the 10x level

Our goal is to have 7 new Societies by the end of 2012. We are looking to expand into Livermore, Pleasanton, Danville, Alamo and Walnut Creek. We’re on the lookout for good-sized boardrooms that could accommodate at least 15 people.

If you know of any such locations, please send me a message with the location, name and number. I would be happy to follow up.

Announcing the new Dublin Society

I would like to officially announce the launch of a new Dundada Society in Dublin. I would like to thank Paul Adwar for the referral and 580 Executive Center for providing such an amazing venue. The 580 Executive Center is a beautiful location that offers full-service office space for local businesses. They have a fantastic boardroom that is perfect for our needs.

If you know of any businesses that are looking for office space, please let me know. I would like to pass along their contact info to the 580 Executive Center.

Business by Relationship

I have learned over the past year that we’re so much more than just a social group. We are in the business of supporting and educating one another.

A group of us is working on a project called “Business by Relationship.” We are creating a step-by-step program that has been proven to build amazing relationships and unlock the floodgates to tons of referrals.

Over the next few months, we will introduce a part of the system at each meeting. In the near future, we will host workshops for those who want to take their business to the next level.

Dublin speed networking event

In a few weeks, Dundada Society will host its first-ever speed networking event at Athens Burgers in Dublin. We don’t have a date confirmed quite yet, but we’re shooting for the beginning of March.

This event is still in the works, so watch your inbox for details.

Thanks for being a part of this amazing community!

We actually had a fantastic last meeting of the year. It still surprising to me how we come together and actually support each other. Next year 2012 is going to be amazing.

Two New Members

I would like to bring to your attention that we brought on board two new Dundada members today!

1. Paul Adawr, Strategic Security – adwar@yahoo.com
2. Tim Guerra, Personal Chase Banker – tim.guerra@chase.com

It is truly an honor to have these gentlemen joining our Society. They both bring positive energy and believe they are a perfect fit for our group. Please take a few moments to reach out to them, welcome them and learn how you can begin sending them referrals.

Three Guest

It’s exciting to have visitors and today we had three. Take a moment to reach out to learn more about their business. Each was extremely interested in participating in Dundada, so welcome them with open arms.

1. Daria Shei,Marketing Professional – daria.shei@gmail.com
2. Niloufar Golshani, Sales Manager at Katana Marketing – niloufar@yourkatana.com
3. Samuel Mitaro, Freelance Copywriter- samuel@samuelmitaro.com

Reminders & Announcements

As you already know, we just held the last official Dundada Society meeting of the year. But we have some fun social activities still left on the calendar. First is the Dundada Holiday Party, Saturday, December 10, 2011, 5:00pm – It’s going to be such a blast. If you haven’t done so already, please RSVP on Meetup Today, and post what your planning on bringing. We need an accurate head count, so we can ensure we have plenty of food.

Then the final Dundada Society gathering of the 2011 will be the Dundada Holiday Breakfast on Thursday, December 15, 2011, 8:00am at Katy’s Corner in San Ramon. This will be relaxed breakfast to reflect on the past year and share goals for 2012. Please RSVP on MeetUp because we will be make reservations.

NEVER MISS A MEETING AGAIN: Subscribe to the Dundada Society Calendar and have automatic updates to your phone and computer. Very simple, just click on the following link on your computer and phone: webcal://www.meetup.com/dundadasociety/events/ical/Dundada+Business+Networking+%26+Referral+Society/

Thank you all for such a phenomenal year. If I don’t see you, have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Oh, by the Way, I’m Never to Busy for Referrals!
Derek Fox
Marketing Guru
(925) 452-4592
FoxDigitalMedia.com