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The WayCommunicator
Networking Tidbits
5 Ways to Be Memorable
(In A Good Way)
Have you ever attended a networking event, collected a bunch of business cards, and when you go through them the next day, you
can't remember who many of them are?
Well, you certainly don't want to be one of those that other people can't remember. It’s good to
pass out business cards, but if people don't remember you, they probably won't be calling you to follow up, and they certainly won't
keep you in mind for their future needs or possible referrals.
Here are five tips on how to make yourself when meeting other people
face-to-face:
1. BE DISTINCTIVE. A brightly-colored tie, an unusual necklace or other jewelry, even just impeccable grooming can all help you stand
out in a good way.
It's not that you want to be identified just for that, but anything that helps people separate you from the crowd will
help them remember you.
You don't have to be outlandish -- just don't blend in completely with the crowd.
2. BE FULLY PRESENT. Be fully engaged and aware of the people you interact with -- listen well, respond promptly, maintain eye contact,
etc.
Many people seem to be "half there,” so being fully engaged helps you stand out.
3. ASK THOUGHT PROVOKING QUESTIONS, such as "How did you get started?" or "What do you enjoy most about what you do?"
If you
follow #2 and this will flow naturally. You must "take a genuine interest in other people.”
4. REINFORCE YOUR KEYWORDS. People aren't going to remember long descriptions of what you do, or likely even that 15-second intro
that many experts teach you to make.
People will at best remember a few key things about you, such as your name, company name,
your business/industry, your product, or your location.
Anything you say that reinforces one of the five items above helps make you
more memorable.
5. CONTRIBUTE TO THE GROUP CONVERSATION. Don't hog it, and don't say just anything in order to say something publicly, but saying
one really smart thing at your table or in front of the whole group will make you much more memorable than a half hour of semiconscious
small talk.
Create value for others and you create value for yourself.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
REMEMBER that you are your business. The impression that you make on people is the impression they will have of your business, so
make it good and make it memorable.
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Volume 4, Issue 1 - February 2007
 In This Issue:
- VoIP Explained Easily
- VoIP For Small Business - Our Story
- WayComm President's Message
- News & Noteworthy ... Networking Tidbits
VoIP Explained Easily
With the increased adoption of high-speed Internet across the U.S. and abroad,
it has become much easier to send and receive large amounts of data without
affecting bandwidth.
What this means for consumers is that they can now
download huge files quickly, browse multiple web pages simultaneously, and
even make telephone calls over the Internet; an emerging technology known as
VoIP.
VoIP stands for "Voice over Internet Protocol " and it is quite simply a way of
using the Internet to make and receive telephone calls. The primary reason
VoIP is becoming so popular is cost and convenience; as VoIP is significantly
less expensive than typical local and long distance telephone service offered by
the phone companies. Additionally, one high-speed Internet connection can
serve for multiple VoIP telephone lines.
How does VoIP Work? A normal telephone line would do nothing if it weren’t connected to a network
called the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). This is how the traditional phone
companies route telephone calls from one person to another. In VoIP service, the PSTN is replaced
by the Internet as the network for routing phone calls, and is proven to be faster, more efficient and
cost effective. Using VoIP, a person’s voice is transmitted into digital data that is then sliced into
small fragments called packets that are sent across the Internet at lightning speed. These packets
are then reconstructed and heard on the receiving phone. In order for VoIP phone calls to have the
same quality that consumers are accustomed to when using traditional phone service, a certain
bandwidth (the amount of data that can be sent) is required. Broadband Internet access, either
cable or DSL, provides the necessary bandwidth for VoIP phone service to be found acceptable by
consumers.
In addition to making high-speed Internet access more cost-effective, VoIP service provides subscribers
with significantly cheaper local and long distance telephone service. Most VoIP providers
charge between $20 - $25 per month for residential service, which includes unlimited calling to the
U.S. and Canada. Additionally, all the features that traditional phone companies charge extra for
like voice mail, caller ID, call waiting, three-way calling, and the ability to choose your own phone
number are included in the price. Another driver for using VoIP is that it is portable. In other
words, consumers can take their phone number anywhere they move to; even if it is just on vacation.
Cost savings, free features, portability -- VoIP is the emerging technology at the root of all these
trends. Consumers should expect to see a lot more news about VoIP in the coming months and
years.
 VoIP For Small Business - Our Story
As the telecom industry nears the end of another turbulent—and sometimes surprising—year, we at WayComm figured the time was right to take a comprehensive look forward at where the telecom technology focus is likely to be in 2005.
We believe that much of the anticipated action in the new year will be in access networks, wireless technologies, and in the broad range of applications– fixed and mobile, consumer and enterprise—that drive the need for increased bandwidth.
We will also be watching whether 2005 will mark a period of maturity for technologies like voice over IP (VoIP), which had a significant year in 2004 and will undoubtedly face some considerable coming-of-age challenges in 2005.
Equally as important are the back-office support mechanisms facilitating all those networks and services—the operation support systems software that streamlines network operations, the provisioning platforms that makes new service introduction and delivery easier, and the billing systems that ensure accurate revenue collection for everything that’s created.
We will be watching what’s going on there, as well. Although it’s impossible to make crystal-clear predictions about telecom’s future, 2005 certainly promises to be another critical year. We hope our knowledge and services help guide you through it.
President's Message
—Wayne Sos
We have had a busy start to the new year here at WayComm Consulting. We moved into our
new office facility in Sea Girt over the holiday break and also welcomed two new employees to
our practice—Matt Perkins, Business Development Manager, and Geri Ricca, Analyst. With
the addition of these new employees we hope to take our business to record levels of success
in 2007.
In this issue we will continue to report our findings on the use of VoIP phone systems—
particularly the one we are using in our own offices. We hope that it will help you learn more
about this emerging technology, how it works, and what the pros and cons of using it are.
As always, if you have any telecom related questions or concerns, we are here to help.
— Wayne Sos
Click here to download a copy of this February 2007 WayCommunicator.
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