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My Pinnacle Network announces July 2014 schedule of B2B networking meetings.

BOURNE, BRAINTREE, MARSHFIELD, MANSFIELD, NEWTON, PLYMOUTH, WESTBOROUGH, MA and PROVIDENCE, RI…

My Pinnacle Network recently announced a full slate of business-to-business networking meetings for July. My Pinnacle Network meetings are as follows:

My Pinnacle Network – Braintree 1st Tuesday, Tuesday, July 1, from 8:30 a.m. – 10 a.m. at 25 Braintree Hill Office Park, Suite 200, Braintree, MA 02184.

My Pinnacle Network – Westborough, Tuesday, July 1, from 8 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. at 1900 West Park Drive, Suite 230, Westborough, MA 01581.

My Pinnacle Network – Mansfield, Wednesday, July 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., 20 Cabot Blvd., Suite 300, Mansfield, MA 02048.

My Pinnacle Network – Marshfield, Thursday, July 10, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., 165 Enterprise Drive, Marshfield, MA 02050.

My Pinnacle Network – Plymouth, Thursday, July 10, from 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. at 134 Court Street (Plymouth Chamber of Commerce), Plymouth, MA 02360.

My Pinnacle Network – Newton, Thursday, July 10, 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m. at 29 Crafts Street (Aflac offices), Newton, MA 02458.

My Pinnacle Network – Providence, Wednesday, July 16, from 8 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. at Admirals Bank, 15 Park Row West, Providence, RI 02903.

My Pinnacle Network – Braintree Third Thursday, Thursday, July 17, from 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m. at 25 Braintree Hill Office Park, Suite 200, Braintree, MA 02184.

My Pinnacle Network – Bourne, Thursday, July 24, from 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m., 550 MacArthur Blvd. (Route 28), Bourne, MA 02532.

Only one B2B professional will be selected for each category. Those categories can be found at http://mypinnaclenetwork.com/about/categories.aspx. Prospective members are encouraged to attend a My Pinnacle Network meeting before committing to join.

If you are interested in attending a meeting in your area, please contact Steven V. Dubin at SDubin@MyPinnacleNetwork.com or 781-582-1061 to RSVP. There is no charge to visit a My Pinnacle Network meeting.

My Pinnacle Network announces July 2014 schedule of B2B networking meetings.Read More

Last call for Speed Networking on Feb. 25

My Pinnacle Network is hosting a Speed Networking event on Tues., Feb. 25 at 5:30pm at the Comfort Inn in Randolph, MA

There’s still time to sign up for My Pinnacle Network’s Speed Networking event on Tuesday, February 25 at the Comfort Inn at 1374 North Main Street (Route 28) in Randolph. But not much time–or much space for that matter.

The evening will kick off with a cocktail hour followed by a short talk by FocalPoint Coaching’s Greg DeSimone on networking tips. Then, it’s straight into the speed networking, where attendees will literally sit down with every attendee to hear his or her elevator pitch and vice versa.

After the speed networking portion, we’ll convene for additional, informal networking.

The cost to attend is $19.95. There will be a cash bar and light hors d’oeuvres served. To register click here.

To date, about one third of the people who have signed up for Speed Networking are MPN members. So, if you are a My Pinnacle Network member and concerned about signing up and seeing a lot of people you already know, that’s not going to happen.

Again, we’re getting down to the home stretch and this will probably be the last Speed Networking event we hold for a while. Do not delay as space is limited!

Register now.

Last call for Speed Networking on Feb. 25Read More

Network better with a coach. FocalPoint Business Coach Greg DeSimone to be featured speaker at February 25 speed networking event for B2B professionals at Comfort Inn in Randolph, MA.

Greg DeSimone of FocalPoint Coaching will be the featured speaker at My Pinnacle Network’s Speed Networking event on Feb. 25 at the Comfort Inn in Randolph, MA.

RANDOLPH, MA…

FocalPoint Coaching’s Greg DeSimone has been added as the featured speaker at My Pinnacle Network’s “Speed Networking” event Tuesday, February 25, 5:30 p.m. at The Comfort Inn, 1374 North Main Street (Route 28), Randolph, MA 02368.  DeSimone will be speaking on networking techniques and fine-tuning your elevator pitch.

“While there may be born networkers, it is a skill you can learn. In addition to his success as a business coach for small and family-owned businesses, Greg is a connector and can provide Speed Networking attendees some invaluable networking tips they can employ that night and in their future networking efforts,” said Steve Dubin, founder of My Pinnacle Network.

A former CPA with more than 18 years of financial and management experience, DeSimone is a Brian Tracey certified business coach with more than 250 hours of study to obtain certification. DeSimone takes a personal and proactive coaching model to work with clients on improving their business in the areas of time, team, money and exit strategies.

In addition to hearing DeSimone, Speed Networking attendees will have the opportunity to meet at least 25 business owners and executives via one minute introductions and then head to the reception area and bar to pursue lengthier conversations with those who you share common ground.

Admission is $19.95. First come, first served; 50 people maximum.  Complimentary hors d’oeuvres and cash bar.

To attend the Speed Networking event, please formally RSVP at https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07e8ufyzim04e996ba&oseq=&c=&ch=  or contact Steven V. Dubin at  SDubin@MyPinnacleNetwork.com or 781-582-1061. 

Network better with a coach. FocalPoint Business Coach Greg DeSimone to be featured speaker at February 25 speed networking event for B2B professionals at Comfort Inn in Randolph, MA.Read More

My Pinnacle Network announces February 25 speed networking event for B2B professionals at Comfort Inn in Randolph, MA.

Impatient about meeting new business connections?  Need new business now?  Join My Pinnacle Network for a “Speed Networking” event Tuesday, February 25, 5:30 p.m. at The Comfort Inn, 1374 North Main Street (Route 28), Randolph, MA 02368.Admission is $19.95. First come, first served; 50 people maximum.  Complimentary hors d’oeuvres and cash bar.

Meet at least 25 business owners and executives via one minute introductions and then head to the reception area and bar to pursue lengthier conversations with those who you share common ground.

In addition to special events such as Speed Networking, My Pinnacle Network manages nine business-to-business groups located throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island including Bourne, Braintree (with 2 groups), Mansfield, Marshfield, Newton Plymouth, Providence, and Westborough.

To attend the Speed Networking event, please formally RSVP athttps://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07e8ufyzim04e996ba&oseq=&c=&ch=  or contact Steven V. Dubin at SDubin@MyPinnacleNetwork.com or 781-582-1061.

My Pinnacle Network announces February 25 speed networking event for B2B professionals at Comfort Inn in Randolph, MA.Read More

My Pinnacle Network Speed Networking event on Dec. 3

Why should you attend the My Pinnacle Network* Speed Networking event on December 3, 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm, at the Neighborhood Club in Quincy? Let’s put it this way: there is strength in numbers.

Think about the last networking event you attended. How many business cards did you get?

Of those cards, how many of those people could you say you had a quality conversation with and knew what it was they did?

If you answered 10 or more, you would consider that an extremely successful night.

What if that number was 50?

At My Pinnacle Network’s Speed Networking Event, you will, in all likelihood, walk away with 50 business cards of 50 B2B professionals-all with whom you will have, at the very least, a one-minute discussion with.

And that will happen in under an hour.

For the rest of the evening, you can spend mingling and sharing in holiday cheer with other B2B professionals.

Best yet, if you are a My Pinnacle Network member, admission is free (it’s only $19 for non-members).

Maximum capacity for the event is 200, so do not delay. To sign up, please go to the Speed Networking Event page.

The Neighborhood Club is located at 27 Glendale Road in Quincy. It’s literally in a neighborhood, so trust your GPS.

Look forward to seeing you on December 3.

* My Pinnacle Network is a sister company of PR Works.

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Xander to Jacoby? What is in a name?

Is Xander the name of the next generation of Sox fans?

While any “pink hat” can name their dog or cat “Dustin” or “Papi”, it takes real Red Sox devotion to name your child after a favorite player?
Know anyone named Carl Yastrzemski Smith? Ted Williams Jones? Fred Lynn Green?

Yes, the Red Sox are extended family to many of us. Immediate family to others.

But what about today’s big league club. With greater cultural diversity in Major League Baseball, we have more exotic names to consider for the next generation of Sox fans.

Have you recently attended a christening or bris ceremony for a young Xander, Koji, Junichi, or Jacoby? Could be a great “themed” religious event.

And what impact will a unique sports star name have on a kid?

Perhaps that might make you pause before signing the birth certificate. Think about the pressure of referring to your newborn as “The Babe”.

Whether it’s your child, your pet or the name of your business or new product, name recognition is critical. It literally can define the course of human destiny and that of your business.

If we can help with your company’s name/brand recognition, please give us a shout.

Xander to Jacoby? What is in a name?Read More

Media darling or dolt?

Are you annoyed that your competitor always seems to be quoted in the press? Regularly appearing on TV and radio?

Hey, you’ve probably forgotten more about your profession than he knows now. Why does he get all the limelight?

Simple. Your competitor stays in touch with the press through a punchy cover letter (now it is a email intro), regularly updated press kit, new story ideas that connect to stories in the news, on-going news releases that keep you on their radar, an occasional phone call to pitch a topical idea.

It’s not WHAT you know, but how well you package, get it to the right person and maintain that relationship.

Step one, the punchy email cover note alerts the editor why they should care, why their audience should care and how you can deliver the story on a silver platter for them.

Next, develop a press kit that includes a quick backgrounder on your company, your industry, a couple canned quotes, a handful of sources who can add insight and perspective – including an industry expert and a couple clients.

Additionally, draft three to six story ideas that would be of interest to your target audience. Something that is useful, entertaining or off-beat. Give each topic a snappy headline and a one sentence summary.

Keep news releases coming at them – at least one to two each month. Topics don’t have to be blockbusters. The focus could be a milestone (# of years in business, # of smiles generated), new product or service, key hire or promotion, new division, non-profit or community involvement, unusual customer scenario, human interest story, etc.

Last but not least, call editors and very succinctly show the better side of a story that would be right for their audience. Give them a could ideas, let them provide feedback. Keep in touch as to how your profession connects to new and current stories in the news.

Want some help shaping yourself into a media darling? Our trainers are ready.

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A setback in the fight for your online reputation

online reputation managementSo, a disgruntled customer/client takes their aggravation out on your company in an online forum. Justified or not, that requires action. You counter by encouraging customers and clients who have benefitted from your products or services to post positive reviews to the same forum.  Several do but nowhere do you see those posts, just that glaring negative one. What gives?

That’s a scenario several business owners have reported lately. Seems that there’s one online directory (it rhymes with the word help) that objects to positive comments in response to a negative one if those commenters have not posted before. While it’s difficult to understand this online directory’s policy, it leaves the business owner without a very important tool in defusing a toxic online comment. That’s why your online reputation strategy should always have a PR component.

Typically, we advise clients who have been victimized by a negative comment to issue a series of press releases with positive news about their company. Part of the distribution of said news release involves posting to online newsrooms, which spider quite nicely in Google. This may or may not knock the negative comment off the front page of a Google search. It will, however, will give that negative comment plenty of company–company that carries some third-party credibility.

Does this tactic prevent the bad comment from discouraging new business or prospects? It’s difficult to say the bad comment will have zero effect. Yet most consumers savvy enough to research reviews will go to more than one site for information. Chances are multiple positive news stories will be enough to trump one bad review and enhance your online reputation in the process.

A setback in the fight for your online reputationRead More