High on the priority list for Qoin merchants is spending their additional Qoin income in ways that will contribute to the growth of their businesses. Marketing-related services have been in high demand as merchants upgrade their websites, marketing strategies and social media presence.

Now, there is a new opportunity for strategic Qoin spending … super-networker Wendy Lloyd Curley has joined Qoin, offering workshops that train business owners to network strategically and generate high value referrals.

Wendy has more than a decade of experience in coaching people to develop skills and strategies that can help grow their business. She launched her online consulting company Strategic Networking in October.

She says many small business owners recognise that marketing is vital, but their budget doesn’t stretch to training or marketing plans. Some rely on networking but admit they lack the confidence or skills to get results from their efforts.

She believes accepting Qoin payment for her networking courses will offer invaluable opportunities to these people.

“Those business owners don’t have the budget so if they’ve got Qoin to spend and it’s not taking money out of their pocket, they literally can get a marketing strategy, a networking strategy, by using their Qoin balance and then that will enable them to get more business,” she says.

“They’re actually investing in something that’s going to bring in more money. It’s an investment not an expense.”

The foray into digital currency

Wendy heard about Qoin at a business meeting earlier this year when a colleague gave a testimonial about the benefits of this digital currency. She realised joining the Qoin community could bring her significant advantages too.

“I think I will get exposure to different audiences by being part of the Qoin network. And yet they’re still in my target market,” she says.

“The branding and the support behind Qoin has made me feel more confident that I’ve got really nothing to lose by accepting it from people who have that currency to spend. And likewise, I feel confident that there is actually a marketplace I can go to where I can spend that currency.”

Longer-term, her aim is to source Qoin-friendly venues, caterers and event managers for her business in the Northern Beaches and North Shore areas of Sydney.

Qoin is also a welcome addition in her personal life. As a social butterfly and avid musician, she looks forward to discovering Qoin-friendly restaurants, entertainment, jewellery and services.

The benefits of experience

Wendy has extensive experience coaching clients in Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Canada. Her skills have been honed through roles in professional networking organisations, telecommunications companies, marketing, direct-to-consumer sales and hospitality.

As the founder of Strategic Networking and Executive Director of BNI Sydney North East, she supports and mentors hundreds of small business owners.

“I make people who are uncomfortable networking, comfortable, and I make people who are ineffective at networking, effective,” she says.

“They may do it a lot but they don’t get a lot of results from it—that will change. The goal of it is to make people who network do it with a strategy, with goals in mind and have a framework that they use when they approach different networking opportunities.”

Wendy offers two networking courses:

The Strategic Networking masterclass is a six-week online program with 45-minute sessions twice a week. It includes content delivery and practical workshops.

The 7 Steps to High Value Referrals is an advanced program that aims to build deeper relationships with referral partners. The six-month program includes a two-hour session each fortnight.

The next course is due to start in late April—so get your Qoin ready!