The importance of networking for any business owner is a crucial topic to cover at all stages of its success. Networking is never complete and you can always expand your business. The popular new way to network is through social media and that is a great way to gain new potential customers, but I personally feel like the old fashioned way of networking is the most effective. Meeting new people face to face and building relationships in person is the way I prefer to do my networking.
There are many in person networking events that you can go to. Some are free and some charge fees. The best networking for your business will be free. You shouldn’t have to pay someone to potentially earn you clients. The entrepreneurial foundation that I co-founded hosted a networking event this past weekend free of charge. We had women and men join together for FREE and networked about their business. Not only did our event allow people to share their businesses with one another; it was also a great learning experience for every business owner and future business owner who attended. At our events we always make a point to educate those who take the time out of their day to benefit their business by learning and making a valid effort to grow.
Everyone who attends our networking events has a similar mindset. They are all entrepreneurs looking to create a better life for themselves. Surrounding yourself with like-minded people is when you will flourish the most. The connections that are made at our events are those that will last a lifetime. And again, our attendees get to do all of this for FREE. Incase you are curious about this amazing foundation I have been telling you about, here is our website: www.highheelshighgoals.com. I want to encourage you to attend our next event, because like I said, the best networking you can do is the old fashioned, in person kind.
I also wanted to share a couple tips that come in handy when you choose to execute old-fashioned networking. These tips will help you close the deal more often and faster.
Be committed
You aren’t networking if you’re out for instant gratification. An effective network is built upon a solid foundation of relationships that are built over time. When you make a new business acquaintance, take time to learn as much about him or her as you possibly can. Don’t look at them with dollar signs in your eyes. Take time to get them talking about themselves by asking open-ended questions and listening! Are there common interests you share? Do your children go to the same school? Remember, people do business with people they like and trust, with friends.
Follow Up
After meeting a potential client, make sure you pay attention to comment interests you have with them. Remember establishing a relationship is key to gaining their business. After your first introduction you can follow up with an email stating how nice it was to meet them and attach something else non-business related that will show them that you were really paying attention to what they were saying. For example, if they love sushi, in your follow up you could suggest your favorite sushi bar for them to go to and attach the address and their menu.
Give, Give, Give
You know the saying; it’s better to give than receive, which applies here. Be willing to put the other person first. Find out how you can help them and follow through. Perhaps, you can make an introduction or suggest a good resource for their business. Become the “go-to” person. Then, when you need assistance, you’ll be rewarded abundantly.
Ronne B
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