The benefits of business networking
Aug 11 2006
Networking generally fails when you haven’t thought about what you want to achieve. Reasons for networking are varied but include: meeting suppliers, advisers, investors, customers; testing business ideas; getting feedback on issues from entrepreneurial peers, etc.
Different groups and networks will address different issues but once you have established your purpose for attending they won’t be arbitrary or random. If you have a clear product or service and looking for leads networks like BNI or BRE are specifically aimed at members referring each other work. More complex offerings generally work better elsewhere.
Sometimes, the best way to find customers and suppliers is actually through more arbitrary means. People like doing business with people they like. In general the worst thing you can do is to try to sell yourself. If people rate you and like you they will introduce you to people they know. You just have to be open enough to recognise opportunities when they arise.
You may not get it right straight away but it’s a learning process. Once refined, any successful entrepreneur will say the network they’ve developed is a pivotal part of their success. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again.
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Comment by ian cook
Tuesday 1st May 2007Having attended a "how to network" meeting a few interesting points were raised that I think are worth sharing.
1) You must get over the inherant problem that is drilled into us all from a very early age - "dont talk to strangers"
2) Its a very small step between networking and notworking, so make sure you stay in the right zone.
3) Pay for your company's "hunters not farmers" to go to networking events.
4) Write an elevator speech before you go, so when people say to you what do you do, our instant reply is "we make businesses and the people that run them more successful" the response every time is "how do you do that?" ice broken, conversation flowing.
5) Make what you do sound intersting and a benefit to the person you meet. Would you want to talk to someone who says "I'm an accountant" or someone who introduces themself with the line "I help companies and their staff pay less tax!" same person - different approach.
6) Set a target of 1 or 2 good leads to follow up on the next day and dont start drinking or stop moving around until you have the successes you wanted.
7) Email everyone that you take a card off and say how nice it was to meet them. Propose a further meeting or ask for a referal if your service was not of interest to them.
Good Hunting!
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