Q: What is the point of business networking meetings? How can going to a venue to meet a completely random and arbitrary set of business people, absolutely none of whom might be in any way related to your business, how can that be a productive use of a busy company director’s time? You might just as well book yourself into a hotel and hope to meet someone useful to your business.
Aug 11 2006
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Answered by: Adam Wayland Ask a question
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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