Successful networks for your business
Over the last five years and throughout what has been a difficult financial time for many businesses, more and more entrepreneurs, small and medium sized businesses have realized that active networking is absolutely essential to business growth, especially for start-ups and small businesses that may not have a large advertising budget or a long list of contacts they can contact or trust to get the word out about themselves or their company and the type of services or products they offer. Love it or hate it, business networking is here to stay and is quickly becoming an important part of the overall strategic plan for our business now and in the future.
While many people still prefer to stay away from networking events citing reasons like “It’s a waste of time”, “Nobody Gets Me Any Business” gold “All I do is sell to other people who are trying to sell to me, it’s a pointless exercise”Most of us are realizing the tremendous benefits of networking. When done correctly, networking is an invaluable tool to help us meet others, grow our business and network, and also help others grow their business in the process.
While I’m a big fan of social media marketing and using the power of social media to attract new customers through sites like Linked In, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest, for the purposes of this article I’ll focus specifically on B2B networking and how you can use this form of networking to grow your business and reach leads and customers you might never have met otherwise.
PeopleBuy from people
In the last few years in particular, there has been a change in the way people buy and who they buy from. The “hard sell” no longer works as well as in the past and people now buy from people they know and trust. It’s true, of course, that we also buy from big, well-known brands, but the reason we buy from these companies is the same reason we increasingly buy from people we know: because we trust them. The difficulty many smaller businesses face is that our ad budgets don’t reach the same size as larger brands, so we need to engage and interact with people as much as possible through networks to promote ourselves and our brand and get maximum exposure. . By circulating and meeting others on a regular basis, we build trust and relationships with others. This is a valuable way to attract new business and is by far the easiest way.
Word of mouth has long been the easiest and most cost-effective way for any business to attract new customers. No big advertising fees, no sales calls, no direct marketing, no “hard sell” – just the good old way of passing information, recommendations and referrals from one person to another.
What about my marketing plan?
Many companies today use detailed marketing plans that contain many of the tools and strategies we need to make our business successful: social media marketing, content marketing, direct marketing, and inbound marketing are just a few of the words and phrases of fashion with which we have become familiar. in recent years, but many of us have realized that while these marketing strategies are essential and have their place in our business plan, we must not forget the value of “word of mouth” marketing and the opportunities it brings. can provide networking.
Networking, by its very nature, is a form of inbound marketing, as you are effortlessly and easily attracting others through networking events to meet people who may be interested in your products or services, promoting your business while you are there. , having discussions about what you do and the types of services or products you offer and hopefully turning those people into customers and sometimes more importantly fans of your business to tell others about you… now that is effective marketing!
The truth about business-to-business networking
B2B networking events have sprung up in every country, city, county, town, and village around the world in recent years, so the good news is that it’s very easy to find a networking group to join and become a active member. regardless of the line of business you are in. There are many different types of networks, and depending on your short- or long-term goals, you may want to join a hard-hitting network (one where you are actively encouraged to get referrals to others within the group, and in return , they actively seek referrals for your business) or you may prefer to engage in more informal networking (where you meet once every few weeks, or even once a month for coffee and chat, exchange business cards and meet to others in a more informal setting).
Whichever type of networking event you prefer, B2B networking is invaluable in today’s business environment and something that should become an active part of your business. Networking has its place along with the other marketing strategies I mentioned above, however it is very important to remember that networking for business is only successful when used correctly and there are several ways you can do it.
How do I use networks effectively?
Networking is all about building relationships with others and meeting people. The goal is to make new friends and contacts that, over time, you will get to know well and build trust with. Networking is a two-way street and this is worth keeping in mind, especially if you are new to networking. It’s natural to want to go in and start telling everyone about what your business does best and how you can change people’s lives with your services, but the reality is that if you really want to make networking work for you, you have to take a more focused approach. more measured and relaxed and allow things to unfold at a natural pace.
The ROI of networking is similar to other business practices like marketing and advertising: you may not see immediate results, and it may take a few months of active attendance at networking meetings before you start to see any benefit, for example. which is worth keeping this in mind before you start! Effective networking takes time and can involve meetings early in the morning as well as in the evening, so be prepared to put in some effort – the rewards and long-term benefits are really worth it.
Some pros and cons…
Do try a few different network groups to see which ones work best for you. You may find that hard networking is right for you if you want to see faster ROI and actively attend meetings regularly, or you may prefer occasional networking, especially if you are short on time and You can commit to attend every week. . Contact your local Chamber of Commerce and City or County Business Board for information on meetings and networking events taking place near you and also keep an eye on local newspapers and magazines where you will often see events announced. Another great resource is of course the internet, so some searching should point you in the right direction.
Whose Join a networking group with the sole idea of selling to others. You’ll get a frosty reception if your plan is to show up once or twice and then sell to people every time you’re there. Remember: networking is a two-way street and no one likes to feel like they are being sold at every opportunity. At two networking events I attended recently, one guy asked me directly if I could “find” him some clients, and another person approached me directly and asked, “I need to get some clients ASAP, so what can you do for me?” ?” Needless to say, these are two people I now avoid like the plague every time I see them.
Do practice your elevator pitch and try to keep it between 30 and 60 seconds; longer and people will excuse themselves for more coffee.
Do listen to others and take the time to get to know them, their business and what they do. If you take the approach that you can only actively refer business to people you know well and build a relationship with, then your success rate at networking effectively will be much, much higher. By referring businesses to people we know, we can be absolutely sure that the particular business or service we are recommending is really great. Who wants to recommend a business or service they really don’t know anything about? All she’ll end up with is a dissatisfied customer or friend coming back with complaints about the service she received, and she definitely doesn’t want that.
Whose forget to bring your business cards and lots of them. Networking events are the perfect opportunity to hand out business cards and receive cards from others. There is nothing worse than arriving at an event and then realizing that a potential client or client is right there but you have nothing to give them.
Do try to mix as much as possible and “work” the room effectively. If you only go to one networking meeting a month, make it count. Talk to as many people as you can and get there early so you can maximize your time.
Whose Get Nervous: I know it’s easier said than done when you’re not used to networking and it can be daunting to walk up to a complete stranger and introduce yourself, but remember that everyone is in the same boat and even the most experienced had to do it. start somewhere. Everyone who attends these events has a common goal: to grow your business and your network, so take a deep breath and be brave!
Finally, do arrange one-on-one meetings outside of networking meetings. These are absolutely invaluable for getting to know people properly and really finding out about their businesses and services. By arranging one-on-one meetings, we take the most proactive approach possible in trying to grow our business and you never know… you might set up a one-on-one meeting with someone who happens to be a friend, a client, a client. , or even someone who will refer you to someone else they know who needs exactly what your business offers!
I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback about networking and how well it’s working or not working for you, so feel free to leave me a comment.