You meet new people every day at the grocery store, at a business meetings, or even at your kid’s track meet. But are you taking advantage of these interactions to create opportunities for your small business?
Creating potential business connections, or networking, can be one of the most important strategies to expanding your base of customers, business partners, and company. How do small business owners take control of their networking? Strategic networking, if done right, can be more effective than any advertising campaign. Here are a few tips to get the most out of your networking:
1. Create a strategy
As hard as you try, you will never be able to attend every relevant networking event and still run a successful business. Attend only the most worthwhile events. To start, ask yourself a few questions such as: Which networking events were the most valuable in the past? And are there any new events that might attract a target market you haven’t yet considered?
2. Narrow down your prospects
Once you have your strategy in place you can begin to examine your potential contacts in order to decide who exactly you want to connect with. By establishing which industries and customers have the most potential you can choose their specific groups and events to make the most of your networking efforts.
3. Avoid common mistakes
Many new networkers think that when they meet someone they automatically need to start selling. This will not only scare away your network potential but will ruin your chances to establish a business relationship. Networking should be approached as building connections between people for a potential long-term business relationship, not just a one-time sale.
Now that you have you have your networking strategy in place it’s time to connect. But when you’ve exhausted the industry networking events where else can you find prospects? Here are a few ideas for non-event networking:
- Attend a seminar about your industry or a lecture on something you find interesting
- Join your local Chamber of Commerce
- Participate on a local sports team or athletic training team
- Join a local volunteer group or start your own
Small business networking is a vital aspect of your marketing strategy. Making and keeping connections with potential customers, employees or even business partners will help your small business be a success.