Networking and the Growth of Business

January 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Small Business Summit 2011 Pre Event Photo 22

Image by Grant Wickes via Flickr

I had an opportunity to sit with a couple young entrepreneurs this morning. In spending this time with them, I was reminded about the idea of networking and the growth of business. Without this time of networking I would not know about their business nor would I be able to refer them to my clients who might well need them.

While networking has always been a part of business success, it seems that in today’s business climate driven often by online marketing opportunities, that real networking has suffered. It’s easier to “shoot” someone an email or direct them to your Twitter account than to sit down for a cup of coffee. While these technologies have their place in every business, they should not and really cannot take the place of the face-to-face contact that is the essence of networking.

Networking is important because:

  • When I am looking into your face I can hear the sincerity of your words.
  • When I am looking into your face I can see the passion in your eyes.
  • When I am looking into your face I can tell your confidence that you display.
  • When I am looking into your face you can see the same things in me.

It is when we can gain the confidence in each other that only this kind of conversation brings, that we will readily refer each other and our businesses to our clients, family, and friends.

Every business should recognize the value of this kind of networking and realize how important it is to the growth of our businesses.

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Make Time to Network

September 21, 2011 by Leave a Comment

I live and work in a very unique place. My local market is a small one, but within three hundred miles of me there are six major US cities. So, I have the benefit of both a small market atmosphere and a large market reach.

The best way take advantage of this situation is to make time to network. Networking in simple terms is reaching out to people who could be possible clients or business associates in your niche/industry. By networking with these people and companies you will have the inside track when they are looking for someone like you to benefit their business.

There are several things that are true in understanding the whole concept of networking:

  1. Networking takes time. You can’t just join a “networking” group or put a profile up on LinkedIn and Facebook and expect that new business will come pouring in the door. You must learn to “make a name for yourself” in these groups and online before people will see you as an asset to their business.
  2. Networking takes effort. If you plan to network with potential clients in your industry, you have to make the effort to know what they need and how your companies products/services can meet their companies needs. If you don’t do your homework, networking becomes nothing more than coffee table chat.
  3. Networking is not the same as sales. This to me is the biggest single truth that we have to overcome. When you are networking, you are not selling. Networking will certainly bring people into the sales cycle, but to make networking about sales will loose you more clients than it will ever gain. Networking allows you to become someone who is known, liked, and trusted. Sales results from that!

 

To make time to network, when done properly, will open the door for opportunities that would have never come about any other way. (Both from those we meet and from those they will introduce us to.) To not make time to network just makes growing your business that much harder.

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