Networking is the means for developing and maintaining contacts that can be helpful to your business.
The art of networking has several essential aspects:
The art of networking has several essential aspects:
- Meeting people who can be of help to you.
- Collecting and updating contact information.
- Regular contact with those in your network.
- Thanking people for their help.
- Helping others when asked.
All other things being equal, people will do business with other people that they know and trust. Your networking activity should be focused on becoming that trusted person. Networking is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s about building long term relationships not quick sales.
1. What is Networking?
Networking is about maintaining long standing relationships and building new ones, it’s about keeping YOU at the forefront of people’s minds so when they decided they need your service or products it's you they will come to or if they know someone that needs your service or product they will naturally refer you, because they have got to know you.
Networking is long term, people will only use you once they know who you are and they trust and believe in you, so once you find a Networking Group that you like keep going as you will find there will always be some faces you know but I can guarantee you will also always meet new people you can talk to hence what I saying earlier.
Give people time to get to know you, and invest the time in getting to know them and you will prosper.
2. What can I expect from Networking?
Often, you will not get an immediate offer from a networking meeting. That doesn’t mean it is a waste of time, because you will have gained contacts, knowledge and the possibility of a referral
Networking is like having your own personal coach; you will be motivated, inspired, and driven. You will meet people who will give you ideas on marketing, advertising and sales. Just by talking to other likeminded business owners and entrepreneurs your business will develop and grow.
Networking is about maintaining long standing relationships and building new ones, it’s about keeping YOU at the forefront of people’s minds so when they decided they need your service or products it's you they will come to or if they know someone that needs your service or product they will naturally refer you, because they have got to know you.
Networking is long term, people will only use you once they know who you are and they trust and believe in you, so once you find a Networking Group that you like keep going as you will find there will always be some faces you know but I can guarantee you will also always meet new people you can talk to hence what I saying earlier.
Give people time to get to know you, and invest the time in getting to know them and you will prosper.
2. What can I expect from Networking?
Often, you will not get an immediate offer from a networking meeting. That doesn’t mean it is a waste of time, because you will have gained contacts, knowledge and the possibility of a referral
Networking is like having your own personal coach; you will be motivated, inspired, and driven. You will meet people who will give you ideas on marketing, advertising and sales. Just by talking to other likeminded business owners and entrepreneurs your business will develop and grow.
- To make new connections and meet new people. The more people you meet, the more referrals you are likely to achieve and most successful businesses are built on referrals. It’s not what you know but who you know that counts and what really counts is who knows you!
- Experience the networking phenomenon.
- Identify potential new clients & customers, and those who can refer you to them. By getting out there and talking to people you can come up with totally new ideas for potential clients and target markets.
- Discover how people in other businesses are getting their business, and adapt it to your own. By hearing how other people operate, you can get great ideas for changes, expansions and even a new direction for your own business.
- Get ideas for potential joint ventures and joint venture partners. Strategic Alliances and Joint Ventures can be very successful for your business. By meeting lots of people, you hear and come up with new ideas for how you can work with others, how your business can be complementary to another in a way you had not thought of before. Open your mind to alliances and you’ll be surprised how many opportunities you can find.
- Find new products and services you have been looking for. Need an accountant, marketer, web designer? Need insurance, a new vehicle, a warehouse? Whatever you are looking for, if you network enough, the chances are you will find it.
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