Business networking and why it's important
The value of networking cannot be overstated when you're
starting a business. It means building up a network of
people. That might mean just having someone's business card,
or it might mean speaking with them twice a day on conference
call. It will depend on the contact and the nature of your
business relationship. This guide introduces you to:
- Why it helps
- Where to do it
- What to remember at all times
Why it helps
It's miles easier to find the right service, investors,
suppliers, partners, PR advisors, and everyone and everything else
you need for your business when you know the people you're dealing
with or they've come personally recommended. It saves you days of
searching through Yellow Pages and Google for what you need, and it
is a much better guarantee of quality. And the more people
you know, the more business opportunities you'll discover - people
do business with people they like. If you're looking for investors
or partners, there's absolutely no substitute for personal
contact.
- Get personal recommendations and know who the people you
need
- More contacts equals more opportunities
- Personal contact is always the most effective
Where to do it
There are always networking events going on for the sector you
want to get in to. Look online - www.meetup.com is a great place to
find relevant groups, and www.gumtree.com might help too.
And get email subscriptions to relevant online newsletters
detailing events for your sector. Attend industry conferences. The
potential to network online is now greater than ever, and it's a
fantastic free tool - Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and of course
Smarta are great places to start.
- Go to events and conferences aimed at your sector
- Make the most of online networking tools
What to remember at all times
Everyone is a potential business contact! The more people
you meet and tell about your business, the bigger your network will
be and the more business opportunities you will have. Carry
business cards around with you everywhere, and practise describing
your business succinctly. Don't be overbearing or annoying, but
gauge when someone's interested and discuss how you could help each
other.
- Everyone is a potential business contact
- Carry business cards at all time
- Talk to people about what you're doing
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