The title certainly sums up how it is in the business world these days. Networking is an essential route to get to know new business connections in your local area. Alongside this, there are an abundance of reasons as to why networking is good for you, and why as an owner, director or decision maker you should put yourself out there and engage in it.
Raising Your Profile
Getting out there and attending networking events gets your name and company noticed. You instantly make yourself more visible, allowing other like minded business people to take recognition and remember you. Especially if you make yourself stand out in both your personality and what your business offers. This can therefore enhance your reputation in the local business community and make it more likely that you receive greater leads and referrals as a result of networking. Since you will pop into peoples heads when themselves or someone they know is seeking your goods or services.
Increased Confidence
Confidence is an essential attribute to have when being a business owner, director, or someone in the business that has a leadership or decision making role. By attending networking events you are naturally thrown into a room full of people you don’t really know, which can be majorly out of some individuals comfort zones. But by pushing yourself to do such a task and making continuous connections with new potential leads, it will help you to improve such a skill, which you can then use when negotiating new business.
Sharing’s Caring
Through networking you are opening yourself up to an opportunity to meet a wide range of people, that operate in various sectors and that all have a story about how they got where they are today. This allows you to share your own story, but also listen to other peoples ideas and expertise. Perhaps you want some feedback on a current marketing campaign or a brand new product? Or perhaps you want a recommendation for an accountant or lawyer? Whatever it is there will always be somebody that has the answer and can point you in the right direction. Not forgetting, you being able to help others with the background and existing connections you have.
Lead The Way
When at a networking event, the number of people attending can sometimes be irrelevant in terms of how valuable the event is going to be. This is because you are not just connecting with the people in the room, but also getting access to other peoples already established networks too. For example we an accountants attend a networking event, and get speaking to the owner of a cleaning company, but he has a friend who has just started up his own cafe and is looking for an accountant, therefore he recommends us as a good option to his friend. Well, thats in the ideal world anyway. It’s important to be patient in terms of allowing your connections to generate results in terms of leads and referrals and ultimately growth. Opportunities like this do exist yes, but when they are going to happen you never know.
Same Sector? No Problem
Some may see this as a reason to not network, as they see it as competition instead of opportunity. Well look at it this way. People that attend that are in the same sector may be of higher calibre with a greater deal of experience and expertise within the industry. This means by forming a relationship with them you could give yourself access to gaining support from a high profile individual, with any challenges or issues you may come across. Providing a positive influence within your business life, that can maybe even motivate and inspire you. We don’t see this as a barrier but instead a valuable opportunity to make the most of networking.
Helping Others Succeed
Doing others favors within your networking community, whether it be offering them advice or connecting them with someone who can help or who they can do business with is a very rewarding experience. Also chances are they will return the good deed within the future should you ever be in the same position. This also adds to your reputation and brand identity, portraying you as someone thats willing to give back and not just somebody that is out for themselves. An essential when you are trying to grow your business. Helping others makes you as an individual feel good too, so why not?
Like the sound of being a part of something much bigger than just forming connections? Want you as a person and your business to thrive in its local community? Join Breslins Club today!
