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Archive for the ‘Networking’ Category

Owning your own business of any type is going to require some amount of networking. Networking is a method of building awareness of your business, among people who may be likely at one time or another to use your products, your services or to refer someone else to your business. Networking is all about getting to know other people, and locally your best bet in finding additional network contacts is going to be with other business owners.

You can find many types of networking opportunities around you. Every club and every association that you belong too is going to be a part of your network. From there, every person you come into contact with and every person you talk with is going to be part of your network.

Make a lasting impression
You can make a lasting impression on the people that you meet by talking about what you know best, and by talking about topics that are vital to your business. If you are not sure about a topic that is being approached during a conversation, ask questions. This will show you are part of the conversation and that you still want to know more. Just listening is going to keep you out of the conversation and will not make a lasting impression of you on any one.
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The last couple of days have been beautiful, the weather near perfect and some of us are suffering from spring fever while others are simply struggling with the pollen levels. This time of the year reminds me that summer is coming and things are about to slow down – in networking. I would like to take just a moment and discuss this trend and what I believe may be the cause of it.

Let’s begin in the fall. At this time of the year we are working feverishly trying to procure new business because we realize that around the holidays things will slow down. As December draws near, some of us become preoccupied with things like parties and shopping and our attention turns from building our business. Others find it increasingly difficult to make contact as people begin long vacations.

Then the holidays pass. We put our marketing and networking efforts into high gear, going to several meetings a week, trying to get things cranked up again. The result is increased business and increased profits. Have you ever noticed that in the early part of February that things begin to pick up almost at a maddening pace? When this occurs, unless we are prepared for growth, we start to back off on our promotions as we scramble to complete the work that has been generated by our marketing efforts.

In effect, we stop networking. We lose contact with those we have been making and asking for referrals, and they begin to feel as if we are not interested in them any longer. When this happens, they may look for someone else to refer when that target prospect comes along.

By early to mid summer, we are starting to crawl out from under the workload and we again look for opportunities. Unfortunately, the vacations have started again as children are released from school for the summer. Thus it is very difficult once again to find the contacts that were out there just before our business picked up again late last winter.
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Business groups like the Chamber of Commerce provide many excellent marketing opportunities. The members of these types of business groups are all business owners and many of them will fit into your sweet-spot profile. What better way to get to know the decision makers in these businesses?

Maximize Your Exposure in Business Groups

Don’t simply join a business group and remain a passive bystander. To get the most out of your business group experience you need to get involved. Here are some tips:

When you join one of these business groups immediately make yourself known to the Executive Director, the office staff and the officers, as well as the people on the board.

Volunteer for a committee. This is an excellent way to meet and really get to know some of the local small business owners.

Speak at the meetings and events.

Exhibit and take out a little table at the next expo or event held by the business group. These are usually inexpensive and are a low risk proposition.

Send a direct mail to the business group members on the master list introducing them to your company and your services.

Invite the whole business group membership to seminars or events you are holding.

Attend and network at the business group meetings regularly; 8 or 10 a year is a good number.
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Business groups provide excellent marketing and networking opportunities. There are many different ones to join. What you need to do is make sure you join the right business group for you and your needs, and then you need to be an active member of the business group.

There is usually more than one business group in your area. You don’t want to spend all your time going to different business group meetings so you need to choose carefully. When you are looking for a group to join one rule is almost always universal:

The bigger they are the better they are. Big business groups will pull more active members out to networking events. Generally the more people that are in the room, the better the odds are that you are going to connect with the right kind of person who could be a future sweet spot client.

Regardless of the exact business group you join you have to actually attend the meetings. You won’t make contacts through osmosis. When I hear someone say that they tried a business group and it didn’t work for them 9 times out of 10 they went to one meeting; for whatever reason they didn’t like the meeting and never went back.

Business group marketing is no different than any other type. If you are going to do a cold call campaign and the first person is rude and hangs up on you, do you retreat to the woods never to be heard from again? No. Here are some tips to help you find, persist with, and make the most of your business group membership.

Don’t go into a meeting with a negative, intimidated or apprehensive attitude. This will show through to the business group members.

Check out all the business groups within a one-hour radius. Don’t settle on the first one you come across.

Go to at least two business group meetings before you decide it is right for you.

Be patient. Don’t go in expecting to meet your magic client within an hour.
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