A large part of business success can be about making connections. But when you’re devoting all of your hours to building your small business, how do you reach out to business network and develop strategies to connect?
There’s no doubt that networking is a great way to increase knowledge, opportunities and personal growth and in this age of technology, social media does afford us the luxury of making great connections whilst sitting at our desks. But it’s important to remember that face-to-face personal contact is just as essential plus real life networking can really add that personal touch.
Just think about it – discussing a matter with a customer or prospect over a coffee can be far more effective than simply sending an email and you’re more likely to build a rapport and increase job opportunities.
Your time is precious when running a small business so it’s important to target networking events that best meet the needs of your business.
3 Tips To Help You Be Prepared To Develop Your Business Network
- Business cards
Make sure you have plenty of professionally printed business cards ready to hand out that include your business name, what you do and relevant contact information. - Elevator speech
Have a short spiel prepared that summarises your business and what you do. Don’t use this as an opportunity to sell straight away, but a few sentences that talk about your business in a positive light will help break the ice with new people. - Know why you’re networking
Whether you’re looking to build your business or you’re after support or a mentor – it’s important to think about why you’re attending an event and what you want to get out of it.
Once you’ve taken the time to attend a networking event, it’s important to follow up any promising contacts you’ve made within 48 hours. A friendly email, quick phone call or a handwritten note on your company letterhead are all ideal.
Remember that everyone can and should be a networker. Good connections breed more good connections and whether you choose to do it face-to-face or online it all comes down to talking to people.
Here at Kwik Kopy, we love to network with our clients and can’t wait to work with you and start sharing ideas. Contact your local Centre today.
