Networking In The Beginning:
There’s no question that networking is how you get referrals. We all do business with people we know, like, & trust, and networking provides the ultimate platform for developing business relationships. But networking also has many other benefits.
When I discovered Rapid Time Networks some four years ago, I had been networking for about five years. I was a member of a couple of Networking groups which I attended on a fairly regular basis, but none the less, I found networking difficult. I come from a technical background, and lets face it, us engineering types are use to sitting at our desks talking to our computers – a bit of a one way conversation at best. So when I joined Rapid Time Networks, referrals was fourth or fifth on my list of reasons.
Having multiple meeting every week at multiple locations provided the opportunity to not only meet a greater number of people, but also to engage with some of the same people multiple times during the week. The meeting format allowed me the opportunity to get up at each meeting once a month and talk for four minutes. In the end, I was able to build a great network of individuals while developing and honing my public speaking skills. I now run a Weekly Meeting Thursday Mornings in Surrey, and host several Lunch-N-Learn seminars.
What You Need To Know:
Here are some top tips and more from other professionals. Click on the links to see their full lists:
Business Know-how’s 10 Tips for Successful Business Networking list the following as their top 10:
Keep in mind that networking is about being genuine and authentic, building trust and relationships, and seeing how you can help others.
We can’t say it enough, we do business with those we know, like, & trust.
Top of the list for Small Business Trends is:
Identify where you should go. All venues are not right for all people. You owe it to yourself to do your research and find the venues that make sense for your business.
Well this is a good general rule, you never know who you might meet where.
Entrepreneur is a great business resource. Here is there #1 tip:
Resist the urge to arrive late. It’s almost counter-intuitive, but showing up early at a networking event is a much better strategy than getting there on the later side. As a first attendee, you’ll notice that it’s calmer and quieter – and people won’t have settled into groups yet. It’s easier to find other people who don’t have conversation partners yet.
Another advantage to this is the ability to monitor the door as the rest of the guests arrive.
Lifehack’s 10 Business Networking Tips has this to say:
Be Helpful – When people in your network get stronger, you get stronger. By helping people in your network get stronger, they may be in a better position to be able to help you in the future. In addition, per the law of reciprocity, people may be more motivated to return the favor.
Need we say more? OK, those who Give Get.
At Surrey Networking, we list the follow as the #1 Networking Tip:
Show Up Consistently: Coming out to a network meeting once will not get you anywhere. The chances of making a great impression and getting noticed are low, and even if you do, most people will not refer business to you if they don’t actually know you. Make yourself a regular.
Consistency in your Business Practices is essential to building a strong business. Networking is a part of your business, and deserves no less.
Get our Top 10 Tips List.
