As a small business owner, you know that business networking is important for building your customer base and reputation. However, many people don’t realize how important it is to foster professional relationships with other businesses in your industry as well as potential customers. Here are just some of the benefits of business networking:
Be More Influential
One of the main reasons to network, especially as a small business owner, is because it’s an opportunity for you to join forces with other businesses and become more influential as a group. It’s also a way to gain access to resources that you wouldn’t have otherwise. If you were trying to get into an industry that already has established players in place, joining together with other businesses can help you make your mark on the scene and start making waves. You may find that joining forces with other companies lets you get ahead of your competition by giving everyone involved access to some shared resources or expertise they wouldn’t have had on their own. For example: if two or three small businesses in town decide they want each other as clients so they can grow their clientele together, this could lead all parties involved toward better success than any one company would be able to achieve on its own.
New Business Opportunities
Networking is a great way to make connections that can lead to new business opportunities. The right person at the right time can be an invaluable asset, so it’s important that you build up a network of contacts who may prove useful in the future. Networking can also help you to find out exactly what type of business opportunities are available and how you might be able to go about getting them. This will enable you to focus your efforts on where they’re most needed, which will allow for quicker and more effective results overall. By building up a network of contacts, you can benefit from the knowledge and expertise that others have gained through their own experiences. You’ll also be better-positioned to find opportunities for collaboration or even sales. And if you hold events, these are an excellent way of expanding your network by bringing people together who otherwise wouldn’t have met each other (or at least not so soon).
Not only does it allow you to meet people you can help, and who can help you. It’s a great way to get your name out there and meet people who have similar interests as yours, whether they’re other business owners, customers or potential clients. As an added bonus, networking events are usually free or low cost—and if it’s a paid event the money goes toward a good cause!
Expand Your Network By Hosting Events
An event is a great way to expand your network and introduce your business to new people. The first step is to plan the event, then it’s time to start promoting it. When planning an event, don’t forget about the venue. You want an area with space for people to network comfortably and have enough seating for everyone who attends your event. Once you have chosen where you will hold your event, think about how many guests you want there and what they will receive in exchange for their RSVP email or ticket purchase (if applicable). You can also decide whether or not food is included in this cost or if there are multiple ticket prices available based on whether or not food will be served at the event. If hiring someone else out of town costs more than what you would like them paid per hour then consider bringing them into town instead; however make sure that whoever travels has all necessary equipment before doing so! The next step after planning is promoting—and we mean really promoting! Make sure friends know about it too because they may bring other friends along who may not otherwise have known about this gathering.”
After attending a networking event don’t forget the follow up! Spend some time connecting with these people on social media channels such as LinkedIn to further build on that relationship.
Link Directories are Gloucester’s leading local independent directory, linking local businesses with the local community. We publish 3 local directories – Abbey-Link, Hucclecote Link, Quedgeley Link and Tuffley Link – and distribute to 16,000 homes over a 2-month period. If you would like more information about how we can help you advertise your local business to your target market, take a look at our website www.thelinkdirectories.co.uk or give us a call on 01452 621496 – we’d be happy to help!
