As a Small Business, networking with other businesses should be one of the top ideas in your marketing mix. Networking is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to get your company's name out in front of your community. Networking events like your Chamber Of Commerce and local networking or leads groups are a great way to find prospects, partners and potentially even a built in sales force very quickly if you keep just a few basic rules in mind. 1.Build Your Image †Look the Part First impressions do count. Your first impression will last for years to come and can either work in your favor or against you. Shorts and flip flops aren't the best dress to impress new people on your professionalism and skills (unless you work for a travel agency specializing in Bahama cruises, then it might just be perfect) 2.Be Proactive Be proactive and find people to come up and introduce yourself to. Other people there are doing the same thing you are...Trying to get new business and meet new people. Don't be afraid to walk up and say hi. 3.Ask, Don't Just Tell Remember this is a two way street. If someone asks what you do, go ahead and tell them about your products and services. Then... Ask about what they do. What's their business? Let them talk about their business and educate you about who their perfect customer is. I see it all the time where someone shows up to an event and all they want to do is talk about themselves and how you NEED their product. They never seem to care about anyone else. Once they are done talking about their product, they just want to move on to someone else and repeat the same pitch. This doesn't give you a good impression to others. 4.Business Cards †The Must Haves! Be sure to get your business cards printed before you go to any networking event. Make sure that you bring plenty of cards. Business cards are cheap. You don't want to be embarrassed when someone asks for a business card you have to say â€Sorry I just ran out.†Also, be sure to get cards from everyone you meet. It doesn't matter if you are just starting your business or have been in business for years, you need to always be building your rolodex of contacts. 5.Wear a Name Badge Many people hate name badges but this is one of the most important items you can have for your networking. First off, people will feel more comfortable with you if they see your name. Second, as you go to more events, people will forget your name. It's just a fact of life. BUT, they will feel more at ease when they come up and see your name on your badge. This will encourage them to come back over to you and talk to you. Nothing is more embarrassing than forgetting someone's name and trying to have a conversation with them. Help others feel at ease and encourage them to come back and talk to again. This is what builds the relationship. 6.Follow Up Is The Key So what do you do with all those cards after the event? Get them in a Contact Management System and follow up! It doesn't matter if you use Outlook, ACT or any other system out there. You just want to get them in the system so you have a quick way to access all those contacts quickly in the future. The important thing is to follow up quickly with them. You should follow up via email, or phone call within the next 1-3 days at most. Make it a priority. 7.Show Up Early, Stay Late Show up early to any event that you going to. This gives you the most chance of getting to know a few people before the crowds get there. Stay late. Some of the best connections are made at the very end of an event. You get the people that are more dedicated (like yourself) and you can build strong relationships in a first meeting with someone this way. 8.Be Consistent Don't just got to an event or group once and expect to make a difference. You need to show up more than once. Show people you are dedicated. Show them that you aren't a fly by night. Some groups will take a few meetings for them to even feel that they can trust you. Schedule it like any other appointment you might have and dedicate yourself to it. In Conclusion Using Networking can be one of the most important parts of your marketing mix. I've seen my own company grow from 15 clients to over 300 clients mostly directly because of networking. It's the best way a new business can get involved and get exposure without spending a lot of money. Just keep these guides in mind as you are making your way to each event in order to get the most out of every event you go. Remember, you'll get out of it what you put in to it.
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