People networking during conference lunch break.
Monkey Business – stock.adobe.co
Many small business owners feel, even those with experience in their industry, may feel alone in their business venture. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Networking is a vital tool that can allow you to create a community to support your business.
However, even if you are an extrovert, going to network with other business owners and leaders can seem like an intimidating process. Here are three tips to help you get started.
1. Do Your Research: Networking is going to have you spend a lot of time on your computer. Research is crucial to finding contacts that can help your business. You want to create a list of all the businesses and networking events in your area.
2. Be Prepared: You will never know when you stumble across your next key business contact. When that happens, you’re going to want to have on hand:
- Business Cards
- A rehearsed Elevator Pitch
- Any marketing materials
3. Create a Strategy: There is no set formula for networking, so a strategy can help keep you on track. A strategy can include blocking out time in your schedule dedicated to networking, creating a target amount of monthly new contacts you want to create, and targeting specific types of contacts for your network.
It is also important to stay patient throughout this process. Networking can be a frustrating process. You will meet with plenty of business owners who won’t join your network at the end of the day. Be sure to continue to follow up with potential contacts and keep going to networking events until you have built your network up.
