Harness the Power of Networking: 7 Tips for Success

While working in Corporate America, most of our clients came through referral. So our business developers made sure they were the right places, at the right time, so we could build our network. For an entrepreneur, networking can be vital to bringing in new sales leads. It helps with brand awareness, building relationships, developing partnerships, finding collaboration opportunities, and keeping you up-to-date on business and industry trends. Networking can also lead you to investors or business sponsors.

All networking events are not the same, so you’ll want to make sure that the ones you attend align with your goals. For example, professional groups and Chamber of Commerce events are great places for networking. You’ll want to focus on quality event where you will find your target audience or people who have connections with your target audience. Of course, you’ll collect contact information but be sure to have meaningful conversation to help establish relationships.

When networking, you’ll want to give as much as you get. Share information, tips, tools, and other valuable resources. Remember, networking is about relationship building so don’t make your introductory connection a one-time event. Find ways to stay connected and continue to build the relationship over time. They say the fortune is in the follow-up! That means, follow-up leads to revenue, so follow-up with the people you meet.

Here are 7 best practices in networking:

1. Be prepared to talk and have your elevator pitch ready to share.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask for referrals, introductions or advice when needed. You may be surprised at how many people are willing to offer help for free.

3. Be proactive by offering to help connect people, introduce contacts, or send referrals.

4. Follow up immediately with a note, email, or call to keep the conversation going.

5. Stay in touch by following up regularly with a friendly hello or sharing of information.

6. Connect on social media. LinkedIn and Alignable are great for business to business (B2B) connections. You can also follow on other social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

7. Set up a system to track your networking progress and measure your success.
   

By following this advice, you can build meaningful relationships and increase sales through networking. Overall, business networking is a powerful tool to generate sales, increase revenue, and make a huge difference in the success of your business.