Is networking right for you and your business?

Every business networking group, no matter how big or small is a platform for you to market yourself and/or your business. But, a business networking event, group, or regular meeting will not work as a standalone business tool. If you’re looking to enhance your referral network to find new prospects, or professional advisers, suppliers, or even bike mates, then YES, networking could be right for you.

Always remember, whatever networking event you choose to dedicate your time to, everyone in that room has not been waiting all year for you to walk through the door selling your product/service. If you’re looking to use networking as part of your new business strategy, no problem, but it’s highly likely you’re going to need other sales activity to make it happen. Please don’t think ‘networking’ is a quick and easy sales fix.

You need to dedicate time to networking, you need to attend regularly, it needs to become part of your work commitment. Regular attendance helps people trust you. And when they trust you, they’re far more likely to start sharing valuable referrals with you.

My Tip: always attend a networking event(s) knowing what you want to get from it. Have goals for the event you’re going to, and have longer term goals. If you stick to your plan, and don’t try selling to everyone I believe networking will work for you as an individual and/or business.

Bonus Tip: in the UK we have lots of different networking groups. Some are formal, some aren’t. Some are fun. Some are very business only focused. Just because one group is right for you doesn’t mean every group is right for you. At PedalTalk we take a relaxed approach to networking, some members rock’up in their cycling gear. Yes we follow the standard format where everyone in the room gets 30 seconds to talk about themselves (Talk30) and we make sure every meeting has an educational talk (PEDTalk) to make sure people are getting even more value. Please attend different groups to make sure you’re surrounding yourself with people who you feel you can trust and build business relationships with (ie: like-minded cyclists) … MAKE SURE you find the best fit for you.