Networking is an important part of business growth and a key component to effective networking is to make yourself known. Women are rarely taken seriously especially in the corporate world and by networking, you can get an opportunity to learn a lot from most businessmen or women and maybe get to understand the reasons behind why most businesswomen fail. Finding loopholes will certainly assist you by guiding you in the right direction of being one of those outstanding successful businesswomen. Some of the reasons that we will look into are that in business networking people share their success stories as well as the mistakes they did, they form partnerships and beneficial friendships. Let’s look into how those reasons can be beneficial to your small business

1.ADVICE

What better way than getting advice from like-minded people, right? Advice is another way of receiving help and making you look at things from a different angle than yours. Great advice from the right people might help you in opening your eyes to what you could do differently to grow and what mistakes you have been doing if your business was not growing. Be careful to check if the advice is from a point of jealousy or to help you grow your business. Some people are great from learning and applying the lessons to grow themselves but they will or might do the opposite to other people out of spite, greed or jealousy.

2. BOOST YOUR CONFIDENCE

When you do business it means you are selling your ideas to people or you are offering them certain services or products. Talking to various people will help you to increase your confidence levels. How will you succeed if you have no confidence to talk to people and sell yourself? If you believe in yourself it’s easy for the next to believe in you. Confidence is so attractive, I personally come across a very shy person who can’t talk in front of people but I feel very confident to do it if I know my story and what I am talking about. You cannot be a shy person when you talk about your vision and what you believe in. It is not about making proper statements but finding a way to explain things and these people also have been there and they will be able to understand your views.

3. BUILD YOUR IDENTITY

When you network, you become known or visible and relevant people will start to recognise you therefore making it easy to also recognise your value. Share your knowledge as well as your experiences, be resourceful, represent your service or product, give advice about things you know, and give useful tips & information to those in need of it. In doing this you’ll be recognised, you will earn people’s respect, gain support and you will be building a good reputation for both you and your business.

3. CONNECTIONS

It might get difficult to connect to people you want to connect to. To even get an appointment set up can be a matter of a long waiting list or very difficult or it can be almost impossible. Such highly influential people attend business networking and when you go and network you might be very lucky to meet such and have a fruitful conversation without the long waiting hassle. Or you might connect to someone who will lead you straight to where you want or to who you anxiously hoping to meet. When you connect to people be vocal and clear in letting them know who you want to know because everyone has their own connections and some of those can be exactly what you are looking for. It’s not what you know but who know, remember that.

4. OPPORTUNITIES

Meeting new different people simply means new opportunities and when those opportunities come remember to stay prepared and use them wisely. Do not just jump into anything and end up forgetting your goal and what your business is all about. You need to know which ones to grab and which ones are not really for you. Be smart about your choices. 

5. REFERRALS/RECOMMENDATIONS

The more business people you meet the more you get referred to the right places and relevant people. When you have build your reputation other business people will easily recommend you or your business to the relevant connections. Bear in mind that business people who have been long in the game know each other very well and they can refer you to the right customers, mentors,  investors or partners.

6. LEARN BUSINESS TRENDS

Networking can be a practical way to do research on the latest trends and what developments these trends bring or which directions they are taking businesses to. Ensure you follow only what will be in favour of improving and diversifying your business. Networking will also connect you with ideas, big and small so you can set your own trends.

7. IDENTIFY BEST PRACTICES

Networking is a great way to identify business best practices by learning from what others do, taking those practices and enhancing them for what is best for your business. It is a valuable strategy to learn practices that you can bring back to your own business.

8. MOTIVATION

Business networking will help you surround yourself with positive people and will maintain your motivation to become successful. You will definitely be consistent in your performance and capability to deliver great service or product. Remember the importance of rubbing off that motivation onto your team or employees for greater success.

With all the information shared the undeniable reality is that in business you have to be surrounded by the right people in order to grow. Diversify your network and not only with people in a similar line of business. Build meaningful relationships and keep in touch. Make connections via social media, attend business events or seminars and be a good listener. These are valuable ways to build a sustainable business.

“NETWORKING IS THE BEST BUSINESS MODEL TOOL FOR A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS”