5 Tips to Grow Your Business: Networking Events
1. Building Relationships
A client wants to know what you’re all about as a company, and at a networking event, you have a small window of time to grab their attention.
That is just about 3 seconds of time, to be exact!
Now that you’ve hooked them, you have about 30 seconds to make a pitch that will kick start your new relationship. When pitching your business, keep it more conversational rather than sales driven.
2. Stand Out
First and foremost — be friendly!
When networking, people will remember the face behind the company, so let your personality shine. Remember, clients are people, too. Be confident, and just have a conversation about your business or product. This is something you are both proud of and have extensive knowledge on, so confidence will come naturally.
Having that confidence will get you everywhere.
If you aren’t confident about your business, how can potential clients have confidence in you? Prepare, prepare, prepare — know that pitch like the back of your hand!
3. Stay In Their Minds
After your successful pitch to potential clients, you want to stick in their minds so that when the client is daydreaming at their desk, they dream of you… (Aww…) Well, not you, specifically, but your brand. To keep them thinking, it’s always a good idea to hand out some freebies that do more than just create junk on their desk.
Rather than a bulky t-shirt or bouncy ball, try a notepad with a witty quote pertaining to your business printed on it!
Everyone likes to laugh during the long work day, so being remembered as the business with a sense of humour is never a bad thing.
4. Relationships Go Both Ways
Business is all about the money, right? Wrong!
Of course everyone likes and, well, needs profit, but you want to show the client that a business relationship with you is just that — a relationship.
This means it goes both ways. What we provide for you, we get back, and vice versa. But there is no profit without happiness. If the client is unhappy, then you haven’t held up your side of the relationship. So, when networking, let them know you’re in it for the long run, and not the 200m sprint.
5. Gain Exposure
The bottom line of networking is awareness.
You want potential clients to know you’re out there and ready for business! It’s quite simple really: the more clients know your name, the more they will gravitate toward you before the other guy. There will always be someone else who can provide the same or similar service as you, but you want people to know you are better!
Yes, thats right — you.
You provide a better service, you possess a creative staff, and have innovative ideas. And, most importantly, you, sir, are the best there is. So have confidence and network, network, network!
