Business Networking: How People Help People to Be Successful

Posted 1 year ago by Max Komonov

One of桂the桂most important parts of桂building and桂growing a桂company is桂business networking.

A桂robust and桂high-quality network can offer increased profit opportunities, industry knowledge, talent candidates, potential partners, and桂more.

However, building a桂network is桂an桂active process, and桂executives can�셳 expect it桂to桂happen on桂its own.

Let�셲 take a桂look at桂precisely what business networking is桂and桂how to桂be桂effective at桂it.

What is桂Networking in桂Business?

Some smaller or桂newer companies may wonder: what is桂networking in桂business?

Essentially, networking is桂the桂process of桂establishing connections and桂relationships with other business owners, potential or桂current clients, customers, suppliers, and桂more. It桂goes far beyond just introducing yourself to桂someone and桂giving them a桂business card.

Ideally, forming these relationships helps to桂create mutual benefit for桂both parties. It桂involves your business helping the桂other business and桂vice versa through referrals, testimonials,

What is桂the桂Purpose of桂Networking with Other Businesses?

Gains do桂not necessarily mean tangible products or桂items, as桂it桂could simply mean the桂sharing of桂knowledge.

In桂fact, industry knowledge is桂often the桂. It桂allows you to桂be桂in桂the桂mix of桂emerging trends, changing landscapes, and桂industry news. This allows your business to桂make proactive moves or桂adjustments to桂stay on桂top instead of桂hearing things way down the桂pipeline and桂scrambling.

Furthermore, it桂helps to桂improve your brand awareness in桂general. The more people you meet and桂discuss your brand and桂goals with, the桂more your brand awareness will increase.

The people you meet may begin mentioning your brand to桂others, expanding this reach even further.

Misconceptions About Networking

Networking is桂commonly associated with connections that can be桂used for桂favors or桂assistance.

While this can be桂a桂general benefit of桂networking, it桂is桂so桂much more than that. It桂is桂the桂way to桂really make a桂name in桂the桂industry and桂develop further channels of桂growth for桂the桂business.

Don�셳 think about networking as桂a桂way to桂gain favors but rather as桂a桂mutual relationship with other professionals. Always look for桂how you can help, and桂the桂benefits will come back to桂you as桂you develop contacts.

Learning How to桂Network for桂Business

Realistically, learning how to桂network and桂mingle in桂the桂business world properly can take some practice.

However, there are some general methods and桂tips to桂get started, like the桂ones below.

Know your goals

The first important step in桂business networking is桂knowing your goals.

Figure out what you are trying to桂develop in桂your network before attending events or桂meetings. The goal for桂each networking opportunity doesn�셳 have to桂be桂complex, as桂it桂could simply be桂making new connections, learning the桂latest industry knowledge, and桂more.

Whatever it桂may be, it桂is桂better to桂go桂in桂with a桂general idea of桂what you want from the桂opportunity.

Don�셳 undersell yourself

Before involving yourself in桂a桂networking opportunity, try to桂develop a桂quick pitch of桂what you and桂your business do, your clientele, and桂what makes you stand out.

To桂build networking relationships and桂further opportunities, it桂is桂important to桂know and桂display your worth.

Learn to桂socialize

It桂will be桂pretty difficult to桂network if桂you are shy or桂introverted, but this can be桂overcome. Practice your conversation skills among your staff or桂out in桂public. Practice some icebreakers to桂be桂ready for桂networking situations. Try to桂break out of桂that shell to桂make it桂easier when it桂is桂time to桂engage at桂networking events or桂meetings.

Socialize outside of桂work

It桂is桂critical to桂practice your socialization off work hours as桂well.

Networking isn�셳 something you only do桂during work, as桂there may be桂many opportunities outside of桂these hours as桂well.

You may find that you make incredible networking connections at桂a桂local fitness group or桂with other parents at桂your child�셲 sports or桂band practice.

This isn�셳 to桂say that you can only talk about work no桂matter where you are, but don�셳 miss opportunities just because you consider yourself off the桂clock.

After all, these other individuals may be桂looking for桂opportunities just as桂much as桂you are.

Stay positive

When creating new networking relationships, try to桂avoid speaking negatively about past business relationships, employees, etc. This is桂not a桂good image, as桂new contacts may think you could speak negatively about them as桂well.

Stay mutual

Remember that networking is桂meant to桂be桂a桂mutual benefit.

It桂will be桂difficult to桂maintain these relationships if桂you are always looking to桂them for桂help, favors, or桂advice. Try to桂find opportunities to桂assist your contact as桂well. This is桂what truly helps networking relationships thrive.

Listening is桂a桂critical skill in桂the桂business networking world. Listen to桂how you can help the桂potential contact rather than purely how they can help you.

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When you do桂look for桂your contacts for桂assistance or桂advice, be桂confident and桂bold about it.

Don�셳 beat around the桂bush or桂be桂afraid to桂ask for桂what you want or桂need. Being transparent and桂truthful can help to桂strengthen your business relationships, and桂your contacts will often appreciate you being upfront.

Maintain your connections

The last thing you want to桂do桂is桂make a桂new contact and桂then let it桂fade because you haven�셳 seen or桂spoken to桂them for桂some time. You want to桂do桂whatever you can to桂maintain relationships and桂stay in桂touch, whether briefly or桂occasionally.

Reach out to桂contacts a桂few times a桂year to桂keep in桂touch.

It桂doesn�셳 have to桂be桂a桂phone call for桂an桂extensive conversation. It桂could be桂as桂easy as桂sending them a桂brief note, inviting them to桂a桂conference you are attending, or桂an桂article about a桂common topic between the桂two of桂you.

This helps to桂prevent networking relationships from fading, and桂they may also begin to桂do桂the桂same with you if桂they aren�셳 already.

Business Networking Can Offer Mentorship

Networking gives you the桂chance to桂brush elbows with industry veterans who have decades of桂experience. Bonding with these high-level individuals gives the桂opportunity to桂develop a桂mentorship-type relationship.

You will be桂able to桂pick up桂advice for桂methods and桂ideas that you may not have developed until you are decades into your own career. Instead, these individuals have done a桂lot of桂the桂footwork for桂you and桂are giving you invaluable information to桂forward your own endeavors.

Where to桂Network for桂Business

Realistically, networking opportunities can present themselves in桂many different ways and桂places.

However, there are specific events and桂places where business owners and桂executives can be桂sure to桂find networking opportunities, including:

Professional associations: For consistent networking opportunities, you can join professional organizations. This can include groups like Executive networking groups, the桂American Marketing Association, and桂more.
Business seminars: Seminars typically include entrepreneurial guest speakers on桂specific topics related to桂their industry. These can be桂excellent events for桂learning, expanding contacts, and桂exchanging information.
Networking groups: Networking groups like the桂Chamber of桂Commerce can be桂great places to桂build your network. These groups function as桂an桂exchange of桂information, support, and桂ideas.
Attend company events: If桂you are an桂employee at桂a桂company, don�셳 skip company events, retreats, etc. These are excellent opportunities to桂connect with colleagues, upper management, and桂professionals within the桂company itself. In桂fact, this can be桂the桂perfect starting pad for桂your network. Don�셳 forget to桂bring some business cards to桂exchange with others as桂well.
Online networking: If桂there are no桂events or桂physical groups to桂attend, online is桂a桂great place to桂begin your networking. Connect with other professionals in桂your area through social media or桂. Reach out to桂old friends or桂colleagues with similar business interests or桂those in桂related industries.
Webinars: Webinars are essentially just seminars held online. They may not be桂as桂effective as桂meeting with professionals in桂person, but it桂is桂still effective for桂those who cannot make the桂time to桂get to桂a桂physical event.

The Power of桂Business Networking

Realistically, networking is桂key to桂success in桂the桂business world.

All of桂the桂big names and桂power players succeed through networking. After all, no桂man is桂an桂island, as桂they say. We桂all benefit when we桂can help each other and桂offer advice or桂assistance in桂situations.

As桂you develop your network and桂skills, you can help others do桂the桂same.

Some business owners or桂professionals may think they don�셳 need to桂network because they are doing just fine in桂their current situation.

However, they often don�셳 realize how much effective networking can push their career and桂success to桂a桂higher level than ever.

Don�셳 ever neglect the桂power of桂networking.

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About The Author

Max has been working in the ecommerce industry for the last six years helping brands to establish and level-up content marketing and SEO. Despite that, he has experience with entrepreneurship. He is a fiction writer in his free time.

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