I know that most people believe that networking is similar to, “Oh my goodness, it seems to be nothing but sales, sales, and more sales for small business networking events, with people flinging business cards at one another. It is not only dated but also dated-looking.”
This is something that comes up frequently. Because of our unique approach at Bx, I think of it as “Business Networking Reimagined.”
But before you decide which small business networking events to attend, let me share some strategies to help you get the most out of them.
Do not attend a networking event to make a sale while you are there. This will only set you up for failure.
At small business networking events, there should be no attempts to sell anything.
At our Professional Business Network events, we strictly adhere to the “ no selling” rule, and attendees are not permitted to make sales of any kind.
And this should be the case at all events; however, most people attend networking events to expand their business, and consequently, sales are at the forefront of their minds.
They believe that I need to obtain new sales and they believe that I need to acquire new business.
Now, how do I go about doing that? Now then, I’ll sell to those individuals who are present here today.
They are just counting the number of opportunities available in the room as they look around the room, which could have 20, 30, 40, or 50 people in it.
Forget about selling.
Consider the question, “How do I make connections with people? How do I go about establishing real connections?
At a networking event, your goal should be to accomplish precisely this. Acquire strong connections and cultivate meaningful relationships, as these are the building blocks of your network.
Build your network of people who you know, like, and trust. These are the kinds of people you can reach out to for support and assistance and who can also recommend you to other people, making you a precious person.
And that is precisely what you should work toward accomplishing at a networking event. You need to expand your network to point other people toward additional opportunities.
And that is the crux of the matter when it comes to any small business networking events.
When you are at a networking event, how can you best advance your company ’ s interests?
Well, it is all about making use of those connections, those people you are meeting, to ask to be introduced to people you can work with and partner with, and that brings me to the next step, which is developing referral partnerships.
You should join a networking event to connect with new people and form new referral partnerships, as this is the best way to get the most out of the experience.
Now, what exactly does the term “referral partner” mean?
That brings us to yet another company operating in the world. It might be comparable to yours, or it might not, but it helps the same kinds of customers in the same industry as you do. However, the most crucial point is that it does not compete with you.
In this manner, a referral partnership accomplishes its goals. Therefore, what exactly is networking? How can you make the most of the opportunity?
Instead of thinking about making sales, you should focus on making connections.
Source: www.theomnibuzz.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-getting-themost-out-of-professional-networking-events