I am in the business of networking. I am in the business of building businesses. I believe that networking builds businesses. I see the value and the win-wins that emerge from networking every day. I am called on to often connect others so they can network. Yet, networking, for some, is a dirty word. Networking, for some, conjures up images of fake cheesy grins, aggressive handshakes with enough vibration to shake your arm off, clammy hands, business card exchange, and drinking. In many cases it is the last thing that most entrepreneurs care to do. They have not entered into the career of their passion to endure the dreaded "networking" event. And yet, when many small businesses are asked why they join any professional association the answer almost always contains the ingredient "networking". It seems to be a necessary evil. It is the impersonal "icecap" that most entrepreneurs know they need but would love to avoid. Word of mouth and personal contact is a primary marketing driver for emerging businesses and serves them very effectively. Networking is very simply connecting with people. It can be done in a very social loose way or it can be highly driven and goal oriented. Either way, the purpose is the same. The purpose is to meet people who can help you attain a goal. Large corporations have used this technique for years. To grow, small business must employ it too.
Networking is a constructive way to reinforce relationships with people. Thus the adages of not having ever met a stranger or It's not what you know, it's who you know. These accurately sum up the definition of networking. Unfortunately, it is not a great word but the meaning behind it is valued by most business people.
"If you want to build contacts and further your career/prospects in any field you have to get out there and talk - although speaking to people endlessly about yourself can be off putting if it is just an endless monologue. How can you know if your skills are what a particular person is after if you do not pause to allow them to speak and question you?...Yet the goal of networking should always be personal development, even in business situations. If you are unsuccessful in winning employment, that contract or the sales order you were after, there is still the opportunity to learn and grow from the experience." 1
So, if networking is so great why doesn't everybody love it? The basic fact is that entrepreneurs have a passion for what they do in their business more than they actually like the business itself. The business is simply the vessel to allow the entrepreneur to express that passion in a profitable way. Many entrepreneurs find those first steps into networking to be the coldest and most slippery steps they will ever take. Yet, the greatest thing about networking is that it helps us develop personally and professionally.
"No man is an island," and that goes double for small business owners. Building bridges -- networking -- is crucial to your enterprise's success. And here's how you can build those bridges.2
These are some of the reasons to hone your networking skills:
1. You can meet your mentor through networking. This is an important tool to building a small company. This is often how you may accomplish making the right connections.
2. Networking forces you to meet new people and grow your sphere of influence. When you do this you will grow your business.
3. Provides a chance to give and take referrals and leads. The more you become familiar with your associates at networking events, the better you will be able to share leads with them. In turn, they will be more inclined to think of you when the appropriate opportunity presents itself.
4. Networking is much easier to do than cold calling. It is an environment where anyone you meet also wishes to be there and with the goal to meet people. Cold calls are difficult unless you have developed a compelling elevator pitch. Not typically a strong suit of entrepreneurs.
5. Discover resources that may help your business grow faster. I often hear small business people say, "If only I had know that program existed when I got started...", the reason this is important is that it can significantly cut your learning curve as you work through common business challenges.
6. Creates a short cut to trust building for your reputation and that of your business. When you network it is important for you to use that time to get to know people and listen. You will find opportunity better if you don't spend all the time doing the talking.
7. Helps you have a true pulse on your business community and where opportunity will be. Often folks in networking circles "know things" that are happening in more and better detail than what you might hear on the news.
I have worked in a Chamber of Commerce for over 15 years. In that time I have known many businesses that evolve at different paces. I can say from direct experience that the small business owners that take the time to invest in self promotion of their businesses through networking for all the reasons stated above grow at a faster pace than those who wait for business to find them.
I would like to close with a story about my friend Malinda. Malinda started an email marketing company 14 years ago when I first came to Greensboro N.C.. Malinda called my office one day and told me she was going to drop her membership to the chamber of commerce. She was not sure what benefit her business was getting for the money. After listening to her I asked her what benefits that we offered had she taken advantage of and what events had she taken time to attend. I dug deeper to ask her what was it about these things that did not meet her needs. There was silence on the phone for a moment when she finally replied with a statement that she had not been using her membership at all and that is exactly why she was going to drop. I challenged her to hold her payment and attend some networking events. She took the challenge and found that there were many things she was keenly interested in as well as partners of the Chambers that she had wanted to meet and also partner with. Today, Malinda tells this story with a chuckle, she has won numerous awards for her contributions above and beyond, she teaches many of our small business education programs and has developed an advanced relationship with Microsoft corporation. All of which she credits to her relationship with the Chamber. She has been a proud member for 14 years and has even joined other neighboring organizations for the same reason.
If asked what it takes to get started, I will say that you must take that first step to break through the invisible barrier, warm up to the idea that this is an important step for your business to grow, and find a group that will serve you well and that you will commit to. Break through the invisible networking barrier! Break the ice cap! Succeed!
1 Thoughts on Networking: Why the Business Idea Meets the Need of Everyday Life, http://personaldevelopment.suite101.com/article.cfm/, Oct 15, 2008 Tony Butcher.
2 The Value of Networking for Entrepreneurs, http://www.esight.org, 2008, Nan Hawthorne.
