Any small business will benefit from attending networking group meetings. But to make this worth your time and effort we need to make the most out of these events so we can see the benefits.
Tip 1 – Don’t sit with people you already work with.
If your company sends two of you to the same event, do not sit with each other. Use your time wisely and sit at a different table to meet the other people at the event.
Tip 2 – Attend networking events before you need the business.
Networking and building relationships with others for referrals takes time. Do not wait until you are in desperate need of new clients to start attending these events. Otherwise you will become frustrated and then stop attending all together. Which brings us to tip 3…
Tip 3 – Attend events regularly.
It takes time to build relationships with others. For others to start trusting you, they need to see you there for a while.
Tip 4 – Talk about non-business related subjects.
Yes, it is necessary to talk about other things besides how great your business is. Again, for people to feel comfortable to send you a referral, they want to know what type of person you are. So take some time to talk about your kids school or other local topics to give people a chance to see you have roots in the community.
Tip 5 – Listen to others.
Give other people the chance to talk. Showing people a little consideration goes a long way.