Where to start? The beginning of course. Unless you've participated in a networking event before, you may be asking, "what is business networking?" Business networking is simply introducing yourself to other business professionals, while providing a 60 second overview (a.k.a. elevator speech) about the company/products you represent. Business networking is typically a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly event where representative's from various businesses gather to exchange business cards, perfect their "elevator speech", and gain knowledge to provide reputable referrals. In today’s business world, particularly small to medium sized businesses, networking in person is vital for success. Sadly, many businesses simply do not understand the value of networking, and often fail to recognize the benefits of business connections (and friendships) that can be made. Keep in mind that all business networking groups are NOT alike. Some networking groups are free to attend and have few rules and restrictions. Other groups may charge membership fees, mandated attendance requirements, and more. Again, test the waters, before jumping in with both feet. Visit a number of groups and see which one is the best fit with your product, service and schedule. It is important to remember that time is money and belonging to too many groups can be counter productive. Social media is another way to network. It is important to remember that social media is simply a vehicle to share your expertise and knowledge. Social media should never be used as a direct sales pitch. Connecting with someone and immediately sending a private message; or worse, calling your new found connection is not effective, and can negatively impact the reputation of you and the company you represent. Sharing posts are a great way to increase your social media visibility; however, sharing industry information, written by another company will serve to direct web traffic to their website, not yours'. Take the time to create and develop your own industry business blog platform to share tips, information and route traffic to your website. Networking is an obvious fit for B2B companies, but is often overlooked by B2C businesses and non-profit organizations. It's important to recognize that business owners are also consumers, volunteers and donors.
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