One way of getting out of the house on a regular basis, and possibly also of generating more business, is to join a networking group. I have noticed that very few people will admit to liking networking – the usual response is a pulled face and a remark like 'Yuck, networking, I hate it, but I suppose you have to do it.'
Maybe this is because so many people associate it with selling and nothing else. They go off to a few organised networking events and are disappointed when they yield no new sales. They then give up and will tell you that 'networking doesn't work'. I suggest that you regard networking purely as a pleasant way of taking a break from work and meeting some new people.
I don't believe networking is about selling, and you will get the best results if you have no expectations in that direction. Many times at networking events I have been enthusiastically hailed by a recent business acquaintance apparently pleased to see me, who then subjects me to a sales pitch. This feels horrible and completely puts me off the individual and their business.
Try to think about networking as all about getting yourself known and liked. This takes time and perseverance, but produces amazing results. You may think you are just not the right kind of person to network. That's what I thought.
In the last few years there has been a proliferation of networking groups all over the country, and there are now groups for all professions and industries, for women, young businesspeople, the self-employed and those in rural areas, to name just a few.
You can join as a self-employed person or as an employee representing your company. To find out about groups in your area, contact your industry association, the local Chamber of Commerce, your nearest Business Link office, or speak to your business bank manager.
You can network at breakfast, at lunchtime and after work. Some groups simply charge a small fee to cover the cost of room hire and refreshments; others demand a yearly subscription of hundreds of pounds. The latter tend to be more focused on generating business and will offer a limited period where you can try before you buy, so take full advantage and ask some direct questions of a variety of members before you commit.
BNI (Business Networking International), for example, expects members to bring business referrals to each meeting. If you are a one-man band such as a business consultant with a limited amount of specialist clients, you may not have the breadth of contacts to do this. Some networks have very strict rules about attendance and absent members have to find someone else to attend in their place. Standing in for an absent member is an ideal opportunity to try the group out.
Above all, don't be too influenced by promotional material that makes extravagant claims for the amount of extra business the network will generate. Remember the figures quoted may be accurate but they are averages and in my experience some businesses do very well, sometimes to the point of being forced to leave the network because they are swamped by work, whereas others do very poorly and see little or no return on their investment. It can be useful to ask yourself and network members a number of key questions after attending your first event, and certainly before committing yourself.
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