What is business networking?
Attending many business events?
Collecting business cards?
"What is business networking?", was most of the time the first question new chamber members asked me. As a former Chamber employee and head of the membership retention department
for a local chamber in Brevard County, Florida
it was my job to help new members get acclimated and used to
marketing
and networking their business in a chamber atmosphere. It benefited me that I already had the experience as a small business owner so the theory I preached came close to the reality that networking is hard work if you do it right and can be very exhausting but enriching.
What is business networking?
How do you get business leads?
A lot of small business owners think when they attend networking functions and hand out business cards that they will get
small business leads
. I thought this for a long time too. Finally, I realized I made a lot of new friends but didn't really get a lot of biz leads. We all had a good time but without results.The leads were mainly tier 1 leads from the networking attendees themselves. Are you a good networker? Do you get the results you are looking for? Check it out and take our
business networking survey.
Tier 1 - Tier 2 - Tier 3 Leads
The goal is to get tier 2 and tier 3 leads. If you are stuck with tier 1 leads you will waste a lot of time depending on your business. A business-to-business focused small business owner will do well in business-to-business oriented networking events, a business-to-residential focused small business owner will do well with networking events open to the public.What is a tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3 lead? Tier 1: You receive a lead from the networking attendee you will build or already built a relationship with Tier 2: The networking attendee refers you to their family member, friend, colleague, etc. Tier 3: The networking attendee's mother refers you to another family member, her girl friend, her colleague, etc. Do you see the bigger picture?
Business Card Networking
In my experience, walking through a room and passing out business cards doesn't work and is very self focused. Who wants to deal with somebody who obviously isn't interested in you and only wants to sell something to you? I believe that when a great speaker passes out his or her business cards after their presentation and everybody is excited to contact them, then
"business cards networking"
works. However, is it really networking when you only pass out business cards? Check out "My Solution" below! One of our fellow business friends has his own website on Business Networking Advice - Online business development advice for word of mouth marketing and free sales lead generation through new contacts. How to generate referrals, get the most out of networking meetings. Tips for personal, career and home networking.
My "What Is Business Networking" Solution:
"What is business networking?"It is to build a net of relationships by being supportive, and creating trust and confidence in you. To be reliable is important too. Also it is essential to know who your
target customers
are and the keywords you have to use to educate your networking partner. So he or she can help you to find them. If I tell business friends, I attend a networking event I will be there. They know that they can count on me. And in a long term, it is rewarding too because it brings you well qualified business leads. My husband Orlando started as a very shy business networker four years ago and made it to be an ambassador for a local chamber now.
How he did it? Read his blog below.
From a shy networker to a networking ambassador? Do you have a similar story like Orlando? Please share!
What is your networking experience? Share it!
What Other Visitors Have Said About Their Networking Experience
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