We all know how important networking is. It’s an essential part of meeting and liaising with peers and business contacts to grow your network towards business growth. Introbiz provides numerous ways for businesses from across the world to interact and develop business relationships. It can be a gamechanger for your business.
The newly coined term ‘businessing’ is the practical support with the management and development of your business to promote resilience, enhance performance and take care of key tasks that are essential for the business.
So, you want to grow your business?
Introbiz and Dynamic Development Consulting (DDC), have joined forces and come up with some handy pointers to help with networking and businessing.
Create a memorable introduction
You’ve heard the saying; “First impressions count” and the same statement is true when it comes to networking and building relationships. When you’re thinking of a memorable introduction, you don’t need to overthink it – just be warm, courteous and share your name and company name. By being genuine, polite and welcoming to others, you’ll be sure to set yourself up for building some amazing, long-lasting and invaluable relationships.
Learn to listen
Listening is such an underrated tool that we all have in our arsenal. We can learn so much from just taking a step back and listening to what is being said – learn what your connection is looking for, the unexpected challenges they may be facing, what may have worked for them, if there’s anyone, they know that could help, invaluable nuggets of industry secrets that may benefit you and your business. When the opportunity presents itself, ask relevant, genuine questions, make eye contact, and focus only on your connection. This will not go unnoticed and will ultimately provide you with even more reason to be remembered.
Prepare your follow up
Th follow up is absolutely crucial to your networking journey. You should have a clear idea of how you’ll follow up with your connections before the event even begins – will you give a phone call or an email? Will you arrange a face-to-face meeting there and then? Your strategy may take a little while to perfect, but it’s imperative that you find a following up method that works for you, delivers results, and allows you to continue to build successful, long-lasting relationships.
Review your business periodically.
When you’re running a business apart from the annual review of accounts, it’s useful to spend time looking at every system within your organisation. All businesses have a series of systems and functions which should be checked to ensure they are operating on top form. If you have employees, partner organisations, suppliers, you can carry out a survey, carry out or review any risk assessments, if you have a business plan even an informal one looks at where you are in terms of business goals and targets.
Make plans to pivot or improve
The easiest thing in the world is to carry on with a business-as-usual approach when the business environment or economic landscape has changed. There may be new risks, new opportunities that need to be considered in your operations or business plans. It’s very easy to just continue with a familiar approach, especially if the business appears to be ticking over. To reach new heights and explore new territory, may require a totally different approach. If you’re happy with ticking over – great! If deep down, you sense that you have more potential, that your business could be taking advantage of new opportunities or that you’re not future proofing your business – take action.
Get support to transform or grow
Reviewing, planning or pivoting sounds like easy buzz words to throw about. They’re actually intensive and thorough processes that done correctly should yield clarity, insights, action points and a process of business transformation. Typically, there might be a need to review your vision, mission, goals and priorities. There may be functions that need more attention, you may need to prepare for investment or plan for new clients/customers. All of these might seem daunting, but help is available, Business transformation does not have to be disruptive or complex.
Networking and businessing can provide solutions to these issues. By joining a professional network organisation, you can access, clients, partners and business insights. By working with an organisational development consultancy, you can access expert tailored supported that is designed to support your business.
