Networking…it’s a little bit marmite – you either love it, or you hate it! Initially, I was in the hate it category. Being an introvert, I hated having to walk into a room that was already full of people who probably knew each other and then have to start making conversation with them.
I realised over time that these are all like-minded people. People who are looking for help, advice, guidance – running a business on your own can be lonely. There’s nobody to run ideas by and no ‘water cooler chat’!
I was naïve when I set up Boatman Admin Services. I didn’t know a lot about running a business or what was needed. I knew you needed insurance and contracts but other than that, I was clueless.
It wasn’t until I started attending networking where people started to talk about things they had in their business, I started to question if I needed the same things. I’m talking about business cards, a website (not to mention privacy policies and cookie policies, etc), marketing strategies, etc.
What I also learned was about the know-like-trust regime. I’m very aware that people aren’t going to come to you for business until they know you however I was surprised, and still am to this day, that people attend a meeting expecting 20 new business cards that equates to 20 new clients. It’s a slow process, people want to learn about you as a person before they put their trust in you.
I’ve made a good network of people that I can recommend if someone asks me if I know an IT expert, a plumber…even a guitar teacher! I certainly wouldn’t know these people sat in my office all day, on my own.
There’s definitely an aspect of you don’t know what you don’t know until you start to get out there and learn about other businesses and business owners.
You also get to know who your kind of people are…and those who are not! You’ll always going to get people that sing their own praises and never ask about your business and how they could look to help you. There’s always going to be that little clique of people who are always together and sit together. Always reminds me of school!
There are SO many networking groups out there now, be selective which ones you go to. You might have to try a few to know what format you prefer and where your ideal clients hang out.
Networking isn’t just an opportunity to find new business, but it’s also about creating new opportunities. I’ve been asked to appear on podcasts, write guest blog posts, speak at an event, sponsor a few charity events or volunteer my services for a good cause.
If it wasn’t for networking, I wouldn’t have met my accountability buddy turned good friend!
If you’ve never networked before, give it a go. You might just be surprised!!
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