Building a business with a solid customer base can be a daunting task. If you own a business or are just starting a business, you know this for a fact. You have your product or service, but without someone to buy it, you are sunk. How do you find your customers?
Advertising in a local paper is a great place to start. Networking is also a great tool you will want to use. Networking can help you to build solid relationships that will send you steady referrals.
Effective networking is meeting new people and building strategic relationships with people that share the same market as you. For many business owners networking is their only marketing plan. You can find these potential power partners at networking events such as the Seal Beach Chamber‘s Breakfast meeting the second Thursday of the month at O’Malley’s or at BNI’s (Business Network International) meeting every Tuesday at US Bank on Seal Beach Blvd. at 11:30 a.m.
But there are some rules you need to know so that you don’t blow it as a first time networker. The old saying is very true. “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”
Obviously you want to make sure you are looking your professional best. Take a lot of business cards and a great attitude.
Here is the not so obvious information and where most people fail at networking events. Don’t go to a networking event trying to sell your product or services!! Sounds crazy, I know but it is true.
There are a number of reasons why you don’t want to do this. People are not at networking events to buy, they are there to connect. So don’t push your product. It will back fire on you.
What is the best way to build a relationship? Get to know people.
Here are some great questions that I learned from Ivan Misner, the founder of BNI, on a telesummit with Rachel French (a local business coach).
After finding out what they do for business, ask them, “How did you get into your business? What drew you to that business? What do you love most about your business? “
If you find that the conversation is going well you may want to ask, “What are some of the challenges that you face in your business?” You may find you are the solution to their problem. More than likely, you will know someone that can fix their problem or maybe you have some information (article or book) that can help them. At this point you can exchange business cards. Now you are building relationships and networking like a pro.
Sarah Parra is an independent beauty consultant and a member of Business Network International.
