The Value Networking

by Rick Armstrong, Mentor UK

Even in this technological age word of mouth is still recognised as a very powerful form of advertising and marketing.

Probably one of the best ways to develop that word of mouth marketing is through networking but there are some important rules which you ignore at your peril.

1. Networking is not about selling, I repeat it is not about selling. Going to a networking event with a plan to sell your products or services will turn people away from you faster than you ever imagined possible.

2. Networking is about:

      a) Developing relationships

      b) Building Trust and Confidence

      c) Educating people about why you or your products are different.

      d) Developing advocates for you and your business

3. Networking will take time and consistent effort

There is no question that networking is not a quick fix for any business, but over a period of time , if you work at it, it will start to bring you some great rewards and more importantly some long term business.

There are lots of networking groups all around the UK , some better than others, so you need to choose one that fits with you both in terms of time , the kind of group and commitment that will be expected. Yes, you will need to make a commitment!  Some groups are quite social and relaxed in their approach whilst  others who recognise that time is money can be very business orientated and very structured. At the very structured end of the scale, the best organisation is BNI (details can be found at www.bni.eu ) at the more relaxed and social end, organisations like the FSB and local Chambers of Commerce often run good events. The best approach is to visit a few of these groups in your area as a visitor before deciding which is best for you.

Thanks for your advice Rick, we can’t forget about networking offline as well as online!