By Thomas Griffin, co-founder and president of OptinMonster. Entrepreneur, investor and software expert. Helping you be a better leader in your organization.
getty
So you have just started your own business, and now you want to achieve quick growth by expanding your user base, boosting your sales and increasing your overall conversions. But you don’t know how to do that.
There are several ways of making that happen. However, the most effective way of doing it is to build a strong business network. Whether you run a small business or a big one, having a strong business network is essential to achieve the success you want. It can help you provide a lifeline of support, offer solutions to your problems and even help you discover new opportunities that you can immensely benefit from.
Let’s discuss why networking is important for your business and how you can build a strong network for your business.
Why is networking important for your business?
Many business owners don’t consider networking as important when they just start their business. In doing so, they fail to realize that having a strong network is extremely important for setting up the base for a successful business.
If you’re not sure how that can happen, here are a few ways you can benefit from having a strong business network.
1. Generate leads.
Networking is nothing but building professional relationships and creating relevant contacts that can help you achieve your long-term goals. When you have a good network of contacts, it becomes much easier to generate leads and referrals for your business.
Your contacts can put you in touch with potential customers or clients, which can eventually help to grow and boost your conversions.
2. Build contacts for partnerships and joint ventures.
Another benefit of having a strong business network is that it facilitates introductions to new contacts. These contacts may not be your direct leads, but they might be looking for new opportunities for joint ventures, partnerships or simply referrals.
3. Stay informed about industry trends.
When you have a good network, you can stay up-to-date with industry trends and news. This can be beneficial for you as you can learn about new opportunities or potential threats to your business. This can help you plan your strategies accordingly and be ahead of your competitors.
4. Have a competitive edge.
A strong network can give you a competitive edge over your competitors. When you have a good network, you can have access to information and resources that your competitors may not have.
Also, when your business is new, you’re constantly looking for ways to expand your reach and build awareness about your brand. Your professional network can help you achieve these goals easily by introducing you to their contacts.
Let’s now look at some powerful things that can help you build a professional network.
How do you build a strong business network?
As mentioned before, networking is all about building relationships. But these relationships don’t develop in a day. It takes consistent effort, time and a good strategy. So here are a few good strategies that can help you build a strong business network.
1. Leverage social media.
Social media has made it so much easier for people to reach out to anyone they want to connect with. So why not leverage it for some networking purposes too?
You can start by finding a few key professionals in your field who you admire and respect. Connect with them on social media and interact with them through online conversations and relevant comments.
This can help them know that you share the same interest and help you connect with them. But this can’t happen in a day or two. You have to be consistent with your efforts to achieve your goal.
2. Attend industry events and networking functions.
Attending industry events and networking functions can be a wonderful way to rub shoulders with other professionals. This can be trade shows, conferences, seminars, etc. Such events help you get your name and face out there and let people know that you, too, are working in the same industry.
But don’t just wait for someone to walk up to you and start a conversation. Take the initiative to introduce yourself and let people know about your work. In doing so, don’t just make it about yourself and your business. Try to learn about others, too.
Another important point to remember here is to collect the contact details of the people you meet at these events. This can help you follow up with them after the event, stay in touch and make your connection stronger.
3. Get involved in related organizations.
A very effective way of building a strong professional network is by getting involved in organizations related to your field. Once you do, be an active member by volunteering or serving on their committees.
You can also attend events hosted by them and connect with other members of the organizations through networking events and social media.
By doing all of these, you can use these organizations as a resource for networking and career development.
4. Offer your expertise.
Whether it’s through writing articles, giving presentations or teaching classes, sharing your knowledge through your expertise can help you build a strong reputation and attract new contacts. It’s one of the most powerful ways of creating credibility for yourself and your business, which in turn helps build trust.
By focusing on building a strong business network, you can easily create opportunities for collaboration, allow for the exchange of ideas and information, and provide a forum for developing trust and mutual respect.
Additionally, networking can help identify potential business partners and customers and create a sense of community and belonging. So if you haven’t yet focused on creating a strong network, start working on it now.