It’s 8 a.m. You’re sitting at a table with other entrepreneurs, business cards at the ready, sipping coffee and chewing a bagel. As the networking event’s speaker drones on, you rehearse your 30-second elevator speech in your head. You hope the meeting will be fruitful, but wonder if there’s a better way.
Sound familiar?
As entrepreneurs, we need to network. It’s a vital tool to grow our client base, learn from our fellow business owners and build other key relationships. But how can we go beyond the coffee, bagels and elevator speeches to network more effectively?
Know Your Purpose
There are a variety of networking options available, but before you choose which one(s) may be right for you, think about your purpose for networking:
- Are you looking for direct clients?
- Are you looking to learn from other business owners?
- Are you looking for referrals to your target market?
- Are you looking for a social outlet to combat isolation?
Explore Your Options
With your purpose(s) in mind, research your networking options -- traditional face-to-face networking groups in your area, online networking and non-traditional options.
Traditional networking groups may include Chamber of Commerce meetings, BNI, civic associations, women’s groups, Ladies Who Launch, eWomen Network and Small Business Association (SBA) meetings. Depending on your purpose and how you approach them, these groups can be helpful to your business.
Author: Jennifer Ross
Copyright 2009 StartupNation, LLC
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