Networking as a New Business Owner

Starting my own Pink Spaghetti PA business in April confident in my ability to help the busy people and small business owners of Cheshire, I never really gave networking a second thought.

I mean, I’m an outgoing, socially confident person who believes passionately about helping others. “I’ll go to a few events, meet local business owners and spread the word about Pink Spaghetti and the many services we offer,” I said. Like the organised individual I am I started researching the options for networking, and this was when I began to feel a little like a newly-single person getting back into the dating scene.

There are formal, informal, open, closed, mixed and even Speed networking sessions! This really is starting to sound more and more like dating!

For each type of event the format differs too. There’s the 40 second pitch, the 60 second pitch or two minutes of sharing as much as you can before moving tables and doing this all over. There’s early breakfast, morning, lunchtime and evening networking, each trying to accommodate everyone’s differing working patterns. Initially you will want to try as many as possible but be mindful that if you can’t generally make breakfast meetings and you can’t make it regularly, you’re unlikely to build those stronger relationships over time.

Most of these events have a cost attached and even those rare free events will cost you in time and mileage.

Is networking something your small business can afford not to do?

Love it or loathe it I’m sure we all appreciate the value of networking and building those extremely important working relationships. At Pink Spaghetti PA Services we are all about #outsourcing but I think this could be one area where outsourcing won’t work because you are the face of your business, and people want get to know and trust you and what you’re all about. Unless of course you have a team and a staff member can share the load.

There is so much advice out there sometimes you might feel it’s like learning a new language.

Listen before you talk, and ask open ended questions. Have meaningful conversations and don’t go to sell, but you’ll need to exchange business cards with those you want to have 1-1’s with afterwards.

Networking etiquette

1-1’s or customer meetings are the result of a good networking event. If you don’t agree a 1-1 time at the event itself when is an appropriate time to follow up? Is there a 48 hour rule? Are you considered too keen if you call/email the next day or even…. the same day? The simple answer of course is to follow up within a reasonable amount of time unless you agreed when you would get in touch in which case stick to that. So long as you keep in touch. That’s the whole point!!!!

So 1 month in and what have I learned?

·        If you can try as many events as you can, some will suit you and your business more than others.

·        Ask beforehand how many attendees the organisers are expecting so you don’t turn up to find two or three of you there, and if possible ask if you can have a list of attendees.

·        Don’t turn up to a meeting and spend the whole time safely with the one person you know. Put yourself out there and talk to the people you don’t know. Find out about and be interested in their business.

·        Don’t commit to membership until you have been to at least two meetings and are sure that you are happy with everything that networking group has to offer.

·        A friend once told me to find the water cooler where your customers drink and go drink there. Think about who your customers are or who you want them to be, then find the events they are likely to attend.

·        Try to remember that everyone there is human too and looking to make those connections just like you.

It may feel a little alien at first, even for the most socially confident, but try not be frightened and give it a go.  I for one have already seen the benefits of networking and have met some fantastic people who are equally passionate about their businesses.