Top Ten Tips for Networking for Women
1. Anything to get out of the house!
One of the distractions of a home based business is the fact you are operating from your home. So home is not only your social environment but also your business environment. For other women owners of small businesses, life revolves around the business premises and this is more so when starting a business. The hard yards have to be done and the business is usually all consuming.
It therefore is vital to join a networking group or a number of groups which ensure you have to leave the house or office and which places you in a different environment. Most women find it refreshing that meeting other business women also leads to more social activities and more importantly business leads.
2. How to find a Women’s Networking Group
Do a Google search for “women’s networking” in your suburb or area. Speak with other business women and if you don’t know many names, talk to your local hairdresser and beautician who are sure to have a list of women clients that she knows are in business. Read the local newspapers for community references and find the women’s groups which specialise in business networking. Attend a Business Expo or Trade Show. There will certainly be women business owners exhibiting. A number of Chambers of Commerce also run womens groups.
3. What is the best network for you?
You really want a network which provides you with some variety. Do they meet regularly? Is it a meal or non meal venue? Are there interesting discussion groups? Do they provide speakers at network events? Does the network include seminars or workshops in specific areas in which you are interested? Are they a “one stop shop” providing Expos and Business Retreats? It is important to value your time. Ask yourself these questions; is this network, group, meeting, etc going to stimulate my business? Will I be learning something new which I may be able to pass on to my customers/clients?
4. Your First Networking Event
This need not be the scary part. If you don’t have a member to introduce you, then ensure before attending that you agree with an organiser that she will act as your guide and make introductions to other business women. Ascertain the people who will be attending an event and if possible the businesses they represent. Ask about the appropriate dress code. Also, refrain from trying to sell ANYTHING to anybody in the room. It’s all about building relationships and from that the business will flow.
5. What part do your Business Cards Play?
Networking is not Speed dating. By all means always take a pile of business cards and brochures if you have them. Use your business card to complement your elevator speech when asked “what do you do?” Tell the story quickly about your business and hand the other person your card. Move on to asking the other party as to their business, and the same interaction should happen to you. Expand the conversation from there any way you like.
Always ask open ended questions which enable you to accumulate more information about the other businesswoman. Listening intently is also a great learning tool. Think about the design of your business card. Should you have a photo of yourself? Do you want your private home number as the contact number? Will you use the back of the card to write some more brief business facts? See our Top Ten Tips for Business Cards on the PBDA website.
6. Have Goals for your Networking.
This is similar to building your business plan. Likewise, have a plan for your networking. How many occasions, events, and groups will you join? How much time will you spend on networking each week? How many new people do want to meet each event, per week? Do you want to meet entrepreneurs who have successful businesses or CEO’s of corporations? At a particular function, do you just want to meet marketing experts or logo designers?
7. Create your Networking Contacts Database.
With the information from the business cards, you can start to populate your own network database. If you are using Microsoft, then the Business Contact Manager is the tool to use. Any other simple database application will suffice e.g. Filemaker or Microsoft Access. If you made some further notes at the time of meeting, then add all this information to your database.
8. Follow Up
A drawer full of business cards or a database full of contact names is quite useless for your business if the information is not being utilised.
At the very least, send your new contact an e-mail, say how good it was to meet them, tell them you would like to know more about their business and look forward to talking to them again. If you are certain the business contacts could help your business, then don’t delay, suggest you meet over coffee and discuss your needs and their business solutions for you. Continue contact by e-mail by sending information, articles you have read, a decent joke, a You Tube video or a link to a newsletter site of interest.
9. Relationships
At the end of the day, you may want to do business with the people in your network, or at the very least, refer other people to them. You need to be able recommend the person as one who can be trusted, does professional work and is sincere and honest in their business practices. You also want people to do business with you and if you are a specialist or expert in your business product or services, then let everyone know. Business is about problem solving and providing solutions for business owners and customers. Ask your new business acqaintences what customer problems they have and how they solve them. If you can provide a solution, then you will gain credibility for your business.
10. Recurrence
Whatever works for you and attains your networking goals (see TIP 6), then keep on doing it. Use analytics to measure the success of your networking. Graph the results over a period of time. Networking must have a payoff for you and increase in revenue is an easy measure of additional business gained through network referrals. Be consistent in retaining contact with your network. There is always going to be the “new kid on the block” and the latest “must have”. When that does happen, you want to be the person people call.
Best of all have fun! There is nothing like going to an event where the buzz in the room is electric and you meet like minded women – it’s all so empowering. Start your networking now by doing a Google search for networking groups in your suburb or district.
Phillip Allan is an Australian business growth expert who provides business growth planning and strategic planning to small, medium, and home based businesses through the web site at www.pbda.com.au.
For more information or more PBDA Top Ten Tips for Business™, browse the web site at www.pbda.com.au or talk to Phillip on 02-96532298.
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