Business networking is one of the most effective ways of generating new business, but it can seem daunting for the less extrovert doing it for the first time. However, even the most shrinking violet will gain confidence and effectiveness with practice. There are many different types of networking event and different times of day in which they happen. Most will let you try them out once or twice for a small fee. Once you have attended a few, chose the ones where you are most comfortable and have had the most success. To help you make more of the opportunities present at your next business event, here are my top 10 tips for networking effectively. Draft an 'elevator pitch' - a short (approx. 30 seconds) overview of your business, that you can trot out when asked “what do you do?”. It is best to have a few variations so that you do not say exactly the same thing every time, and so start to sound like a recorded message. Take a plentiful supply of … [Read more...]
Selling or Buying a Business – A Game of Snakes and Ladders?
The London Group March networking event takes a look at what's involved in selling or buying a business or raising some equity, with key insights from recent deals. Join us on Wednesday 29th March 2017- 6:30 pm Seats are limited – click to reserve one Program includes: Selling or Buying a Business with Special guest speakers: Peter Kroeger: Mergers and Acquisitions Partner at KLO Partners Mitesh Patel: CEO and Founder of Fifosys Ltd, an IT Managed Services Business and software developer for Engage Whether you want to sell your business tomorrow or one-day, or you are looking to buy a business as part of your growth strategy, or you have a client who wishes to sell their business or acquire a business, or raise equity funding - this will be a fascinating and illuminating event. You will pick up tips to help you figure out where the snakes and ladders are when you are involved in preparing for the sale of a business. … [Read more...]
Some tips on Business Networking – Part 2
Business networking is starting to be seen as one of the most effective ways of generating new business for companies. In Part 1 I outlined the basics of networking including how to prepare, and how to conduct yourself at the event. Part 2 gives more concrete suggestions as to what you should do when you are there. The strategy is to meet as many people as reasonably possible. The objective in each case is to establish whether or not there is synergy between you – whether you think some form of business relationship could be worthwhile. You are simply trying to answer this question. Once it is answered either way, you should move on as quickly as is polite and gracious. If the answer is 'yes' you should make sure you have the other person's contact details, so that you can get in touch in order to discuss in more detail what you can do for each other. Your purpose at a networking event should be to identify those people or companies where there is mutual interest. It is not is … [Read more...]
Some Tips on Business Networking – Part 1
Business networking is starting to be seen as one of the most effective ways of generating new business for companies. It is not normally expensive, but it can be quite time consuming. It is also daunting for the less extrovert doing it for the first time. However, even the most shrinking violet will gain confidence and effectiveness with practice. There are many different types of networking event and different times of day in which they happen. Most will let you try them out once or twice for a small fee. After that you will need to pay for full membership. This will be some combination of an annual fee and a fee per meeting. Once you have attended a few, chose the ones where you are most comfortable and have had the most success. Before setting out to an event you should make sure that you have your 'elevator pitch' - a short (approx. 30 seconds) overview of your business, that you can trot out when asked “what do you do”. It is best to have a few variations so that you do … [Read more...]
10 First Aid Marketing Tips
One of the first items that is cut in an economic downturn is the marketing budget. Often it is perceived as expensive and it is not always easy to see that there is some benefit from the cost expended. And this might be true if you focus on the wrong things. Many would argue that the time to increase or at least maintain marketing activity is during a downturn when many of your competitors are reducing their campaigns. Here are a few first aid tips to keep your lead generation and brand image marketing going while not spending a fortune: Messages/Targetting Understand clearly who your customers are. Write a specification for your ideal customer. What they are business or consumer or both; what size they are; what do they do; why do they buy from you; what do they buy from you. Once you have a clear idea ensure that all the rest of your activity addresses this ‘ideal customer’ wherever possible. Review all marketing messages. Ensure that they speak to the range of customers you … [Read more...]
>Networking – Like it or loathe it?
>Networking - to build up or maintain informal relationships, especially with people whose friendship could bring advantages such as job or business opportunities (Encarta dictionary)We regularly hear and read of the advantages of networking but do you hate walking into a room full of strangers and/or find face to face networking difficult to get to? You will be pleased to know you are not alone!! There are many business owners that do!!But networking does not have to be like this. There are many other ways you can meet and build relationships with business colleagues:• Informal networking at PTA meetings, church functions, your child’s football games, or anything else that puts you in touch with influential people, can end up being as or more powerful than “official” forms of networking.• Making a phone call to one of your contacts just to have a general catch up, is networking.• When you are out socially have a few business cards on you, just in case. Few things are worse than … [Read more...]
>Networking – Like it or loathe it?
>Networking - to build up or maintain informal relationships, especially with people whose friendship could bring advantages such as job or business opportunities (Encarta dictionary)We regularly hear and read of the advantages of networking but do you hate walking into a room full of strangers and/or find face to face networking difficult to get to? You will be pleased to know you are not alone!! There are many business owners that do!!But networking does not have to be like this. There are many other ways you can meet and build relationships with business colleagues:• Informal networking at PTA meetings, church functions, your child’s football games, or anything else that puts you in touch with influential people, can end up being as or more powerful than “official” forms of networking.• Making a phone call to one of your contacts just to have a general catch up, is networking.• When you are out socially have a few business cards on you, just in case. Few things are worse than … [Read more...]
>Networks prefer to eat!
>A recent poll showed that networkers prefer to eat. Over 48% of respondents said they preferred to have breakfast or lunch at their networking meetings. 25% said that they would prefer to have a meeting focussed more their industry or market and only 18% said they wanted an expert speaker.What do you prefer to do? … [Read more...]
>Networks prefer to eat!
>A recent poll showed that networkers prefer to eat. Over 48% of respondents said they preferred to have breakfast or lunch at their networking meetings. 25% said that they would prefer to have a meeting focussed more their industry or market and only 18% said they wanted an expert speaker.What do you prefer to do? … [Read more...]
