Dave Conde
Next Level Systems
Networking works. This indisputable truth is well known among business owners. For many, networking is what allowed them to start and grow their company. They owe much of their success to the relationships they formed while building their business.
Many however, become a networking sasquatch. We all know them. They used to be at every networking event but now there is rarely a sighting. Oh sure, they sometimes show up as a blurry image in the background of a photo but we cannot even be sure it was them. There are whispers that they might make an appearance but they rarely do. Soon enough, another business moves in and begins forming relationships with those who used to refer to them.
Many have turned to other methods in an attempt to continue growing. Often, these methods are less effective and more expensive. While they may get them noticed, they do nothing to create the kind relationships that helped their business thrive in the beginning.
So why do business owners so often stray from networking as the business begins to grow? Why do they become a networking sasquatch?
The truth is that they usually do not do it intentionally. It is a gradual change brought on by increasing demands on their time. As the business gains traction, owners find themselves stretched thin. Sadly, networking is often sacrificed for more urgent priorities. Growing their network takes a back seat to the demands of running a business and eventually can be forgotten altogether. Soon, the business owner finds themselves "too busy" to network. This is when alternative advertising methods become enticing. While more expensive, they do not require much in the way of the owner's time and therefore often replace networking as the primary marketing tool of the company.
To be clear, there is nothing wrong with media advertisement. It has it's place in your marketing budget and can bring attention to your brand. It cannot however, do for a business what networking can do. Networking fosters relationships that lead to others understanding your business. More than this, they get to know who you are on a personal level. This organically leads to referrals because others know they can refer to you with confidence. It is the natural result of building relationships through networking and the results cannot be duplicated.
Sadly, all too often, networking takes a back seat to business. As a result, owners find themselves with bloated marketing budgets and diminishing results. So many of them feel they have become too busy to network and they forget that it is networking that made them busy in the first place. While taking that networking event from the schedule may seem the prudent business decision in the moment, it eventually leads to a shrinking network and fewer organic referrals. Some owners try to replace those leads through advertising, but it is a poor substitute.
So what to do? As always, there are several approaches that smart business owners can use to continue networking without ignoring their growing business. Networking can be assigned to another employee, if there is one who possesses those skills. Often however, there is not. You can hire someone specifically for that purpose but that can be costly and it is difficult to monitor their performance.
Another approach is to find ways to free the owners time so that they themselves are able to get back to networking. After all, who better to represent the business? No one else will be able to replicate their passion and knowledge. Often owners find themselves inundated with administrative tasks that jeopardize a great deal of time. A far more productive use of their time would be to network and grow the business but instead they are locked in their office with far less rewarding work. One answer may be to hire someone to handle those tasks. Of course, it can be difficult to find someone with the necessary skillset but once a hire is made, this can work. A lower cost, lower risk approach may be to have Next Level Systems take over one or more of these responsibilities. This can free the business owner to grow the business without the expense or risk of hiring.
Whatever choice is made, it is critical that someone is networking on behalf of the business. That person must be passionate and knowledgeable about the business. They must also possess the necessary networking/presentation skills to help grow the business.
Networking works. Networking builds companies and fosters continue growth. Business owners must be sure not to abandon this essential practice because they become busy with other tasks. However you choose to do it, make networking a priority. Don't become a networking sasquatch.
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