Savvy Networking Tips for Hungry Entrepreneurs

Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.

Are you a hungry entrepreneur? You are if you’re looking to grow your business. In today’s tough economic climate, networking is as important as marketing. In fact, networking can be considered a form of marketing — of the personal kind that is.

In her book, “Savvy Networking: 118 Fast & Effective Tips for Business Tips,” Andrea R. Nierenberg stressed several points that every networker should keep in mind when meeting people. These tips include capitalizing on your natural abilities, improving your business skills and building your own brand among other suggestions.

You can grow your business too by employing one or more of the following savvy networking tips.

Just Do It

Borrow Nike’s slogan as your own when it comes to your networking perspective. Quite easily, you can just stay in your office to get the work done or sit in front of your laptop and miss out on meeting people.

Networking takes time, but you can make the most of that time by attending local business club meetings, visiting customers face to face, offering your service to a nonprofit organization or attending a trade show. Bring with you an ample supply of business cards and distribute these liberally. Plan to accept cards too. Develop an “elevator pitch” or a quick 30-second spiel where you tell people who you are, what you do and what solutions you bring to them.

Just as tell people about what you do, listen to what they have to offer you. Networking is a two-way street, with plenty of give and take among networkers.

Be Yourself

When you’re meeting people, be authentic. That means demonstrating care and concern, by keeping it real.

You don’t have to tell people everything about yourself as TMI or too much information can push people away. Your business person and your away from work person should be the same. Networking is about forming trust and building relationships, neither of which can happen if you are perceived as a phony.

Join Groups

Networking gives you the opportunity to meet numerous individuals provided that you set aside the time to join or visit multiple groups. While one group may allow you to establish multiple contacts, it may not put you in front of new people often enough.

If you’re invited to a networking group, attend it. Find out if the group has what you need and helps you reach your goals. Some groups are informal or for teaching purposes, other groups are set up for making business contacts. Consider belonging to both for maximum exposure.

Help Others

Networking is a two-way street, but there is a secret savvy networkers learned long ago: you should help others first. That may mean taking someone’s business card and passing it along to someone else who might need their service. Understand their needs and see how you can help out. You may have the solution or know someone who does.

By helping others out, you’ll quickly gain a reputation as a trusted individual. You’ll build goodwill and position yourself to ask a favor. Ask favors when you’re an unknown and people may receive that as you seeking to build yourself up with no consideration of their own needs. Don’t come across as selfish, but as giving.

Manage Expectations

Attend one networking meeting and fail to connect, and you just may blow off future networking opportunities. This is a mistake — manage your expectations by not going to a meeting with expectations.

When networking, you’ll want to relax. Meet people, talk with them, exchange business cards and leave when you’re ready to go. If you make a connection leading to business, then that is good. If not, you’ll have at least met some potential clients. Keep networking.

Look Beyond

Your own industry may have many opportunities for networking, but don’t limit yourself to people inside your industry. For example, if you’re an accountant, what good would it do you to network with other accountants only? If you cater to small businesses, then you should attend a function where busy business owners are present. You can offer your services to people who want your business, not to accountants who are your competitors.

Another way to reach out is to volunteer. Your business might adopt a nonprofit organization, sending workers to help out from time to time with a special initiative such as filling grocery bags with food, sorting clothes, making phone calls or cleaning the office. Even if you’re a one-man or one-woman operation, you can volunteer personally. If you’re an accountant, you might handle the organization’s books. Or, if you’re a PR person, write the organization’s newsletter. Volunteering is a commitment you make to an organization that you support — you’ll also connect with volunteers associated with other businesses, one more way for you to network with others.

Final Thoughts

Savvy networking is an ongoing process. Even if your time is limited, you can reach out to one new person daily for a month for at least 20 new contacts. Not everyone will respond to your email or phone call, but some will. Just as you would do had you met these people in person, offer your assistance to people that respond, building a dialogue that can lead to new business opportunities.

Richard Larson is Brand Manager at Go Promotional, top supplier of promotional keyrings and printed bags in the UK.