5 Networking Tips for Small-Business Owners
Successful networking benefits all business owners, whether they’re just getting started or trying to grow their business. These face- to-face meetings with other entrepreneurs, however, can be awkward and difficult for some people. Interfacing with industry leaders, experts, and like-minded CEOs doesn’t have to be anxiety-inducing, even if you’re naturally shy. Here are some tips to help you network more effectively at your next industry seminar or small-business conference. 1. Prepare Beforehand There are a few great ways to get yourself into the networking mindset before an event. You should have a few talking points ready. It shouldn’t sound like a formal presentation with bullet points. A fewwords about who you are, what you do, and why you do it will suffice. And you don’t want every word drilled 3 KILLER A tight-knit team benefits every business, regardless of size or industry. Every one of your employees is working toward a common goal, so a sense of camaraderie is crucial. As a leader, bringing your team together is one of the best investments you can make. What’s even better is that you don’t need to take everyone to Cancun to build real connections. Here are a few activities that will delight your staff without crushing your budget. Back-to-Back Drawing Team communication is vital to an effective workplace, so why not have a little fun testing that skill? Break your staff into groups of two, or do it by department if you have a larger workforce. Each pair sits back to back, and one is given an image to describe to their partner, but they cannot just say what the image is. The other
down. Remember, networking is not the same thing as a sales pitch. 2. Don’t Forget to Listen Networking works best when it’s a two-way street. You can’t expect somebody to listen to you for five minutes, only for you to head to the snack table as soon as they start telling you about their company in return. The mutually beneficial nature of networking allows for a conversation about business to become a platform for building a relationship. Odds are everyone at your conference is trying to network just as much as you are. 3. Have a Card, Seriously Imagine this scenario: You’re at a conference and you just finish up a fruitful, engaging conversation. The person you’re talking to hands over their business card, and you realize you don’t have one to provide in
return. Nobody wants to end up scribbling their contact information on a napkin. 4. Network From Home LinkedIn isn’t just for finding a job or screening employees. It can be a powerful networking tool for business owners. Because you can see the connections of your connections, it’s not hard to reach out to people in similar roles or industries. 5. Be Yourself Your personality and values should be an integral part of your business, and networking should be an honest conversation, even when the end goal is developing a business relationship. Be confident in who you are, and you’ll find that people will believe in your vision. solution, they’ll have the satisfaction of seeing their work put to the test. ACTIVITIES Top 5 Anything Introducing a new employee to your group can be a challenge. “What’s your name?” and “Where are you from?” are boring questions and don’t really let someone express themselves. A great way to let a new employee share a passion or interest is to simply ask them to share their top five favorites from a category of their choosing. An avid reader might choose top five novels, and a home cook their top five favorite dishes. The great thing about this activity is that gives an employee the freedom to talk about something they love, while also letting the group get to know them. Sure, everyone loves a free lunch and a chance to escape the office for a few hours. But these team- building activities, which require no travel at all, can be even more rewarding.
partner has to try to replicate the image, and whoever comes closest wins.
Egg Drop Contest You may have done this in high-school physics class, but you’d be shocked at howwell it tests creative problem-solving in your office. Give each team (you can decide the numbers) an egg and a time limit to create a contraption that will allow the egg to survive an eight-foot drop. You can provide materials if you’d like or force them to make due with whatever’s lying around. Not only will teams have to work together to create a novel
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