Can Networking Help My Business?
You Bet It Can!!!
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Maybe I should give you a little more information. After all, you had to press all those buttons to get here. So, what do you want to know?
Here are some thoughts -
Everybody’s Doing It!
All right, so I lied. Everybody is NOT doing it. On the other hand, lots of people are networking and everybody SHOULD be doing it.
It’s Viral! What the heck does THAT mean? Sounds scary, right, like you need a vaccination or something?
Let me explain it like this: you’ve heard the question, “What would you rather have – $100,000 or one penny doubling itself for 30 days?” Most people immediately say, “The $100,000.” They don’t think it through. If you take one penny and double it every day for 30 days, you will end up with about $5,368,704 dollars! What does viral mean? It means that when you get people talking about you and your business to others, you become known faster than you can with traditional advertising. It can spread like wildfire.
I’m pretty sure it costs less than advertising. One billboard costs you between $300 and $500 per month. What does it cost to go to a networking event? $25? $50? Free? If your business has a bottom line, then saving money while getting better results might work for you.
You form lasting relationships, which is what it’s all about. If you do this right, you are forming lasting relationships, which, in the long run, will benefit you for years and years in ways that you may not even imagine. Do repeat sales and referrals get you excited? Would you like others to do your marketing for you by word of mouth? That’s where the money is. Focusing on that aspect would be the smart thing to do.
It gets you resources. You get not only business. You get to know lawyers, bankers, service people, craft people, realtors, you name them, you’ll meet them. Who knows what you’ll be looking for down the road, and you’ll already have the connections to solve any problems. It also gives you a way to help solve OTHER people’s problems and you become the “Go-To Dude” (or Dudette)! How much is that worth to you?
You are who you are and that’s all that you are. Popeye was a smart guy! Advertising generally doesn’t get the real YOU across. People want to do business with people, not companies.
You get to help others, but only if you want to. It would behoove you to do so. People don’t remember what you say and they don’t always remember what you do. What they WILL remember is how you made them feel! (see “It gets you resources“)
You can talk about your business in ways that you can’t do with advertising. Let’s face it – time and space are limited with advertising and traditionally there are things you can and can’t say like on a billboard or in a commercial.
You know, marketing is a must in the business world. The problem, especially nowadays is how to do it effectively and save money at the same time. And just as important is separating yourself from the herd of cookie cutter businesses out there. What will make you stand apart? Better products? Better service? Better pricing? All these things are important, but what if you can’t easily do all these things, and even if you could, how do you get the word out? Frankly, I myself, don’t even see billboards – they may as well not even be there. I think of them as a blight on the landscape if I think of them at all. And I don’t listen to commercials on radio or T.V. I don’t look at anything but headlines in the papers or magazines. It’s a matter of self preservation. I like my sanity and want to keep it. If most people are like me, then you’ve got a problem. Networking is an easy, effective solution. Combine it with your other marketing techniques and you’ll come out a winner every time! Here’s to your business success!
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