Business Networking with the “Right” People!

Networking in the ‘Right’ places is everything – one must keep an eye out and explore to find them!

There must be something in the water in that many people are talking to me lately about their networking experiences and feeling a very common type of frustration which comes across in a question roughly worded like this:

“Edward, I need to target better businesses – how on earth do I do that?”

It’s a very intelligent and critical question that I have found few are able to answer. When it comes to the Business Networking community, Sydney (and most likely Australia) are covered with lots of great networking groups.

From dog walking groups, single mum groups, right through to leading Business Chambers – you have all sorts of gatherings.

It’s really important to contemplate what really works for you and what is the type of business networking that suits you.

For myself and many of us in the Small Business Scene, we have found that the smaller business networking groups aren’t quite suitable anymore. It’s full of great people, however in that as services evolve it requires us to make sure we have clients with the right expectations and thinking who align with us just nicely.

I think it’s great to put thought into your ideal client you are after. Assuming “Business to Business” like ourselves for this discussion – you may turn around and say you want clients with at least a few staff. This way you know they have the budgets to afford the solution you are offering.

For us to achieve that, we have found “Business Chambers” are a great way of getting bigger sized businesses. It’s worked really well for us in this example.

You may be different. For example, you may targeted just Manufacturers and find particular manufacturing events. You may target women, so you go to Women’s Networking Groups etc etc (you get it).

My advice? Take out emotion and think through really carefully who you are after and what you are targeting. Then make sure you are going to the right events where you fit in and they hang out. That will immediately put you in the game.

Love your work, thanks for the read, may I recommend Parramatta & NSW Business Chamber (for my Sydney Friends) and of course – Stay Awesome!