Tips for using networking to grow your business

Networking is one of the pillars of business growth and success. However, many people end up burning bridges when building their business because they abuse their network while trying to do so.

The thing is, it is easy to focus too much on growing your business that you forget to put relationships over transactions. Instead of using your network wisely, you fail to avoid pitfalls such as being spammy, overselling your offerings and harassing people with your business cards.

But how can you make networking work for you? What tips and tactics do you need to employ to take advantage of your network in a productive and “unspammy” manner? Let’s delve into this topic together and find out the answers to these very crucial questions.

Networking tips & tactics:

• Build up curiosity

The fastest way to create kinship, connect authentically and build a foundation for long term relationships is by leading with curiosity. So when you meet new people, focus on understanding their values, passions, goals and their current needs. Then look for ways to show genuine care for them by trying to support their endeavors. This, in turn, will provide you with a supportive network when you launch your own business.

See Also: How to Create An Actionable Product Roadmap

• Share your genius

Penny-pinching your values, knowledge and insights is an old dated technique which has proven to be counterintuitive. Instead, you need to go that extra mile and share your best and most valuable stuff with people. When people are attracted to your knowledge and generosity, they are more likely to come back to know more about what you are selling. So don’t hesitate sharing your most valuable insights through your LinkedIn, Facebook or Instagram accounts. Moreover, make sure that your accounts provide industry related issues and important solutions for problems your potential customers might be facing.

• Pay it forward

When you provide help and support to others, they will help you too in your time of need. This is why it is important that you take the time to help others grow by contributing to their success. Furthermore, forget about asking for mentions and shout-outs and earn them instead. Networking is all about building trust, credibility and loyalty. To get it right, you need to focus less on your business and products/services, and more on those around you.

See Also: How to Get the Most Out of Customer Data

• Find the right people

Spending endless hours building relationships with people who have no interest in what you are selling is a waste of time and energy. You need to create genuine relationships with those who care about what you are doing; people who want to support you. That way, when you have an update about your brand and its progress, or want to ask for a favor, your network will be willing to support you as they feel invested in your business.

• Share content & offer feedback

Networking is an art. When done right, it can really help take your business to the next level. So forget about oversharing news and details about your business and products/services and focus on sharing making introductions, quality content and offering valuable feedback. Moreover, avoid thinking of how people could benefit you and try to find ways to benefit them and ditch expectations of reciprocity. Think of your business as an extension to yourself and allow people to gravitate towards it based on the value you bring to the table.

How do you use networking to grow your business? What tips and insights can you share to attract people to know more about your brand and its offerings? We look forward to your valuable feedback in our comment section below. 

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