There are many ways you can learn about the world of business in order to improve your strategies and grow your contacts, but one of the best decisions you can make is to attend
networking events. If you have never attended this type of event before, the thought of doing so may be daunting and overwhelming, but the reality is that you’ll come away with a plethora of new ideas, enthusiasm and purpose. In this guide, we’re going to look at some of the main reasons why you should be attending networking events in the near future if you own a business.
Meeting people in your industry
You may be familiar with the saying “It’s not what you know – it’s who you know”, and this is extremely true in the world of business. The contacts you make along the way could progress your career to the next level, without having to work too hard to reach your goals single-handedly. When you make connections, they may provide helpful hints and potentially pass on your contact details to their connections who may just have a breakthrough opportunity to offer to you. It wouldn’t be advisable to simply scribble your phone number onto a piece of scrap paper – professionalism is key if you wish to make a good impression. Investing in quality business cards created from coated paper gives that sharper much more memorable entrepreneurial image from the get-go.
It forces you to step out of your comfort zone
It’s easy to become your own worst critic and analyze your business from a personal perspective, but it’s always beneficial to hear an outsider’s point of view about your business idea, as well as acquiring some useful tips and tricks on how to push forwards. When you decide to attend an industry event, you need to practice an act of self-confidence to sell yourself and encourage others to believe in you.
Bring awareness to your business
When attending networking events, there’s a high likelihood that you’ll come across potential customers and influencers who may never have heard of your brand before. Essentially, this is now your chance to let them know who you are, the products and services you offer and the USP that sets you apart from the competition. It’s always useful for customers to see the face behind the brand as this gives a more personal and trustworthy touch to any business. If they are impressed by your pitch, they may inform their contacts about your business through word of mouth, which is deemed to be the most successful of any marketing technique.
Stay updated on trends
Things move quickly in the business world and unless you spend hours researching new trends in your industry every single week, it’s easy to fall behind your competition. This is where networking events could be useful for keeping you in the loop with news, tools and trends in your niche, which allows you to make better-informed decisions to keep your business progressing.
