You have heard the expression, “it’s often not just what you know, but who you know.” Whatever your profession, you cannot overlook the importance of technical skills. Yet so often it is the relationships that you develop that lead to sustained business success.
Networking for business growth is more than simply exchanging business cards – or nowadays adding a contact to your phone. It has always been and continues to be about building meaningful relationships based on mutual trust and respect. Each new connection has potential value. A single introduction at an industry event can lead to a new business opportunity, a joint venture, shared resources, and collaborative projects.
Strategic networking for business growth opens the door to knowledge sharing. By connecting with other massage therapists, industry thought and opinion leaders, professionals in complementary health care fields, and vendors and suppliers, you can gain fresh perspectives and insights to ensure you are on top of market trends and industry innovation. This knowledge helps you adjust your services to better serve current clients and expand your client base.
Networking for business also helps build your professional reputation. Through the relationships you establish, you gain the trust of others in the industry, who will remember you when new opportunities come along.
Strategic networking at business events
Networking for business needs to be both strategic and consistent. You can build relationships with people you do business with, such as vendors and other service providers, but you also need to get out and engage with the industry. Venues and organizations to consider for networking include:
Professional organizations: Becoming a member of a professional organization should be part of your networking for business strategy. Professional organizations host conferences and seminars which brings you in touch with other professionals to share knowledge about the marketplace and learn new skills. Professional organizations also have resources you can tap to keep current on best practices and other industry trends. You may want to consider taking on a volunteer position with a professional organization, which raises your visibility within the industry and helps you connect with key industry influencers.
Trade shows: They enable you to meet practitioners, suppliers, clients, and other business owners with whom you can have meaningful conversations to help expand your network and potentially lead the way to new business opportunities.
Business networking groups: Most communities have local business networking groups, which bring together a range of business owners, each with their unique needs, skills, and resources. Business networking events provide an opportunity to learn about industry trends, business strategies, and the local business landscape. Among these groups are Meetup, which enables you locally to meet other people in business to expand your opportunities, and Business Network International (BNI), which connects entrepreneurs and professionals to generate referrals and grow their businesses. Local chambers of commerce also have business networking events for members.
You can search for business networking groups in your area using Eventbrite, which is an expansive event management and ticketing platform that functions as a powerful search engine for finding local business networking groups. ProMatcher is another platform to use for searching for business networking events in your community. It serves as an aggregator, connecting professionals with a wide variety of local groups spanning a wide range of industries across the United States.
Get the most out of attending events
Whatever the event, go with a positive spirit. If you feel pressured to open the door to an opportunity, you will not have an enjoyable time and you will not have a good outcome. Consider business networking events as opportunities to meet new people, get the word out about your massage business or spa, and enjoy the company of others. If you are feeling a little intimidated at the prospect of meeting an entirely new crowd, invite someone else from your team or a business associate to go with you. That way, you always have someone to talk to or work with as a team to meet others.
When you do strike up a conversation with someone, try to make it more about them than about what you do. If you feel at a loss for questions beyond asking for a name and the nature of their business, find out what brought them to the event. Ask if they are active in the organization or what other groups they belong to. You might find out they know someone you do, which can help move the conversation along. Also do not hesitate to talk about something other than business.
Tips for attending industry events:
· Set a goal. You may want to challenge yourself to meet five new people or find two new business connections. Be realistic but by setting a goal, it will encourage you to participate in the event more actively.
· Prepare in advance for the elevator pitch about your massage business or spa so you do not find yourself grappling or going on a length. An elevator pitch is a compelling introduction that covers who you are, what you do, and why it matters.
· Have business cards on hand but wait until someone asks for one. Just have them easily available when you do get a request.
· If you see someone you would like to meet, ask a mutual acquaintance for an introduction.
Do not spend all your time with familiar faces or other members from your office. Make it a point to network. Introduce yourself, shake hands and begin a conversation
Networking for business growth online
Not all networking is in person. One of the most powerful networking platforms is LinkedIn and you want to maximize its opportunities, which means you need to make an investment of your time. Start by asking others you know to Link In with you and ask for introductions to their contacts you would like to meet. To continue to build up your network, you will want to establish your credibility and highlight your knowledge and standing in industry. Here is how:
· Join and participate in groups: There are spa and massage industry groups to join on LinkedIn. But do not limit your networking to these; consider other groups for small business owners, marketing, sales, or whatever areas you think can help you grow your business and make connections. If you identify someone in the group you would like to network with, ask them to connect with you to be part of your network.
· Ask and answer questions: In the groups, answer questions posed by group members to highlight your knowledge. If you have written a blog post related to a question asked, provide a link. Also ask thought provoking questions about the industry or your specific area of expertise to start a group discussion.
· Create a poll: You can gain exposure for your spa or massage practice by creating a poll and distributing it to your network as well as other people you would like to hear from. Polls can be highly effective to highlight that you are on top of industry issues.
· Update your status: On your profile or company page, posts updates about your business or new skills you have acquired or offer links to articles you would like to share with others and ask for feedback.
· Help others connect: Introduce connections to your network. If another spa owner or massage therapist would like to meet someone in your group, introduce them to each other. You will find they will return the favor and help you expand your own network.
Who you know matters. Expand your network and watch your industry standing and connections grow.