Networking Can be Fun!

by Tricia Fox

Get your teeth into new business opportunities

Statistics suggest that only 10% of business people actively engage in networking. Fear is one of the primary reasons for not getting involved. 
Survey after survey has shown that people’s number one fear is speaking in public, very closely followed by introducing yourself to a stranger at number two.

When people come along to a networking event of the very first time it can be very intimidating, even for those who are not known for being faint at heart! There are structures, procedures, speakers, and people in charge – just like your first day at school. It’s really no wonder it’s scary!

I sometimes feel it is the word “networking” that puts people off. Who wants to work in a net? I prefer to think of the activity as collecting people: who they are, what they do, what they’re good at, who they know. It’s also something I’ve been doing all my life (who can’t still remember their best friend at primary school?) so it not quite so scary and new.

There’s a lot of truth in the old adage that people do business with people they know, like and trust. So, if you are determined to get ahead in business, collecting people is an activity you really should be embracing as a core element of your business development strategy. You’ll meet knew people, learn new things, make new friends, appoint new suppliers, find mentors and create a huge support network for you and your business.

So how do you make the best of it all? Commit to the process, not just a single meeting. Join more than one group – Perthshire has a number of active networks: Bacon & Eggs, Chamber of Commerce, Perthshire Businesswomen’s Network, BNI – to name but a few! Different people move in different circles and it is essential to widen your net if you are going to be effective. And finally, don’t try to sell (remember, you’re collecting, not selling). It is better to tell people what you do and why you do it well and let them collect that information for use at a later date.