Some small business owners are reluctant to network.
They prefer being in the office doing what they consider to be "real" work rather than attending an industry dinner or luncheon.
They view networking as a monumental waste of time.
I hope you are not one of the small business owners who falls into the category of seeing networking as useless because this is simply not true.
As a small business owner, networking is one of the best things you can do to increase your sales and profits.
Below are 3 tips to increase your sales and profits with effective networking.
1.
Have a goal.
Before you begin your networking efforts, have a goal in mind.
Are you looking for new customers, additional financing, a joint venture partner? Identifying your networking goal will help you determine who you want to network with.
2.
Use traditional and non-traditional methods.
Attend industry, trade, continuing education and alumni events.
But, also take advantage of online networking through Facebook, Linked-In and other industry networks.
3.
People do business with those they know, like and trust.
Keep this in mind whenever you are out and about.
Be affable, friendly, confident and helpful.
Any interaction you have may be happening between you and your next new customer.
Small Businesses who have applied these techniques have increased their sales and profits.
You can experience the same, along with stronger branding of your business, greater awareness and increased customer counts.
To learn more about increasing small business sales and profits, visit the Association of Small Business Marketers website.