Networking is a great way to promote your small business.
If you are a small business owner, one of the fastest and most effective ways to grow your business is by attending networking events.
However, attending networking events can be time-consuming and not worth the return on investment if you go about it without a strategy.
When you attend a networking event, you will want to stand out from all of the other entrepreneurs in attendance. This is particularly true if you are attending a large event, where if you’re not careful, you can get lost in the crowd.
Standing out from the crowd is just another way of saying you want to build up your brand: in this case, both your personal brand and your business brand.
Here are a few simple strategies to make your personal brand and business brand stand out at a networking event:
Research the attendees.
Before the event, research who is going to be organizing the event, who is speaking at the event and who will be in attendance. Decide who you want to meet face-to-face at the event and figure out some common ground or interesting topics of conversation that will make conversing with these people pleasant and relevant.
Remember that it is often impractical to try and meet and shake hands with every single person in the room. You will get more out of the networking event if you concentrate your efforts on making fewer but more meaningful connections.
Being able to engage in sincere conversations and being attentive to the other people at the event will convey that you and your brand care about others.
Perfect your elevator pitch
At a networking event, someone is eventually going to want to know who you are and what you do. Don’t blow this opportunity to represent your brand. Prepare your elevator pitch well in advance.
An elevator pitch is a short description of who you are, what you do, and what you are looking for. Be brief, charismatic and impactful in the delivery of your elevator pitch. Once you’ve researched the backgrounds of the other attendees, you can make sure that your elevator pitch will specifically appeal to them.
An elevator pitch is a powerful branding tool, and even though it may last only 15-30 seconds, you can expect to spend a long time perfecting it. It is by all means something you should practice in front of a mirror before you attend the event.
Dress to impress.
Dress like an entrepreneur: that is, like someone the attendees at the networking event will want to do business with. Always remember that you are representing a brand when you attend these events.
You might want to add a scarf or watch or some kind of accessory that will make you more memorable (in a good way).
It is always a good idea to wear a nametag at a networking event. Most events will supply these to you but sometimes people feel sheepish wearing them. Don’t feel sheepish. Wearing a nametag takes the awkwardness away when someone you’ve just met has forgotten your name, or couldn’t hear it when you were introduced. It can also be a great conversation starter.
Leave a souvenir.
You should always leave something behind so that the people you’ve connected with have a means to find you again. A business card or brochure is standard, but what works even better is saying you’ll get back to them with some helpful advice, or a resource, article or website that your new connection would find valuable. Leave behind a reason to get back in touch with someone after the event.
Follow up
The most important part of a networking event is what happens after the event itself. You could be the life of the party and then completely forgotten by the next day. Make sure you reach out to your shortlist of connections and invite them out for a one-on-one coffee meeting to discuss ways you could help each other’s businesses.
Offering resources and trying to be helpful is the best way to cement a business relationship as it puts your personal brand and business brand in a positive light. Always keep in mind that you don’t want to be selling so much as you want to be nurturing mutually beneficial relationships. Have faith that sales will grow organically once trust and familiarity are in place.
Need a hand with your brand? Call Kim speed at Purple Moon Creative today!
