The Importance of Networking In Person

By Tina Angell

Owner - Cybertary Roseville, CA

Networking is one of the least expensive yet very effective forms of marketing you can do to promote your business. It allows you time to introduce and explain your products and services to people and answer questions for them unlike a static advertisement that they will quickly glance at and then turn away. But more importantly in-person networking should be about forming relationships with people that will go much further than just a one time sale. If networking is approached in this way, you will find it to be more fun and ultimately more lucrative.

Here are some networking best practices:

Don't be afraid of joining two or three organizations if you can make the time and they are all in your target geographical area.
You should visit a group a couple times before joining to make sure it is a good fit for you and you will receive benefit from your membership investment.
Be selective on which groups you join and make sure the members are either your target market or they have clients that are your target market.
To get the most out of a group, you should consider becoming an active member. You can join committees, volunteer to help at an event, or even run for a board position.
Make every effort to attend or send someone from your organization to all mixers and functions (even those you don't belong to yet), this will be a very cost effective form of advertising and it will help build word-of-mouth. Many mixers are free and you don't even need to be a member to attend.
Bring lots of business cards and brochures to events and go early and stay late to distribute them, work the crowd and "meet and greet."
If you come late and/or leave early, the potential number of people you will meet decreases significantly due to lack of time.
Visit members' places of business to get to know them further, especially those in related industries who can be good referral sources.
Give referrals to members of the group as much as you can. People remember that and will do the same for you (Giver's Gain!).

Where to find in person networking opportunities

Start with your city's Chamber of Commerce. Most have websites where you can find membership information and upcoming events. It is not uncommon for large metropolitan areas to have multiple chambers of commerce. Chambers and other organization memberships can cost anywhere from $100-$500 per year depending on their annual rates vs. monthly dues.
Look for local events and meetings put on by other types of groups, such as Social, Industry, Training or Networking groups.
Review large newspapers, magazines and website calendars to see what is going on in your area.
Attend area trade shows and expos.
Consider industry associations related to your specific customer niche. For example, if you are a realtor, you might attend an Association of Realtors or the Building Industry Association.

Bottom line, think about where your target market would be networking or spending their time. And remember, you only get out what you put into these groups. So get out there and start networking!

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