Effective business networking goes a long way in promoting and securing the success of your establishment. While the fundamental of business networking is about building trust and credibility, establishing the same is a challenging undertaking. One must establish himself as a powerful resource of knowledge and expertise that a business can rely on in order for a person from the said business to return and continue the communication started from your end, because ultimately, it's a two-way street.
In order to establish yourself as that resource, some ground rules are essential. A reliable person is one who is time driven, quality conscious and knowledgeable. Once this is established, any business person can utilise his credential and value to other people as his source of business generation. Word of mouth marketing is a direct result of good networking and is a powerful tool for the growth of your business.
Communication is the most essential instrument in your power on which your business rides. It is important that everyone from your company communicates the same message, this in return builds the image of the company in the eyes of others.
Most people make the mistake of networking without truly understanding the implications it carries, both positive and negative. Any person you meet is subjected to your personal evaluation and it works both ways. Therefore, there are two very crucial points to remember while networking: why the person you are networking with is important to you, and why you are important to the person you are networking with.
Businessmen new to networking often make the mistake of not evaluating the first 'why'. Networking without purpose is a lost cause. If you have no reason to talk to a person, better not to approach him at all, because you are likely not going to be remembered in a positive light. No professional businessman likes to waste time. Know your purpose for networking and come straight to the point.
The second 'why' is more important because networking is ultimately about building trust and credibility. One must establish himself as a powerful resource of knowledge and expertise that a business can rely on. For this, always leave a proposition of interest to the other party for the communication to grow. If someone has a reason to come back to you for his business, he'll remember you and spread the word, helping build your credibility in the long run.