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Business Networking - Quick Tips to Start a Niche-Related Local Networking GroupTip! If you are nervous about entering a full room at a business networking event, get there early. Solopreneurs can get awfully wrapped up in their own little world. Let's face it, we can't be all things to all people. We know there are ways we could expand our business but there just isn't time, and frankly we don't offer everything our clientèle wants. Start a local business networking group in your niche market and watch your business explode! What is it that you don't offer that would help your clients achieve more of what they're after? Those are the other professionals that you want to find and network with. You're more powerful together than you are as detached units because you supplement each other's products and services. Here are just a couple networking ideas that could grow everyone's business. Say you're a florist and many of your customers are buying for weddings. You seek out the top local wedding planner, custom dressmaker, travel agent, tux rental, caterer, photographer, masseuse, and custom bakery. Together you put together a whole package deal that saves the bride and groom money, time, and hassle. With one meeting they can go over their entire plan of food, flowers, dress, photography, pampering, and honeymoon. Synergy happens, the wedding is gorgeous, the happy couple shares their "custom wedding planning partners" with their friends and co-workers, and the referrals start flying in!
Or say you're a pediatrician just opening a practice in the suburbs and you're trying to attract new families. Why not partner with your favorite obstetrician, a nursery design specialist, a baby photographer, a maternity shop owner, and a gym that offers Mommy and Me classes. You can bring your local market a premium "Baby Welcome Package" with a little brainstorming and some local press coverage. I'm part of a local Christian business networking group and we limit the members so we have just one in each category, such as real estate, financial planning, photographer, plumber, business attorney, etc. Our commonality is our Christian faith and that we want to help support each other both personally and professionally. As far as logistics, we meet twice a month for lunch. We each have a 30 second "commercial" where we can share anything new that we're offering, or get to know our guests a little bit. We rotate through the members for who gets the 10- to 15-minute "spotlight" each meeting to go into more depth about what we do and how that can benefit the other members, and inevitably someone is offering a free consult or product of some kind so we get experience in using each other's business services, and just make great new friendships too. Tip! If this is you, you might think you don't know anyone. You are also probably overwhelmed by the thought of getting business networking referrals before you've got a sense of what's what in your new community. Who could you find to include in a business network within your own niche? Start with just one or two and do some brainstorming. You'll come up with plenty of ideas and every group will go about it differently. Bottom line, it means more fun and more business for everyone. (c) 2007 Becki Maxson Becki Maxson, founder of KingdomWork.com, networks with other Christian business owners in Rocklin, CA. Kingdom Work offers business training and mentoring for Christian entrepreneurs through Advantage Conferences and ongoing mentoring and business services. Subscribe to the Kingdom Work E-News and receive a free copy of the $29.95 e-book, "Slay Your Giant," the book that's transforming lives around the world. |
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