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5 ways to successfully build your business network

August 19, 2016 03:46 by author

Whatever type of business you're in, success or failure will pretty much revolve around the same basic elements. One of the most important of these is having a business network in place that means you can connect with clients and customers as well as other professionals and suppliers in your field. Here's five tips to successfully build and grow your own network.

Get Social

Social media seems to be suggested as the answer for most things in business these days, but when it comes to networking it really is the case.

The way that simply coming up with an imaginative or inventive hashtag on twitter can put you in touch with people far beyond your usual contacts is just one example of how social media makes it easy to do things that simply weren't possible a few years ago.

Make it an Event

Everyone loves to have dates in their diary and things to look forward to. You can take advantage of this by organising events that allow you to meet people in person and give them something to remember you by at the same time.

Whether it's a launch party, a freebie giveaway, or simply some kind of talk or lecture that will interest the people your business is aimed at, you might well be surprised that the old adage of 'if you build it, they will come' really does come true.

Facetime

Although having an event is a good way to put a face to a name, sometimes they can be so successful that you simply don't have time to get to know everybody who attends. That's why it's good to put the shoe on the other foot sometimes and go to other people's networking events or meetings where you can approach strangers and strike up a conversation without getting any strange looks!

Advertise

Adverts work. That's pretty much the long and the short of it and now that so much of the advertising world has moved online it makes it even easier and most cost effective to target people that you want to get involved in your own business network.

Obviously you have to think about exactly how and where you are going to place your ads, but there is so much choice that you'll be able to find exactly the right niche for your business.

Do it well!

The best way of building up any kind of business network is to make sure that whatever you do, you do it well. Word of mouth recommendations are still the best way for your reputation to spread amongst the people that you want to attract to your network.