As a business owner or as a career professional, you have probably attended quite a few networking events. Building relationships with people in similar industries or complementary industries is a great way to hear about other opportunities.
But what about building relationships with other businesses as well? As an entrepreneur, you should always be looking for other people and companies who can bring value to your network. This isn’t about finding a new job. It’s about establishing yourself within a community and finding new ways to grow your business. Here are three ways you can network to build relationships with other businesses.
Outsourcing
One of the easiest ways to start building a business network is to develop good relationships with the companies you outsource to. It’s likely that you already outsource to several functions such as HR, accountants, lawyers and IT specialists (click here if you are looking for IT support).
Though you are the client in this situation, you know your reputation is likely to travel through the people you work with. Make a good name for yourself with the companies you work with. If you do, hopefully when anyone asks for a recommendation, you will be at the top of the list. Never underestimate word of mouth.
Work the 2nd Degree
When you want to meet new people, the best way is usually to meet friends of friends. This is for two main reasons. First, your friends’ friends are likely to be easier to get along with as you already have something in common. Second, you connect with them easier via an introduction.
The 2nd degree dinner is an idea that uses this principle to meet cool new people through friends but there’s no reason that you can’t use the same principle to build relationships in business. Hosting a business event where you ask your invitees to bring someone else is a great way to double the crowd and meet lots of new people.
Finding Mutual Benefit
As a salesperson promoting your business and products, it’s easy to talk about how great you are, how you are shaking up the industry and why whoever you are talking to should become a client immediately. Unfortunately, this is not how you make friends, it’s how you raise eyebrows! Instead of focusing on how a new relationship could benefit you, you should instead think about what your new acquaintance is looking for. Just as you should think about what customers expect, you need to focus in on what other businesses will expect. You can sum it up in two words: mutual benefit.
You could set up a business exchange for a week to learn from each other, or maybe it’s more a case of being friends who talk shop over a glass of wine. Building business relationships must be about connecting on a human level first. If you only focus on financial profit, you could lose out on a lot of opportunities later on.
Next time you’re at a networking event, approach it differently. Think about how you can build relationships vice what promoting your business. You never know what might shape your business in the future. A word of advice from a fellow entrepreneur could make all the difference. Here’s to your success!
Carolyn R. Owens has over 25 years of proven experience and serves as a Career Strategist, Executive and Leadership Coach. She is the President of Infinity Coaching, Inc. where she can help you up-level your skills, so you can up-level your income, career, business or life. Infinity Coaching, Inc. provides coaching, organizational training, personality assessments, and a signature program, the Infinity Coaching Inner Circle. Carolyn is certified to give both The Energy Leadership Index Assessment and Myers Briggs Type Indicator Assessment. You can find out more he about both assessments and other products and services at https://infinitycoaching.net.
