Five Reasons Why You Should Network
Here at the Internet Business School, we’re committed to making sure small businesses have the best start possible. That’s why we make sure to inform you on the best methods to make the most of the entrepreneur life and ensure personal success. Just because you’ve created a business by yourself, doesn’t mean you have to keep everything to yourself. This is why you should be networking.
1) Going it Alone Doesn’t Have To Be Lonely.
While you can’t measure this benefit in financial profit, do not overlook the benefits of having people by your side when you run your own business. Having friends in the business means there will always be someone to have your back. Saving you from the loneliness of just having your computer screen for company, friends in the industry provide you with motivation or simply someone there to improve your mood. It also helps to have someone there to listen when you have ideas or when you simply want to moan. Organising a meetup or conversation each week can give you something to look forward to.
2) More People Provide More Opportunities
Arguably the most significant benefit from networking are the opportunities meeting up with others can bring. From joint venture and business partnerships to being invited to speaking and writing gigs, the best opportunities after often shared in person. People are more likely to invite people they know and trust to their events over those they don’t. Some people will even prefer to buy and sell their assets with familiar faces. This means networking can be one of the most profitable means for your business.
3) Find Good Sources of Free Advice
Sometimes Google doesn’t have all the answers you need, or sometimes you’re not sure if the advice you find even works. Sometimes you don’t want to spend all your hard earned cast on paying consultants. Your network can be an infinitely useful for advice as long as you provide your own expertise in response. Don’t demand too much without giving in return. The better your network, the better advice you can obtain so make sure to keep networking so you can continue to find people with common goals and values to exchange advice.
4) Friends Help Out Friends
Mutual help is an essential part of networking. Here are some ways that you and your network can help each other out.
- Promotions - By promoting each other businesses, you and your network can boost each other's’ traffic, reputation and sales.
- Links - Building up links boosts the strength of your SEO, putting links on each others’ pages can also help share news and information.
- Introductions - Your connections can help you make further connections with new people they think would be good additions to your network.
- Assistance - Sometimes you just need another pair of hands to fix a double code, give you a head up or have your back when someone attacks your business.
5) You Can Learn from the Examples Around You
Those you associate with will end up having an influence on you. If you surround yourself with the right people, then their attitudes, habits, views and associations will rub off on you and have a positive influence. Modelling yourself on successful people is often a way to improve your own performance, so if you surround yourself with good influences you should improve your own practices.