Published On:Saturday, December 7, 2013
Posted by devil
Young Entrepreneur - Guide to Networking By Sacha Blalock
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In today's society it seems that anyone has the opportunity to become an entrepreneur. Everyone has a product, new venture or innovative idea but only the strongest survive in the world of entrepreneurship. There are a lot of factors that can help you along your journey to becoming a successful entrepreneur; a business plan, start up funding or capital and educational or personal experience are just a few. A very valuable resource is recognizing the importance of networking.
Networking is one of the most, if not the most important factor for entrepreneurs in marketing ones self or business. "To be successful, you have to be able to relate to people; they have to be satisfied with your personality to be able to do business with you and to build a relationship with mutual trust". - George Ross
With social media & social networking being at an all-time high, I think it can be a triumph for most but a failure for some. People get so caught up with using social media as a form communication; they almost forget the importance of verbal communication. Understanding the art of "working a room" can be a valuable tool for anyone but especially for entrepreneurs.
I work closely with college students and noticed when attending conferences or networking events with potential employers, companies, and influential people, they are always impressed with students who have impeccable networking and communication skills. Here are few tips to becoming an expert networking professional.
· Create your elevator pitch; this is a short summary used to quickly describe a person, product or service, profession or organization. Your pitch should be casual yet confident and span 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
· Do your research! It's a great idea to know your crowd. If you know who may be attending the networking event, its best to research them. You may have something in common; you're likely to feel more comfortable talking to them if you know something about them. Identify yourself with others who have the same mindset of try looking for commonalities in groups but do not limit yourself to only professionals in your industry.
· Be yourself; networking can lead to lifetime connections and relationships. It's best to be open and honest and allow your true personality to show.
· Follow up; it takes time and effort to build a networking relationship. Be patient yet persistent; you want to nurture the relationship naturally. Try inviting them to lunch or drinks; this is a great way for casual conversation outside of the business setting. This is where the social media takes place. Comment on their blogs, use LinkedIn to connect professionally (this may possibly help you meet others in their network). As I said networking does take time.
Sacha Blalock is the Program Associate for the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at Bennett College. Sacha is also currently enrolled in the Master's of Entrepreneurship Degree Program at Western Carolina University. Webmasters and other article publishers are hereby granted article reproduction permission as long as this article in its entirety, author's information, and any links remain intact. Copyright 2013 by Sacha D. Blalock.
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