CAN YOU AFFORD NOT TO NETWORK?
Elevate and Empower: A Business Leader’s Summit will be held on Sunday 9th March in the Bullitt Hotel and Local Women columnist Jenna Hill is extending you an invite.
When my husband and I founded our first business, I went to every networking event going.
I drove up and down the country attending events from Londonderry to Belfast. I remember my husband Carl used to roll his eyes at me as I would head out the door for an evening networking event. “What are you wasting your time for?” he would ask – but I knew it would pay off.
Years later and it did just that. This month alone, meeting someone at one of those networking events has generated our business over £20,000 in revenue.
When someone asks if they should go to networking events I ask, “Can you afford not to?”
Networking isn’t just about swapping business cards or collecting LinkedIn connections. It’s about making meaningful relationships. Now, that being said, networking is not transactional. You can’t expect to attend one event and generate a sale. Sometimes it is a slow burn, but it is a slow burn that is worth it.
I started organising networking events through our Small Business Fanatics community last year and since then I have used the services or bought products from at least eight of those small business owners that attend those events.
Not only can you promote your business at these events but there are an abundance of other reasons I think every business owner should attend networking events. Here are some if you still need some convincing.
- Opportunities for Growth: Small Business Owners are more likely to utilise the services or buy the products of other small business owners. I know I have utilised the services of many business owners I have met at these events. It isn’t just about the sales you can make at them but what the others attending these can do for you and your business.
- Learning, Development & Support: I never walk away from these events not learning something. Not only that but I have built an incredible support system of fellow Small Business Owners who ‘get it.’
- Visibility: The more you attend these events, the more you become known for your business and your industry. Attending these events also puts you in front of your customer to help you build trust with them – something key in the selling game.
If I can give you some tips for attending networking events, it’s these:
· Prepare Your Pitch: Be prepared to tell attendees what it is you do in one short sentence. Pull them in and excite them with your business.
· Listen as Much as You Talk: Focus on genuine connections and collaboration. Think of how you can add value to others.
· Follow Up: Please don’t underestimate this. I remember attending my first event and knowing no one. Now, seven years on, I rarely enter a room where I don’t know anyone.
If you fancy putting your new skills to the test, we are hosting our Elevate and Empower: A Business Leader’s Summit event on Sunday 9th March in the Bullitt Hotel. The event is designed specifically for ambitious business owners, founders, co-founders, entrepreneurs and business leaders. Not only will you have an incredible opportunity to connect with like-minded people, but you will get to learn from four incredible speakers on 2025’s more key topics in business. Head over to the link in my bio on Instagram (@jennahillofficial) to purchase your tickets.
Remember, building a business is hard work, but you don’t have to do it alone. Networking is one of the most powerful tools you have as a business owner and by surrounding yourself with the right people, you create a support system that drives you to success.
See you at Elevate and Empower on 9th March!
