Business to Business Networking

This is how it works...

2005-08-05T19:20:00.000-07:00

An example of business to business networking happened to me this week, and I wanted to share it.

I met with a company that was a referral from a current client. The owner of the company referred me to his wife's business, and then to a friends business. They all became clients. One of those referred me to one of his clients.

Business networking and referral-based business works. Some days it works well, and on others it does not... but when it is good... it is really good. Today I have 4 new customers because of it.

Meghan Wier

Read my personal blog

THE IMPORTANCE OF NETWORKING

2005-06-16T18:45:00.000-07:00

It is hard to really explain the importance of business networking to someone who has never given it much thought. Meeting new people, strengthening alliances and growing your business is meaningless to a person who has never looked at their address book as anything besides names and addresses of family, friends, the doctor and the babysitter. However, once you begin to see that networking is rewarding personally and professionally, the benefits of networking are nearly limitless.

Here are some reasons to network:

Very often, people will choose where to do business based on the recommendations of their friends, family and trusted co-workers.

Any contact, such as a phone call or an email to a potential client is much more compelling if you can make a personal connection ("Kelly Jones suggested I call").

In order to be successful, you need to grow your prospects and since you cannot meet every potential client for your business in person you can instead spend the time to make good networking connections, and that in turn will result in many new clients.

When you refer your clients to businesses in your network, you are helping your clients (who get the products and services they need) and the businesses you refer them to (who get new customers), and strengthening your own relationship with your clients and network.

Meghan Wier

VP Business Development

www.biznetix.net

www.meghanwier.com

Business to Business Networking

2005-06-06T17:42:00.000-07:00

Call it what you want... "building strategic alliances"...."channel partners" whatever - but networking happens amongst businesses as much as it does amongst the people in those businesses. It is imperative that businesses recognize that it is importance of keeping their networks alive.