In a word, everywhere.
And anytime.
And especially around the holidays.
Remember, every time you meet someone in a business context, it is an opportunity for networking. You could be in line today at the grocery store buying your spiral ham and have a conversation with somebody about what you do for a living. Or maybe you’re going to a holiday party at your neighbors’ house and can speak with a celebrant about your visionary business idea over a glass of egg nog.
Where else can you network, though? In today’s interconnected (and Internet-connected) business world, many formal avenues exist for people and companies to network.
- Chamber of Commerce: Every town, city, county and region of the country has a Chamber of Commerce, devoted to growing business and industry of its members and the local economy. For a nominal annual fee, you will have access to the Chamber’s member directory, regular events (mixers, galas, networking breakfasts, guest speakers, etc.) and workshops. Few better opportunities exist for the professional looking to grow his business.
- Alumni Groups: Most of you probably went to school somewhere. Whether it’s high school, college, graduate school or your 3rd Grade class with Ms. Jackson, many of you already have access to a network of people that you already know and who already know you. The Internet has provided a valuable platform from which people can come together because of a common bond, … both online and in real life
- Professional Associations: If you’re engineer, there’s a professional engineering association in your area. If you’re a Hispanic MBA or an optometrist, there’s a professional group for that too. If you’re a young professional in the greater Savannah area, there’s a group for that too. Look in your own professional “backyard” for the group that fits your background and marketable skill sets.
- Networking Groups: What better venue for networking than a group formed specifically for the purpose of bringing like-minded professional together. These groups — some for free, some for a monthly or annual fee — are perfect for the aspiring businessman or entrepreneur to meet kindred souls who are looking to grow and help others grow.
We’re just scratching the surface here, though. Remember, networking opportunities happen every day. It’s happening right now. You’re reading an article from a business professional about networking. You can reach the author here. There’s an opportunity right there. Did you see it?
These type of impromptu networking opportunites don’t just occur at the holidays, but are available every day, 24/7/365. In line at the bank, waiting to talk to the mechanic, in the parking lot at Best Buy, … you just have to be looking for them and be ready to act when the time is right.
Tomorrow’s post will explore the ”how” part of networking, perhaps the most important part. After all, you can’t just show up at a alumni mixer or a networking event and business to fall from the sky like manna from heaven. There’s actually an art to it, …
This is the first in a three-part series about the benefits of networking
So you own a successful business. Or are a successful salesperson with a profitable company. Or just a person with great ideas and vision. You spend money on advertising and marketing trying to locate new clients and customers for your business. It works. You are making money. Business is good. You have a satisfied customer base that likes you and your product. Your clients are so happy that they recommends your services to others. You set goals and typically reach them. You have big plans for 2008. Life is good. Now, why would you want to change things and start networking with other business owners and professionals?
Because you can do even better. That’s why.
Networking, stripped of all the value-added, mission critical business lingo, is simply the act of meeting new people in a business context. Pure and simple, it can be one of the most valuable — and easiest — ways to grow your idea, company or business in 2008.
Here are just a few great reasons for any business professional to consider networking as part of their plan for 2008:
- Networking is a cost-effective way to meet with more people who might be able to use your service in the future or recommend your services to others. Ultimately, people want to work with people that they already know. The most successful companies and salespeople are generally the ones that get the most referrals from satisfied customers and business acquaintances.
- It can also strengthen your control over the clock by reducing the time and money required to gain new customers. These “extra” hours each day can be used to do more business and increase your profits.
- Networking is also an excellent way to learn about new business opportunities and services that may be useful to you in the future. You can also expand your knowledge base by meeting new people in other professions and learn complementary skills.
- Not everyone that networks is employed or looking to grow their business. You might be looking for a new passion. Rather than mass e-mailing resumes or weighing down your postman with cover letters and job applications, you can meet individuals directly who may be able to help you. Networking can provide a gateway to a potential introduction with a future employer. As many of us have found it, it is often not what you but who you know that counts. Networking expands who you know, and puts the odds in your favor that your networking colleague’s brother’s girlfriend’s mom knows someone who is looking for someone like you. Or, if you are changing careers, one of your networking colleagues can be a living, breathing demonstration of what it is like to work in that industry
- You are able to keep your hand on the pulse of your local and regional business co Read the rest of this entry »
For most companies, doing business has its own seasonal adjustments. For people doing business all throughout the year, there would be the usual
lean season and peak seasons to which they should adjust
business operations accordingly. Identifying these
business factors is important. You simply cannot expect to operate at the same level every time since business involved having to deal with the supplies and demands of market preference.
For what is worth, doing business needs awareness on the operational aspect as well. People cannot simply expect to allow operations function on its own. It remains that addressing the needs of business is a given and most management personnel are indeed aware of it. Sale discounts, promotions and aggressive marketing plans must be laid out and carried out properly. Without them, a business will have trouble trying to survive.
The question of cost may be something circling in the minds of many. But overall, they are constraints that have to be addressed and included in the course of business. A good business executive such as the Chief Operations Officer should know how to adjust according to the business needs. Taking such things for granted will not only be crucial but may very well be losses for the company as a whole.
(Source)”Our feeling is that there is going to be very much a last-minute dash. Probably more so this year than in previous years,” New Zealand Retailers Association chief executive John Albertson said.
“If I was giving consumers advice I would say get out there and do your shopping now because our pick is it is going to go quite ballistic in that last weekend.”
One thing about business these days is that the success of any entrepreneur would depend on their approach and business strategy. Surely, this will vary and a lot depends on the business concept and lineage to which most people prefer to master today. The type of venture should be something of interest to them since in these cases, knowing the ins and outs of the business will be a good investment in making efforts and goals feasible in the proposed business plans.
For people geared towards salons and overall personal appearance, the story of Martin Devlin, a hair stylist who takes pride in taking care of proper grooming of his clients, saw the opening for a good business venture. Haircuts are usually given once a month for customers but some people are pretty particular of their appearance, making it a point to visit their hair stylist at least once a week.
This is only one part of the story. But did you know that even wigs have to be maintained as well and the best one to customize it according to their liking is also the trusted hair stylist? Read on.
(Source) Hairstylists like Martin Devlin typically recommend that clients get their hair cut every six to eight weeks. But in recent years, some of Devlin’s customers began making their next appointment for the following week — even the following day.
It wasn’t that they didn’t like their new haircut, they just wanted their wig to have it too.
“They’d bring their wig here to have it customized,” said Devlin, 50, the owner of Martin Devlin Hair Studio on Park Road.
Here is something of interest to most people who want to get into business today and get tagged under the Cash Cow region of marketing. Apparently, many businessmen are looking for good businesses to invest in and based on this report from the Associated Press, it looks like the dairy business is a good investment up above the horizon.
(Source) The cow population in the Panhandle has ballooned in the past six years from about 20,000 to 140,000, and the number of dairies has more than tripled to about 70. And more cows are on the way: Officials predict the region’s dairy herd will increase by 20,000 annually for the next five years.
The dairies have created jobs — one new job is added for every 100 cows — and improved the economies in numerous small towns, some of which courted the industry aggressively to help sustain their viability.
Panhandle dairies now produce more than 40 percent of Texas’ milk, up from about 10 percent in 2000, said Ellen Jordan, a dairy specialist with the Texas Cooperative Extension. Of the state’s top five milk producing counties, three — Parmer, Deaf Smith and Castro — are in the Panhandle.
So milk and cows have seem to be proving the theory of using Cash Cows as the good reason for putting up a business today. Well, we all know that Cash Cow is a marketing term used for businesses that can lead to ideal profits. It is just so ironic that the cow business is the real thing that will lead to success for people who know their business today.
