Businesswomen often make the same mistake which is crucial for their company’s prosperity. They invest effort and money in minor details but often fail to notice what matters the most for developing a growing venture. To succeed you must build a wide network of people who know your name and your craft. This way you enlarge your sphere of influence.
Nowadays, it is not about who you are nor what you do. It’s all about who knows you! Once they know you, they will have you in mind, recommend you or even do business with you. The most important steps to follow are listed below.
1. Surround Yourself with Experts
Your social circle should involve professionals like lawyers, accountants, investors or owners of other companies in your cluster. They can give you a valuable advice right when you need it the most. Studies show that women entrepreneurs tend to ask for advice from their families or husbands. Men, in contrast, trust the advice of friends. But if you want a driving organisation, relatives are not a reliable source of information. Still, we do not want a love advice. Competition is strong and we should be at the head of it.
2. Get Involved
Attend to conferences, parties or seminars. Become a committee member of specific organisation or get ready to do additional tasks. These positions will make you popular amongst more people. Lots of employers say they are not into evening parties or noisy crowds. These events are a great opportunity to make new contacts, reinforce existing ones or just show your face to those who are not familiar with it.
3. Give To Receive
Never connect to a person with the intention of earning. Sometimes you must give something first. The benefits of doing the favour may not come at the very moment but they will, sooner or later. You heard of the ’cause and effect’ rule, meaning every action has an equal reaction. People always remember and reward the good deeds. The expense of this, you will build trust in yourself and people will think of you as a reliable and freehanded person. Imagine that you have a lot of personal contacts based on this. Word will spread and your reputation will grow constantly.
4. Target Connections Which Are Relevant To Your Goals
Determine which groups and acquaintances are more relevant to your business. Don’t waste time and energy with meetings which won’t bring you referrals and profit. We can define relevance according to factors like:
- Size of the company
- Sector
- Geography
- Society grouping
- Academic or technical grouping
Try to find networks which function well or have the potential to do so. Aim beyond obvious business persons and groups. Consider how they operate, online and outside. Within most networks, people usually have only a few close ones. Reputations are built in compliance with your selected contacts, so choose them carefully.
5. Be Positive
Use a positive language and smile a lot, yet be aware of getting too personal or emotional. Never talk bad of anyone. Your partners will assume you may talk ill of them too. Ask others for a feedback or criticism. It is the most high-priced yet totally-free market research you can obtain. Followers assemble around people who stay calm and positive, resisting the herding inclinations of weaker minds.
Finally, take the focus off you and put it on other people. In the first case, pressure is on you – this can be so nerve-racking! But in the second one, you’re even interested! So open yourself to new acquaintances and be able to show confidence and professionalism — of course, all along with the genuine and warming smile of a successful woman.
