You have worked hard to ensure your business is on the right path to becoming a reality and not just a dream. But, you need to let people know about your start-up or you will find it incredibly difficult to move on from this initial stage.
There are many ways to market your business when you are starting out. You will probably set up a social media page so you can build awareness and a following, talk directly to potential customers and share content from your blog (which you should also set up alongside your website) or anything written about you. Likewise, this is a good time to take a look at Phroom Print where you can invest in business cards to hand out to relevant people, create posters, leaflets and perhaps even brochures or exhibition stands.
But, while this is all important, one way you should definitely be marketing your business, that you might not have even considered yet, is networking.
It is easy to think that networking is something you do when your business is established, but it is actually incredibly important when you are starting out.
So, why networking?
Practice makes perfect
You know the saying fake it until you make it and there is no better time to start than at the beginning. It will enable you to learn how to introduce yourself, talk to people you don’t know and big up your business. The more you do it, the easier it will become to sell yourself and your company to potential clients and customers. You will learn what works and maybe even what doesn’t – either way you can grow and progress going forward.
Create lasting relationships
You will meet people who could be very beneficial and lucrative to you in the early stages and even going forward – it really is who you know. This could be people who want to work with you directly or know of people who would. Word of mouth is still a fantastic way to get your business out there and in front of the right people. Of course, this is where your business cards come in handy, to ensure they contact you at a later date.
Help is at hand
Not only will you meet people you want to work with, you will also connect with other small business owners who can mentor and support you, having been through it themselves.
Get involved with the community
Attend events in your local community and people will get to know you and welcome you into that community. Plus, people like to do business with people they know and networking will help you become known.
Now you understand why you need to go but it is still easy to feel out of your depth at networking events – particularly when you are new to it and perhaps, with your company in the early stages, don’t feel like you belong there yet.
Firstly, you need to think positively or the experience won’t be beneficial to you or your company and could even become a hindrance.
How to ensure that it works:
- Set yourself networking goals
- Use social networks to keep in touch and connect with like-minded people
- Don’t turn up unprepared
- Make sure you build relationships
- Set aside time for networking and talk to the right people
You want to do everything you can to ensure your business is a success and networking will definitely help.