Home
>
Top Quick Tips
>
10 Tips to Successfully Use Business Networking as a Marketing Strategy

10 Tips to Successfully Use Business Networking as a Marketing Strategy

Networking is probably the best way to build a profitable business, or sales pipeline over the long term. Many of us understand the value of networking, but we don't always know the best way to go about it. Here are 10 simple tips that will help you maximize the effectiveness of your networking efforts.

1. Build Relationships not Stacks of Business Cards

Networking is not a contest to see who can collect the most business cards. It's about building great relationships. Walking around an event forcing your business cards on other people is not going to help you to build any of those relationships. Spend your time at a networking event really getting to know the people you're talking to.

2. Think Quality not Quantity

The next time you find yourself at a big business after hours try to get to know a small number of people. The number isn't important, it may be 3, 5 of 10 depending on the length of the event. It might even be 1 or 2. What's important is focusing on a few people as you begin a quality relationship. You'll be remembered for having spent the time to get to know them.

3. Listen!

When you're spending time with people make sure you're listening. Don't let yourself get distracted or watch for the next person you'd like to meet. Pay attention to that 1 person in front of that you're talking with now. What you're listening for is unique information about them. You also want to pay attention for ways that you might be able to help them. This is your key to reconnecting with them again.

Listening also means you should be using your ears more and your mouth less. The best way to do this is by asking questions. By asking questions the times that you are talking will really be about them. Dig deeper into who they are, what drives them, what they're passionate about, what's important to them besides business.

4. Smile

You'll come across as a much nicer and more approachable person if you smile. It's a very simple tip and it works!

5. Don't Judge a Book by its Cover

Do not ever write anybody off! Even if you've spent some time listening to someone, and you don't think they're important to you be polite when you decide to move on. You never know who people really are or who they might become. I've heard too many stories of people who weren't in a position of power and someone was rude to them. Later when those people find themselves at the top they don't forget about those who had written them off. People have very long memories. Treat everyone with respect. Each person you meet is not just a job title. They're all people, and are all important.

6. Follow-up

This is probably the most important step of all. Even if you spent 30 or 40 minutes getting to know someone at a networking event they probably won't remember who you are 3 weeks later. You must follow-up! A phone call, an invitation to coffee or lunch, a handwritten note, even an e-mail. It doesn't really matter how, just that you do. When you do follow-up make it personal and about them. Sending a form letter and your brochure is not going to work. This is why a phone call or a hand written note is probably best. Make it all about them and you'll be remembered.

Following up is not something that you do once. This is something you need to do on a regular basis with every person in your network. Continue to solidify the relationships you've started building.

7. Give, Give, Give

Successful networkers know that giving is more important than receiving. The more people you help, the more you'll get in return. It's also the best excuse to follow-up with someone. If you've listened carefully to what they had to say you should have found a couple of ways that you can help them. It doesn't have to be something grandiose. It can be as simple as sharing a free resource that you've found online, or referring them to someone else in your network that can help them solve a minor problem.

The more you give the more you'll get, and the more you give the better you'll get at it. You'll see opportunities to help people all the time. That's when networking really gets fun!

8. Have Fun!

Don't take networking or yourself too seriously. Enjoy the time you spend getting to know people. You'll find networking to be a lot easier if you're having fun.

9. Do What You Say You're Going to Do!

All the networking in the world won't make a difference if you aren't a man or woman of your word. One of the great benefits of networking is that you'll get the inside scoop on a lot of things. This will be disastrous if you don't have total integrity in all that you do. Fortunately it works the opposite way as well. If you consistently make good on your promises people will remember that, and tell others. Word will spread about what you've done.

10. Commit

The hardest part about networking is being patient. It will work if you commit yourself to doing it consistently over a long period of time. You probably won't get results right away, but when they do start coming look out! As a marketing strategy networking is a long term undertaking. Look around at those that have been doing it for an extended period of time. 9 times out of 10 times they're successful. If you ask them if they'd do it again they'll all tell you yes!

11. Go the Extra Mile

Whenever you can, give people more than they expect. You'll soon be getting all the referrals you need, and great word of mouth will spread far and wide. Happy networking!

Scott Ingram is the founder of networkinaustin.com, a networking resource for networkers in Austin, Texas who use networking as a business development and marketing strategy. He also posts regularly to his blog: networkinaustin.com. When he's not out building relationships at Chambers of Commerce, the Rotary Club, and numerous other business associations and networking groups Scott is busy spending time with his beautiful wife Emily. They are currently expecting their first child, a baby girl.

custom home cleaning Mundelein ...

In The News:

Attaxion researchers found 30 fake Texas campaign merchandise stores traced to just two sellers hawking gear for competing Republicans and Democrats.

GM plans to debut eyes-off driving in the Cadillac Escalade IQ by 2028, but safety testing reveals how long distracted drivers take to regain control.

Data brokers assign labels predicting your health, finances and religion based on browsing and purchases, then sell those profiles to businesses.

Elon Musk says he'll give one SpaceX share to every kid in America in 2027, but key details about eligibility and distribution remain unclear.

ClearSpace UK's robotic spacecraft with giant claws will chase down dead satellites at 17,000 mph, with a 2029 launch from Scotland planned.

A fake Social Security statement phishing email uses the SSA logo and a convincing layout, but the sender's domain instantly exposes the scam.

A clean credit report doesn't mean your identity is safe. Six ways criminals can steal from you without triggering a credit monitoring alert.

Carolyn Marvin, a 78-year-old retired professor, was arrested after blocking an Uber Eats delivery robot on a Philadelphia sidewalk for months.

The Midnight Mimosa malware campaign hides inside cheap Android phone firmware, giving attackers powerful access before owners even turn devices on.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Meta's Muse AI was built to manage tasks, but users are developing romantic AI relationships and even calling the AI companion their girlfriend.

A Minnesota murder suspect's notebook listed 11 people search websites, raising urgent questions about data broker opt-out and online privacy risks.

Google Universal Cart tracks price drops, surfaces promo codes and uses Google Wallet to match your best credit card rewards before checkout.

Safari's Notify Me feature and Google's price-tracking tools can monitor products and send alerts when prices drop on your iPhone or Android.

George Weiner built PACspam.org to trace who sends nonstop political fundraising texts after blocking numbers repeatedly failed to stop the messages.

A dedicated VPN IP address may reduce frustrating CAPTCHAs and bank login security checks by giving websites a consistent connection to recognize.

Apple Wallet in iOS 27 lets you create digital passes from physical cards using a photo or screenshot, but not every card in your wallet qualifies.

Anthropic's Claude AI submitted a fabricated eyewitness tip about an unsolved murder to a Philadelphia police website during automated testing.

P7 DarkSword iPhone spyware can steal saved passwords, photos, Apple Notes and cryptocurrency wallet data by checking for commands every 15 seconds.

Cybersecurity experts told Fox News Digital that a cyberattack on French supermarket freezers should warn the U.S. about critical infrastructure gaps.

The Oracle Health breach exposed medical records, Social Security numbers and diagnoses of nearly 20 million patients across multiple states.

The new Tesla Roadster drove upside down and launched into the air at SpaceX's Texas facility, but a 2028 production target remains unconfirmed.

Apple's iOS 27 lets you add keywords to iPhone photos, while Samsung Gallery tags and Google Photos search offer similar organization tools.

A fake Claude AI download scam uses Google ads, and Bing redirects to trick Mac users into pasting a hidden malicious command in their Terminal.

Ahold Delhaize's cybersecurity incident knocked online ordering and digital coupons offline at Stop & Shop, Food Lion, Hannaford and Giant Food stores.

10 Tips to Successfully Use Business Networking as a Marketing Strategy

Top Quick Tips