Why is Networking So Important?

Networking today is vital for business and social health and well-being. When you are in a network it simply means you are in a group of like-minded people, interest group or that you share some other common denominator.

Computer Networking: This is where all the wires, leads, cables and couplings come together in one place. If these cables or wireless points didn't join up, they wouldn't be networked. Anyone today who has a wireless internet connection and more than one computer at home or in the office, all going through the one router, is networked. The joining point in this instance is the router that is the joining point of the network. This is called a LAN or Local Area Network.

This LAN is now routed through the router to your ISP or Internet Service Provider. This now forms a WAN or Wider Are Network. If you can visualise a group of small spider webs all joining at one point and going outwards to form other small webs, you will be able to understand why the Internet is called the World Wide Web.

Why is Networking So Important?

Social Networking: Years ago it used to mean (and in similar fashion still does) your group of peers that you socialise with. That is, your drinking buddies, your girlfriends, your mates, your friends. Now if you belong to a chess club or a sporting club, they are your physical social network that you as an individual depend on. When we use the term "to depend on", we mean that it is from this group of people that you get your persona from and your sense of self. Your mental health will be affected if you have a falling out or disagreement with this group of people. Your emotional health will suffer. Everyone needs friends and these are found in your social network group of friends.

This concept has now been extended to include a social network of friends and like-minded people on the internet. It has seen the massive growth of social bookmarking sites, and micro blogging sites, so that everyone can "chatter" to their group of friends in a series of short messages. The longest these micro blogs can be is up to 140 characters long. Some micro bloggers just say to their friends what they are doing now. Some people micro blog what they are going to have for dinner, while others use the blogosphere for less mundane notices.

Politicians even micro-blog to their members what is happening when they are electing a new leader for their political party! I have seen Tweets to their followers from Parliamentarians sitting in Parliament and supposedly making important decisions that will govern our lives. Personally, this disgusts me as I consider it a self-serving, irresponsible approach to setting new rules for me to live by. Worse still, is when these people pass laws that will cost me and you (the tax payer) millions or billions of dollars.

This kind of social networking is an unforeseen outcome to the ease in which everyone can micro blog today so there will no doubt be some lines drawn in the sand soon enough. I hope, anyway.

Business Networking: This is still based on what it originally was and still is, today. This is where business people come together to explore areas of common interests and to see where their common interests lie. This is why Associations like Unions, Master Builders, Master Plumbers, Small Business Associations etc form a specific group in which they invite like-minded, similar or complimentary businesses to join; because they all share some common area of interest that they can benefit from.

It is important for all businesses, both on the Internet and those that have a physical street address, to join a business network group in their community where they can socialise with like minded people, and get more business from those that they in turn can pass business on to. This is the basis of a good network.

Why is Networking So Important?
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What is Networking and Why is it Important in Business?

When I began my networking journey, I attended any and all networking events as time permitted. Every event was fair game! Today I am much more strategic in my networking endeavors. I discovered which events and organizations gave me the best return on my investment of time as well as how to be an effective, caring networker.

In order to know where to begin you must first understand what networking is and why it is important to grow your business. Networking in its purest form is simply talking to people, making connections and developing rapport to grow our circle of influence. Business networking is essentially the same except that our primary objective in business networking is to help us grow our businesses. For most of us, building a network means meeting people we can do business with or who will do business with us, or refer people who will do business with us, are our ultimate goals.

In fact, some of the best networks are those created by people who own and run their own businesses. When you create valuable networking relationships, you build them on a foundation of mutual trust, sharing knowledge, experiences and resources to help one another grow your businesses by either referring one another or doing business directly with one another.

What is Networking and Why is it Important in Business?

It works like this: If you do a good job, one customer might tell three to five of her colleagues, family and friends about you. Whereas, when you build a network of say 10 to 20 strong advocates, they may each tell only one person about your, however your "exposure" is now more than doubled - With the right network, the ultimate in "word of mouth" marketing takes place. You promote your network, and your network promotes you.

Have you ever attended a BNI or Le Tip or other form of structured networking groups? Perhaps you are already a member of a similar group. If not, you might consider becoming involved in one to the fastest growing business networking concepts around. These groups invite business professionals to join on an exclusive basis. That means, that if you are a chiropractor and become a member of one of these groups, no other chiropractor will be invited or allowed to join.

These groups have regularly scheduled meetings (anywhere from monthly to weekly) with a list of rules and objectives to which you must abide. In some cases, a minimum number of referrals is required to participate. In others, simply doing business with one or more in the network is all that is asked of he members. However, keep in mind that for this type of networking to be worthwhile for all parties, each must make every effort to do business with other members of the group.

If this form of structured networking isn't for you, there are other options for finding potential networking venues and partners. Here are some ideas to help you on your way to networking success.

a. Develop a joiners mentality. By that I mean, don't just sign up to get our name on a roster. REALLY JOIN. Get involved. Participate in discussions, events and BE VISIBLE. The saying "out of sight, is out of mind," holds true when it comes to networking. I have been involved in groups and decided to take a hiatus from attending for 2 to 3 months (and sometimes more) only to have people come up to me and tell me they forgot the name of my business so they had to find someone else either through a friend or through the local phone book. BUMMER!

b. Attend networking functions. These can include Chambers of Commerce meetings, after hours socials, ad hoc committees and special events task forces.

c. Get involved in a community service group such as Kiwanis, Lions, Jaycees, etc.

d. Volunteer with a non-profit organization, whose mission you are passionate about and believe in. People who have similar passions will want to do business with you.

e. Host events - I started an event called Goddess Gatherings more than 2 years ago in my home. It is an intimate gathering of women (8 max.) who share a common interest and/or wish to expand their own circles. I invite women who do not yet know one another although they may be familiar with their names. These women are women in my circle of influence either directly or indirectly (they are either members of the 22 groups I belong to and attend regularly or they are part of a circle within these groups). I might invite a "surprise" guest who can entertain the women - such as a masseuse or tarot card reader- or feature a business such as a jeweler or make-up artist. This helps make for a memorable evening and the women either start their own Gathering or look forward to being invited to another gathering hosted by either myself of one of the women in attendance.

f. Look for ways to cross-promote with businesses that complement yours. For instance, a spa might join with a health food store or restaurant and promote their products and services for staying healthy. A salon might join a florist to promote weddings or proms and a realtor might join with a mortgage broker to promote a "one-stop" experience for home buyers.

g. Interview others. A great way for me to network is to interview women for projects I am working on. Since most people are flattered when you ask their opinion about something or experiences in life, this has been a great means of increasing my own circle for various reasons. I might interview a woman (or even a man) about an article or book I am writing, or a seminar I am developing. People love to share their stories. I tape the interview (with their permission, of course) and give them a copy afterwards. It helps to have a list of questions ready prior to the interview, however, unless they insist, I don't give them the questions ahead of time. I have done these interviews via phone, email as well as in person. Many of the women have since.

h. Join an online business or social networking community such as MeetUp, Ryze, Max-in-Common, Linkd In, Open BC, to name a few,. These groups have subgroups made up of people with a specific focus and similar interests. Or you can join a non-specific group to gain more knowledge, exposure and contacts.

Make a point of attending one new networking event a month just to "check it out." Make a list of the people you know, the organizations you have heard and read about and the companies who currently do business with you. These are all great resources to tap into to find new venues to network. Get the local newspaper and look at the organizations and businesses hosting events to which the public is invited. Attend them.

The best networking begins with planning and taking action. Being strategic in your planning is important to your ultimate success as an effective, caring networker.

If you are interested in sharing your networking success stories, drop me a note to heidi@speakingwithspirit.com. It would be an honor to interview you. Who knows, your story could be the subject of one of my articles, or you could even write your own.. Looking forward to hearing from you. Here's to your success in building your network.

What is Networking and Why is it Important in Business?
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©Heidi Richards is the author of The PMS Principles, Powerful Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business and 7 other books. She is also the Founder & CEO of the Women's ECommerce Association, International http://www.WECAI.org (pronounced wee-kÄ«) - an Internet organization that "Helps Women Do Business on the WEB." Basic Membership is FREE. Ms. Richards can be reached at Heidi@speakingwithspirit.com or heidi@wecai.org.

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