Reflections from Kat Lynn owner of Sonny & Kat Photography and Foodie Shots
Networking is the long game.
I had always planned to go full time in small business. So even before I left the corporate world, I started to heavily network in my local area. Why?
Because I knew to build a small business I couldn’t do it on my own. it was necessary to have many people around you and it was something that was going to take some time to build. It takes time to find the right people that you connect with who share your values, who you can trust and will support you along the way. By networking, you can build your inner circle of people who will celebrate with you, but will also tell you how it is. That is valuable in small business. There is no point having a whole lot of people saying yes, that’s nice. Yes, you’re great. Yes, yes, yes. You actually need people to tell you when you’ve stuffed up or suggest other ways of doing things. Having a trusted varied sounding board is a very valuable asset.
The value of networking
Networking in business is key to growth. It enables you to expand your reach. It enables you to see other possibilities and opportunities that you may not have even thought of if you had stayed within your insular self. Different point of views can trigger other concepts or ideas which inspire bigger ideas and potentially change the path of where you were originally heading.
Key points to networking
1. Listening more talk less
Attending networking is a great way to build on your soft skills. The skill of listening in business. There needs to be more listening than talking. And why do I say this? We need to listen to what others think about your business. We need to listen to what other people say about your business. We need to listen to what other people perceive is who you are. When we listen, without judgement, without becoming defensive, without trying to think up what the next question is, or the next smart liner is – if we just truly listen we learned so much.
2. Be curious
Keeping a curious mind when networking enables you to really connect with the person that you are networking with. People like to feel as though they’re being heard. And when you are listening to someone else, they feel valued. And therefore they are likely to receive your feedback or your ideas with a more open mind.
3. Determine your audience
When networking in the beginning, I went everywhere. I didn’t know where my crowd was. I didn’t know who I should be talking with. And quite frankly, I was not used to putting myself out there. For some it takes a lot of courage to put yourself out there in front of others. It is okay to show a level of vulnerability and openness about being new to business. Those that are willing to share their knowledge will openly provide you gifts of wisdom. What you choose to do with those words of wisdom is your call. Once you have been to a wide range of events…it is time to narrow down your focus otherwise all you will be doing is networking and not working. Your time is valuable so ensure you treat it with respect.
4. Give thanks
If you genuinely connect with another business at an event and they have helped in some way send them an online thank you for their time. Show that you are appreciative of their knowledge and invite them to connect more in the future. Courtesy and manners go along way.
Who’s who in the zoo
What I really enjoyed about the beginning of my networking was the of stories I heard about people and why they started their business and what drives them. It’s these stories I personally remember. When I hear about someone asking for a particular service or product, I can pull out of my memory banks some of those stories and connect those people with that business. That is what networking is about. It is being able to build your number of contacts so that you can help other businesses and hopefully in return, it will come back tenfold. When you support others, there is a higher chance of them wanting to support you. So I would give your time to hear other people’s stories. I would share any knowledge or lessons that you have learnt. Be open to learning and ask lots of questions. With open ended statements and without judgement.
Is it your turn to be the leader in business?
If you have been in business for a while and well established, now is your turn to network and connect with potentially new businesses who are up and coming. Now is your turn to share the knowledge you have gained over the years and become a leader in your industry.
So I would get out there and network especially with the Highfields Chamber of Commerce. Being a member of this fantastic business group, has provided myself personally the ability to grow my confidence and my expertise in the local region. Additionally, I have met many new friends that I would not have you ever met if I had not have begun my networking journey.
Good luck and I hope to see you at our next monthly networking event.
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