Getting up in front of a group of people and speaking is a great way to promote yourself and your business. It can be extremely nerve racking for those who don’t have any experience, especially if it is a large room filled with people wanting to hear you speak. However, a good way for you to gain some experience is by looking into local networking groups. Meet new people, in the same position or role as you, who will have come together to share their experiences and knowledge. If you start speaking in these groups, you will be able to build up your confidence.
It is important to remember that when going to networking groups, you need to be in it for the long haul. Work on building relationships with others. Do not go in expecting to find business and make a sale immediately. The people that say that networking doesn’t work do not put in the time and effort to build these strong relationships with others and therefore lose out on great possible referrals, promoters, and supporters of your brand.
You never will know where your next piece of business will come from. Networking and building strong relationships will increase your chances of word of mouth. If you make a good impression and are memorable, people will start recommending you to their friends, colleagues, partners, anyone they know who has a problem that your company can fix.
Word of mouth has always been a strong marketing tool and is still the best PR, and networking is a great way of beginning to spread the word about you and your business.
