Business networking is an important part to many business development strategies. It’s likely you’ll come across a variety of networking opportunities and you may be questioning just how beneficial they actually are. If you’re considering going to a networking group, but you’ve got a few doubts, then we’re here to reassure you of the benefits that networking offers your business.

Building Connections

The most common reason why small business owners attend networking groups is to build connections; a network of trusted colleagues who understand your business and who can support the growth of your business.

Trust takes time so it’s important to remember that networking is not a quick fix answer to sales. Take the time to talk to every member in the group and be sure to be genuinely interested in the person you’re talking to. Try to find out about their background or what they enjoy most about what they do. People appreciate genuine interest and you’re more likely to build good connections with people when you show you care about what’s important to them. We’d advise to never walk in to a conversation, or a networking group, with a sales pitch. There will usually be an allocated opportunity to ask the group for specific referrals. Always approach networking with the mind set of what you can do for someone else. People appreciate generosity and will be more willing to offer help if you have shown that you are happy to give, as well as receive.

Reputation Management

People don’t buy into businesses; people buy into people. Names of businesses are easily forgotten when there is not a memorable face and personality behind the name. This is why networking is important. Someone you meet when you’re networking might have heard the name of your business, without buying into the concept or the service that you’re selling because they’ve not seen the passion behind the business.

Networking is your chance to build brand awareness by presenting yourself as an approachable expert in your field. Even if the people you network with don’t require your services, they may know someone who will be able to make a recommendation, based on the impression you gave. At BGG, we give our members the chance to show off their talents in elevator pitches to the group about their business. This gives everyone the chance to communicate the ‘why’ of their business, rather than just the ‘what’.

Peer Support

At BGG, we all understand that running a business and being self-employed can be difficult and it’s often difficult to know where to find the right information when you need advice. Seeking advice from someone who has years of business experience and who may have already encountered the challenges that you are facing is a huge benefit to networking.

A networking group provides you with the opportunity to seek advice from like-minded professionals as and when you need it. As well as our Friday morning meetings, we also encourage regular 1:1 meetings between members. These are often the best way to get to know your fellow members in more detail.

Our members come from all sorts of business backgrounds and have a wealth of advice and experience with common business challenges, they’re a great place to seek support from. If you attend our group and speak to someone who you think might be able to help you with a problem you’re dealing with, then don’t hesitate to book in a 1:1 session with them.

Personal Development

As business owners, the impact that personal development can have on yourself, your business, and your staff is invaluable.

If you’re someone who can think of nothing worse than walking into a room full of strangers and having to introduce yourself, then don’t worry, we’re a friendly bunch and we even have a welcome committee who will introduce you to everyone at your first meeting.

We understand that trying something new can be daunting, especially if you’re an introvert, but our aim is to facilitate growth for business owners, so we provide a welcoming and friendly environment. We’re a mixed group of introverts and extroverts and we all support each other!

“All great things happen outside the comfort zone” is a great quote we like to remind ourselves of. You’ll be surprised and encouraged by the opportunities that come your way when you challenge yourself and step out of your comfort zone.

We also facilitate CPD (Continued Professional Development) workshops for all members of the group, as part of membership benefits. These usually happen quarterly and previous workshops have included public speaking, social media, finance and first aid.

Business Growth

The overall aim for most businesses when networking is to see an increase to your bottom line – i.e sales! Business Growth Group is a referral based network in Wiltshire that meets every week. In the last 12 months (as of June 2019) we have passed business between the group to the value of £1,221,427.92, meaning a seat at the table is worth £38,169 per year.

We’ll leave you to think that one over…

We love welcoming new members to BGG so if you are interested in finding out more or visiting us for breakfast one week, then you can talk to us on Twitter or contact us via the form on our website. We are currently looking for new members to join our group form a variety of industries, including business consultancy/coaching, bookkeeping