Networking, partly fuelled by the boom in social media, is presently a word on the lips of many in business but so many approach the activity with a perception that networking is all about near-instant sales lead generation; it’s not, it never has been and here’s why, writes Steve Whiting.
I spent eight years commuting by train from Luton Airport Parkway into London and the worst thing about that routine was that Brits on trains don’t talk which really niggled me.
The apogee of that niggle came when I visited a prospective client to sign-off on the biggest deal our business had made in EU since formation only to find that the financial director who would be signing on the dotted line was a chap from Harlington I’d spent years sitting opposite on the morning commute. Aargh!
When I started my own business I was determined to build a supportive network of local businesses and, thus, Network Luton was born.
Unlike other business networking opportunities, which sell themselves on the business leads that subscribing will generate, Network Luton’s focus is on building relationships between cross-sector as well as same-sector businesses.
We recognise that a successful network needs to deliver value a SPARK: Support, Promotion, Alliances, Referrals and Knowledge.
A network that provides an opportunity for businesses to meet and develop relationships in an open and non-restrictive manner is hardly a new concept but today’s business climate is making customers demand more value from suppliers than price alone.
Broadening the business offering through strategic partnerships is one way to achieve this.
I’m tired of seeing business people being continually pelted with claims from social media gurus that online social networking is vital for survival
Networking, whether online of offline, whether it’s a Rotary Club or a Golf Club, is not new and neither are the ways to judge how worthwhile business network is; go look for one that delivers against those 5 SPARK pillars.
The next time you go networking try pressing the ‘receive’ button and not the ‘transmit’ button in order to find business partners that add value to yours.