Networking is an integral part of your marketing strategy, and face-to-face communication is usually most effective, so getting out in the community and meeting people can be time well spent.
That said, when it comes to business connections, we vote for quality over quantity. And networking isn’t the only way to build great connections.
It’s smart to pick and choose the opportunities that make the most sense for your business because, well, you have a business to run too… right?
We’ve put together a list of six ideas that could help you create business connections in Barrie. Take a look and evaluate what you’re already doing and whether any of these suggestions might help you. Each of these ideas offers more than one benefit to your business.
Work Your Network
Join (some) business organizations and groups
When we started [inn]space, I thought we needed to join every local business organization available. I learned that’s not a great strategy! First, I don’t have time to be actively involved in all the organizations, so it reduces the impact I make. And second, not all organizations or groups were offering the types of connections I wanted.
But business organizations and groups can be a great way to meet new people and find opportunities you may not have otherwise.
We’re a member of the Barrie Chamber of Commerce , and I’m also part of different entrepreneurial networking groups. By limiting my involvement to groups that make sense for me and our business, I’ve found a community of support.
Attend relevant events
Barrie is an entrepreneurial city, and there are often meetups and workshops. These events can help you learn new skills, form partnerships, develop novel ideas for your business or connect with people who will support you.
Remember, meeting people doesn’t happen through osmosis. If your goal is to create connections, you’ll need to strike up a conversation.
Host or sponsor activities
Instead of only attending events, why not host one in your space? Hosting is a great way to get people into your business to see what you do, and it also shows you care about the local community.
Team up with a workshop provider to present the session. Consider picking a topic that may be of interest to your team as well. Be sure to welcome the guests who attend, but don’t go over the top talking about yourself or your business.
Give back to the community
The boards of charitable organizations tend to include local professionals and entrepreneurs. As you support an organization, you’ll get to know the other people involved. Your charitable initiative will build up goodwill for your company. Plus, you’ll shine in the eyes of your employees because more and more people want to work for organizations that give back.
Get your employees involved in selecting which cause to support. Find out about local needs. And look for something that aligns with your corporate values and purpose.
Help local media
Media look for local experts who can provide comments for their stories. For sure there are things you’re an expert on related to your business. For example, during storm season, there could be stories about down trees causing outages. If you have a tree removal service, you could help them with an article about how homeowners can tell if a tree is unhealthy. The story will likely mention your business. And the connection you make with the reporter could make you top-of-mind when they need a tree expert in the future.
Get started by following and interacting with local reporters on social media and reading their stories. Learn their style. Pay attention to broader media too. If there’s a provincial, national or even international story happening that relates to what you do, local media may be looking for a local angle. That’s an ideal time to reach out and offer to help. And if a reporter reaches out to you, respond quickly and try to assist
Hire and buy local
We’ve shared before that we love supporting other local businesses, whether it’s the guests who are part of [inn]space or other companies in the community.
When you hire and buy local, you create goodwill and give others a reason to talk about you. Consider taking a local-first approach to purchasing. You’ll not only get your needs met, but you could form mutually beneficial relationships and generate some word-of-mouth promotion. And make sure to leave a Google review for the businesses you work with. That’s a next-level move that will bolster positivity.
Give before you get
You may have noticed a reoccurring theme with all these ideas — building connections can’t be all about you. When you approach networking to give before you get, people will be more likely to want to interact with you. Me, me, me is a giant turn off.
We’re big on giving back and often have workshops running in our space that provide a chance to meet great people. Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook so you hear about them first.