by Zodidi Gaseb

How important is networking to small businesses? Ask a small service business where they get most of their customers, and they are likely to indicate some form of word-of-mouth marketing.

Clearly, if you aren’t taking the time to meet and interact with others in your field, you’re likely missing out on valuable opportunities to find new partnerships, generate referrals, and even land clients and positions.

I’m not a public speaker, but I’ve had many opportunities to raise my profile and speak about my business on international platforms worldwide. How does a non-public speaker like me manage to gain access to such opportunities? Well, it’s not really a secret, but there is a method to this, and I will share it with you.

I use networking to market myself and my businesses. I make sure that I only attend events/meetings that align to my brand or strategic goals. I also conduct research on the topic if it’s out of my field and I gauge how impactful it will be for me.

That’s the easy part. The challenging part is the actual conversation that will hopefully end in a collaborations, opportunity, or investment. Here a few of my personal tried and tested methods that I use.

Get people to talk about themselves first, so you know how to frame what you say about your business to suit them. I usually start with a genuine compliment as an ice breaker or small talk about how amazing the previous speaker was for example.
Don't just tell people what you do, there may be hundreds of people doing exactly the same thing. Tell people why they should be interested in what you have to offer. Think about this in an innovative way. Don't use phrases like “the best/quickest/fastest/most efficient/most creative” - you might as well say nothing. On the other hand, if you say something like “we enabled our customers to improve customer satisfaction ratings by 55 per cent” - that’s worth listening to.
Have a website or social media page that is well curated for a quick look through as you chat.
If you're “speed networking”, take a bottle of water and a mint… trust me on this one!
Don't give up because you didn't win business the first time you went. Networking is about building long-term relationships - it's not a quick fix. Greet the people you met at a previous event first and ask how their endeavours are going. Personal connection makes people remember you.
Always have business cards, and lots of them - you'd be amazed how many people turn up without them. If I have for some reason forgotten my card, I make sure I have one I can send immediately via email or WhatsApp. That way, you’re not just one of the many cards collected that day, but a conversation starter.
Be memorable for the right reasons. Ease up on the drinks, you know your limits.
Listen to others and show you're listening. If you play with your phone while they're speaking, they'll be less inclined to listen to you.
Follow up with personalized emails where appropriate - but don't spam.
Don’t switch off because you can't sell to the person you are talking to - they'll have a network of contacts and clients who may be useful.
Use case studies and refer to real customers. Give context to your work. It makes it much more memorable.
Try not to read off a sheet. Have confidence in your business - no one knows it better than you.
Don't sit on a table where you know everyone, go where you know no one, you have more to gain.
The most important thing to remember if you're nervous about speaking is that everyone sitting around the table wants you to do well and are just pleased that you're talking at that moment instead of them.

Zodidi Jewel Gaseb is a passionate and dedicated mother, entrepreneur, multipotentialite and creative. Her vast knowledge of the creative sector feeds into her love of entrepreneurship. Venturing into the natural cosmetics sector, events management, marketing, arts and encouraging other entrepreneurs to work towards a sustainable business growth with events such as the Natural Hair and Beauty expo, the Afro Future Festival amongst others.
She's also a motivational speaker on self-love, culture, identity and diversity as well and is a knowledgeable marketing/events strategist who seeks to provide various stakeholders with experiences that impact society.
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