I recently responded to a short in-house survey by the Gotham City Networking Group, asking me to identify benefits of belonging to the group. I belong to Gotham and BNI. These comments befit both groups, which meet on a regular basis with the same people. It is like having 25 other people who are sales representatives for me.
1. More business. The main purpose of networking is more business. My networking group provides me with qualified clients and more business.
2. Practice communicating what I do. I am responsible for what other people understand about my services. By standing-up in front of peers every week, and stating what I do succinctly and effectively I have honed my message about the value to I provide.
3. Ability/place to give. An underlying principle of successful networking is givers gain. What goes around comes around. The networking group is a place where I can give unselfishly. I have to sincerely want to give without expecting something back. This, then, requires that I be in this for the long term. It is important to recognize that it is transparent when I am not. And the added benefit is being in a circle that would want to give back to me – no matter how small or large.
4. Meet people who are resources for me and for my clients. My networking groups contain just about every know professional service in my community. If you need something I probably know a person or someone I know can recommend a person to fulfill your need.
5. Expand awareness/knowledge of business activity and types of business. Getting to now all the different professions in my networking group has expanded vastly my understanding of business and business people. The more I know about other products and services the more value I bring to my clients.
6. Practice/improve interpersonal skills. Network is about relationships, which require interpersonal skills. Networking provides the opportunity to practice and improve important interpersonal skills and relationships.
