4 Networking Ideas to Put Your Small Business on the Map

Have you ever stopped patronizing a business after you learned that their interests didn’t align with your moral code? Companies like Uber, Starbucks and Carl’s Jr. have all made headlines because consumers disagreed not with the bottom line, but their political/ideological stances.

If your small business’ message is confusing or misinterpreted in any way, public backlash could tear down the company you worked so hard to build. To run a small business effectively, you need small business insurance. And more importantly, you need to know how to network.

To make an impact in your industry, here are four networking ideas to tackle head on!

Set Up a Networking Goal

Before signing up to attend a conference or trade show, you should know what it is you are wanting to learn about the industry and the groups you are wanting to connect with. The Huffington Post advises knowing five contacts you want to build a relationship with before attending an industry event. The more you know about the other businesses in attendance, the more you’ll be able to showcase your own business’ worth and connect your messaging with their own.

Have an Elevator Pitch

As a fairly green small business owner, you probably won’t know next to anyone at a networking event. To break the ice and introduce yourself and your business successfully, have an elevator pitch ready to go. An elevator pitch should be delivered in less than a minute and cover the following details:

− Who you are

− What your business is

− The services/product you offer

After sharing your elevator pitch, hand the person you’ve met your business card. It should include your name, position, company name and where to reach you. It should also tell the cardholder how to find your company online.

Attend a Small Business Conference

You can’t get any sort of networking accomplished if you don’t sign-up for and attend a conference! Though your business may still be new and small, getting into conferences and hosting workshops will introduce your industry community and get your business’ name out there.

The conferences won’t only help you meet other professionals in the field, small business conferences help you find new clients and learn more about what your competitors are doing to entice customers and maintain their advancement in the field. Your competitor could even potentially become a partner down the line after a chance meeting at a small business conference!

Build a Social Media Presence

If you ask someone a question and they don’t know the answer, what do they say? “Google it.” To learn more about your business and what it offers, consumers will google you to learn more about your business practices, experience and where your company stands on issues important to them. Having an up-to-date website and a Twitter feed that engages with consumers will put your business out there and show the world, well, that you mean business!

Running a small business successfully takes time, hard work and networking. It also takes a quality small business insurance package. Learn more about what you can do for your business with CoverHound today.