With the decision of the UK Goverment to lockdown much of the population effectively stopped face to face networking for the foreseeable future. A new norm has sprung forward to fill the void but is it worth your time and investment?
Why bother with an Online Business Networking Group?
As with its offline counterpart a meaningful network of like-minded business people can play an important role in the future success of any business. Given our current circumstances the neccessity is indeed the mother of invention and groups are springing up all over the place! However in reality in today’s digital climate, there is genuinely no more efficient way to connect with others than through online business networking.
It’s a time-saver!
For Sure, traditional networking is valuable, but it can also be time-consuming. You’ve got to get to the venue, account for traffic and after the meeting, then drive back to your base.
An online networking group means you can attend from wherever you are using virtual meeting tools and business software, so you can make the most of every minute of the day.
How else can you generate referrals, maintain and grow your business?
Every successful business person understands the value of referrals. The ROI (return on investment) from a referral network tops any other form of marketing, including digital, social, and print.
Joining an online business network, provides access to a pool of passionate, talented business people, each running successful businesses. Members have a well-established client base comprised of people who trust their judgement, and will often ask them for advice or introductions to other professional services they need. As a result, once you’ve got to know your fellow members and they’ve got to know more about you and your business services and ethics, the referrals you may receive will be warm leads, not cold.
You can do it at your own pace and frequency
Like most successful business people, no doubt you often have to attend meetings or events and undertake some travel. With traditional networking groups, this means that from time to time you will miss out on attending meetings.
You don’t have to miss out when you join an online business network. You can still attend scheduled meetings, from anywhere in the world – as long as you have an internet connection. And if you do miss a meeting, you can watch the video replay at a time which suits you. This is what 21st Century networking is all about.
If you would like to try online networking please do give me a message and I’ll be happy to get you involved!