networking

SME Networking: Top Tips to Get You Started

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Networking can sometimes seem like a daunting task, but it really is crucial to your business’s success. Whether you are just starting out or have been in business for years, building a strong network can help you gain new business, find support, and build valuable relationships. In this blog, we’ll cover the do’s and don’ts of networking, as well as some top tips and benefits to help you make the most of it!

Do’s and Don’ts:

When it comes to networking, there are some important do’s and don’ts to keep in mind. Firstly, do attend events and meetups that are relevant to your business or industry to make valuable connections. Secondly, do have a clear idea of what you want to achieve from attending the event. Thirdly, do bring plenty of business cards to hand out. On the flip side, don’t just sell yourself and your business, instead listen to what other people have to say and try to build relationships. Don’t ask for too much too soon, instead build up a relationship before asking someone for a favour. Finally, don’t forget to follow up after the event with an email or message.

Networking Tips:

To make the most of your networking events, there are a few tricks that can help. Firstly, be curious and ask questions to show interest in the other person. Secondly, make eye contact and smile to present yourself as friendly and approachable. Thirdly, avoid being pushy or aggressive in your approach and instead build relationships organically. Finally, use social media to stay in touch with your new connections after the event by adding them on LinkedIn.

Benefits of Networking:

Networking offers many benefits for SME owners. Firstly, it can lead to new business opportunities and referrals. By building relationships, you can get your name out there and attract new business. Secondly, it provides support and advice from like-minded individuals. SME owners often face similar challenges, so networking can provide a valuable support system. Thirdly, it can help you stay up to date with industry trends and news. By attending events and talking to others in your industry, you can keep informed.

In conclusion, networking is a vital part of being a SME owner. By following the do’s and don’ts, using our networking tips, and understanding the benefits of networking, you can build valuable relationships and grow your business. So, get out there and start networking today!

If you’d like to learn more about our networking tips or require any other business support, get in touch. We would love to answer any of your questions and discuss your needs!

E: makeithappen@mbsmih.com T: 01903 688789

5 New Year’s Resolutions For Your Business

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With another busy year over, it’s the perfect time to look back, reflect, and plan for the future. And what better way to do this than by setting your business a New Year’s resolution? As the world continues to evolve, we too must adapt and strive for bigger and better things, and so here are some of our favourite resolutions, perfect for every business looking to improve in the New Year.

Learn new skills

Whether it’s reading a new book or partaking in training, when we learn new skills, we improve our dexterity and begin to access new opportunities. Diversifying your knowledge pool provides vital exercise to the brain, improving both problem solving and critical thinking. Ultimately, it’s about the ability to adapt and face new challenges, and the more time you put into self-development – the better equipped you will be when reaching for your business goals.

Strive for sustainability

A sustainable business operates while looking out for the best interests of the environment, and considers the impact it holds on society. Morally speaking, striving for sustainability should be on every business’ agenda, but there are other benefits too, including: a better brand image, decreased waste production, competitive advantages, and reduced costs.

Give thanks to your team

There are many things to be thankful for, but often we forget about the people around us. A business couldn’t function without its workforce, and so taking a step back and appreciating your team is a must! Take time to express gratitude and let your co-workers know their hard work doesn’t go unnoticed. It will not only brighten their day, but also help to strengthen the bond with your team.

Improve your online visibility

It’s clear to see that online presence and visibility are a must for any business, and so striving to improve upon it is a resolution worth making. It goes a long way in helping users discover your business, while boosting brand reputation and strengthening the voice of your company. Whether it is by improving your website, writing blogs, curating more social media content, or acquiring more testimonials, there are many options to choose from.

Make the most of Networking

It’s not what you know but who you know, and so expanding upon the business circles you run in, is a resolution which can help your business in more ways than you can imagine. It will help to strengthen both your connections and reach within your industry, while providing ample opportunities for lasting friendships to form. Networking benefits from improved visibility, a stronger support group, as well as business growth, while tethering your company to the heart of your local community.

Every New Year’s resolution is worth making, even if it feels small. Often, we forget about things which are seemingly obvious, but once we incorporate them into our daily lives they really do make a difference. Start small but be consistent! We hope you have enjoyed this blog. If you’d like to find out more or require any other business support – we’d love to help! Get in touch:

T: 01903 688789 E: makeithappen@mbsmih.com

12 Days Of Tipmas Day 4: Build A Trusted Network

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The phrase “It’s not what you know, but who you know” is used within many industries and while you may think it’s just a saying, it truly holds up its value when it comes to starting and growing a business. Of course, knowledge and skills are still important, but often the key to successfully running a business is a trusted network. Your connections play an integral part in expanding your brands reach, as well as increasing your visibility- both ultimately resulting in higher sales and a positive cash flow turnout.

So where do you start? It may be the case that your network is very small or you may even be starting from scratch, but not to worry, there are several things which you can do to build up a trusted network, most of which come with zero additional costs. First, remember that the heart of networking lies online. If you haven’t already, set up appropriate social media accounts and begin connecting with old, new, and prospect clients as well as other businesses and owners. Regardless of which industry you’re in- it’s near impossible for a business to thrive in 2022 without the additional visibility from social media. Here is a list of things you can do improve your network:

  • Be social, attend or hold business events
  • Sign up to relevant social media platforms
  • Join social media communities, groups, and lists
  • Take part in local business awards
  • Encourage word of mouth and ask for referrals
  • Deliver fresh and trending content- generating more interest
  • Use your existing testimonials and encourage reviews
  • Team up with other businesses, publish and partake in guest blogs

If you’d like to find out more about the importance of business networking, we would love to help and hear your thoughts. For blog questions, business advice and all other queries, get in touch!

E: makeithappen@mbsmih.com T: 01903 688789.

Getting The Most Out Of Online Networking

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From webinars to virtual business shows, Twitter hours to web hosted speed networking, making new contacts and schmoozing online has been around for a while. But it seems now, more than ever, we are relying on it as part of our new daily norm, and to be honest, it’s not that easy!

OK, so showing up, saying hello and listening to what everyone else has to say isn’t that hard … but really making the most of it and getting as much from online networking as you would from meeting someone face to face is definitely a bit trickier.

As experienced remote workers, we’ve been attending these types of events for years. Let us share with you our top tips for making the most of them:

First off, you need to find the right event/s to attend. The same as you would for an ‘in person event’, consider what you can give and what you will get out of it. Is the audience right for you? Who do you want to work with, support or develop new relationships with? Whether you’re at home; a local sports hall; or a conference centre, your time is just as valuable – show up to the right event for YOU.

Once you’ve discovered your ideal Twitter hour or online lunch networking group, find out as much as you can before you attend. What subjects do they discuss? What’s the format of the event? Before you join, use the information you find out to think about some questions and useful content you can share. That way, not only will you add real value, you will also save time allowing you to focus on speaking with and learning more about the other members.

Prep’ done! Let’s talk about ‘being in the room’. 

The best piece of advice we can give you for online networking is to constantly visualise ‘being in the room’. With the safety and comfort of being behind your laptop screen, it can be easy to shrink into the background and just watch the events unfold in front of you. It can be daunting wondering what to say, how to say it and even when. Imagining you’re in the room with everyone, sipping a drink, wandering round and poking your face in to say hello and introduce yourself, suddenly makes it much easier. If you were there, chatting away, what would you say? You would ask them about their business wouldn’t you! You’d find out more, ask probing questions, and conversations would flow onto various subjects – business and personal. From there, you can network as you usually would. Show an interest, see if you can help each other, find out as much as you can for a short period, then move on to find out more about the next person. Networking!

Beware the danger trap – Don’t just shout and run!

It’s easy to mistake shouting and leaving as ‘getting involved’. For example, you’re attending a virtual business show and have done all your prep’. You’ve spent ages working out what you want to say and have created a few posts ready. It’s very likely that all those posts talk about you, your business, what you have to offer, why I should use you etc. and so on… That’s great, and of course will be needed, but it’s extremely important to think about timing and engagement. If you were ‘in the room’ and someone came to your stand, would you turn to them, quickly highlight your services and then just as quickly turn away again saying nothing more? Of course not! You would say ‘hi’, introduce yourself, ask them about themselves and what they do. Apply the same logic here. Don’t go ‘into the room’ shout your name and leave again. It will have the same effect as if you had walked into a face to face meeting. You might cause a stir initially, but no one will pay much notice after that. 

Your personal brand, business brand and how you come across are also important to consider. Again, continue to use the ‘being in the room’ trick. Just because you’re online, doesn’t mean you should start acting like you’re on Facebook or a family WhatsApp group! Remember that you’re still representing your company, and you want to make the best impression possible (much harder without the luxury of body language I know). Try to strike a nice balance between professional and friendly. Nothing stand-offish, and definitely not too familiar – even if you know someone very well, others won’t know that and a few eyebrows might be raised! At all times, imagine you’re standing in front of the person you’re talking to and respond as you would normally. Be open, helpful and genuine. Try to help as many people as possible, showing your worth and adding real value to the event.

Finally, once the speed networking, webinar (or whatever it is!) has ended, remember to progress any key contacts or developing relationships outside of the event. Follow up in the same way as you would if you had met them in person and taken their business card. Remember – all the best business is done once the event has finished.

We hope you’re found this blog useful. We run our own weekly networking hour over on Twitter between 8-9pm on a Wednesday evening. Please come along @SMESupportHour #SMESupportHour.

If you have any questions about online networking or would like to chat, please get in touch anytime! We look forward to hearing from you: makeithappen@mbsmih.com  |  01903 688789

How Can I Market My Small Business?

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Create Meaningful and Engaging Content

The foundation for everything is creating your own meaningful and engaging content that you’ll be able to share in multiple ways and places. Answer a question, talk about the latest trends, make a podcast, create a regular feature… the list goes on. Create content that speaks to your ideal customer. Content they can connect and engage with.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is a must for any business. It is an important tool that you can use to build and maintain relationships with clients, prospects and leads. You can use Email Marketing to showcase your products, services, promotions and valuable content directly into inboxes through regular e-newsletters.

Social Media Marketing

If your business isn’t active on Social Media, you are seriously missing out. Having a presence on social media is vital for your brand awareness and is a great way to engage with potential clients. We recommend starting off with the big 3 – Twitter, Facebook & LinkedIn, as these are the accounts your ideal customers / clients are likely to be present on. Ensure that when you have created your social channels, you are posting content and interacting on a regular basis. Talk about what you offer, how you can and share useful content with your audience too (blogs, tips, advice, opinions, etc.). This sort of content will encourage your audience to engage with you.

Blog

Running a business blog and updating it regularly is an amazing way to share your advice and knowledge with your audience. What’s even better is that posting blogs to your website will help your SEO. This means your website will be more highly recognised in search results.

Networking & Building Relationships

“Your network is the people who want to help you, and you want to help them, and that’s really powerful” – Reid Hoffman

Starting out as a new small business can be very lonely. Attending networking events will not only make you feel reassured by others in the same boat as you, but also help you to build relationships, find clients and gain referrals. It’s all about who you know – making connections is a great way to gain awareness of your business and what it can offer for others.

Starting out with marketing your business can be an overwhelming thought. Where do I start? How do I know if I’m doing it right? We know exactly how you feel – we’ve been there ourselves.

We are truly passionate about supporting the growth of small businesses (we do after all make up approximately 95% of the WORLDS businesses!) So if you’d like some support with starting out with your marketing, get in touch, we’d be happy to talk through the options with you. makeithappen@mbsmih.com | 01903 688789.