Business networking in Derby : Weekly Tips and insights

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Article by: Jason Smith

Jason Smith, Executive Director for BNI, the Worlds Largest and Most Successful Referral Organisation,  co-writer of this article, has helped more than 1000 local businesses over the last 8 years to increase their business through word of mouth marketing.  He is happy to discuss how he can help your business increase its Turnover through Word of Mouth Marketing.

 

 Called the "father of modern networking" by CNN, Dr. Ivan Misner is a New York Times bestselling author.  He is the Founder and Chairman of BNI, the world's largest business networking organization.  His newest book, Networking Like a Pro, can be viewed at www.IvanMisner.com.

3 Big Lies about Networking In Derbyshire – Part 2

Whether you are a successful business or about to start on the road to setting up your own business, the prospect of networking can be a little daunting. Think about the most successful business people in Derbyshire that you know.

 

What's one thing they have in common? Probably this: They've built a network of contacts that provides support, information and business referrals. They have mastered the art and science of networking, and business flows to them almost as a matter of course.

 

It took those successful networkers’ years of hard work to build their networks. But many people don’t understand networking basics.Misconceptions about networking in Derbyshire for new and existing business people are widespread, even among business professionals.

 

Before you can commit yourself to the task of building a healthy network, you probably need to overcome at least one of these three major networking misconceptions.

2. "Person-to-person referral business is old-fashioned."

Yes, networking has been around a long time. It used to be the way that most businesses operated. In a small community like some of the villages and towns in Derbyshire, everybody knows everybody, people do business with the people they trust, and they recommend these businesses to their friends.

 

Today, most people do business on a larger scale, over a broader customer base and geographic area. The personal connections of the old-style community, and the trust that went with them, is mostly gone. That's why a system for generating referrals among a group of professionals who trust one another is so important, and it's why referral networking is not only the way of the past but the wave of the future.

 It's a cost-effective strategy with a long-term payoff. It's where business marketing is going, and it's where you need to go if you're going to stay in the game. As the great Wayne Gretzky's father said, "skate to where the puck is going, not to where it has been."