Common Networking Mistakes You Must Avoid

The world of business is a vast one, but it can also be intimate in its scope. Meeting suppliers, investors and potential partners is a social world you must navigate in itself, as the unfortunate fact is that no one will be willing to give your business a look in (in its developmental stages,) if you’re not an affable personality. People want to size up the person behind the enterprise, to help them identify whether your business is one they would like to be affiliated with. For this reason, simply attending networking events isn’t enough. You must attend them effectively.
Many people consider this to be a given. They read motivational and entrepreneurial guides online, and with their best inspirational Schwarzenegger quote in mind will enter an event hall only to be overwhelmed with the amount of competence and surgical observation they are met with. Coming under scrutiny to such a degree can be debilitating, but so can coming on so strong that you alienate people. Not every business event is the same, and each one (depending on the targeted invitee list,) will serve different purposes. However, there are some common social mistakes you can make when trying to promote your business, especially in the humble days of your firm.
We’d like to explore those with you, and provide you tips on avoiding the worst of them from the outset:
Ill-Equipped Personal Events
Many businesses use the advantage of their own conference to unveil products to the press or to grow an audience from the offset. This can serve as a fantastic way to debut your business onto the scene and present yourself in the light you’d most like it to be viewed in. However, be aware that the scrutiny your business falls under will be harsh if your event seems unprofessional or not worth following in any capacity.
For example, limited event security, shoddy lighting, and unclean facilities can make your firm look like a small child trying to play at the big boy's table. Classy and sharp doesn’t necessarily mean expensive, so use your tasteful eye in these instances.
Furthermore, many businesses are stopping themselves from presenting in one location, as that can only has the chance of appealing to an audience in select and limited location. Mobile exhibition units are gaining significant popularity in recent years, as they offer you a portable and practical solution to presenting your operation all over the nation, and potentially across the globe.
Be sure you hire a reliable and complete service in these circumstances though, as portability doesn’t usually mean lightweight, and you’ll need many similar equipment installations and facilities working to make the whole event come together. If you pull this off right, you could be reaching an audience you never thought possible.
Know When To Inject
When moving around these events and seeing what’s on offer, you’ll have to strike a fine line between both listening to others and building relationships while drawing attention to your entrepreneurial ambition. No one enjoys feeling ‘marketed to’ when communicating with you one on one, so be sure you know when to hold it, and when to subtly bring it up in conversation.
You could consider dressing your attending staff in T-Shirts that draw attention to your firm’s operation, or you could hire out your own corner of the convention and set up a promotional table. Arm yourself with business cards, contact information and if you have trouble with communicating yourself, hiring people who are able to present your firm attractively.
Utilizing these tips, you are sure to avoid the presenting pitfalls and gain the favor of all you expose your firm to.