When it comes to marketing your business, one of the most overlooked methods that people forget is networking. Yes, various marketing techniques can yield excellent results, such as SEO and email, but networking is going to help you develop stronger connections that will last.
However, how can you make sure that you’re doing everything you can when trying to find a network solution? We’ve compiled some of the best ways that you can unlock untapped potential from your network to help propel your brand forward.
Become an Asset
If all you’re doing is selling to the people in your network, then it won’t take long for them to associate you with some kind of sales pitch. Every time you try to reach out, they will either be interested in what you have to offer or they won’t. Over time, too much salesmanship can sour their impression of you, meaning that you could risk losing the connection.
Thus, one way to unlock your network is to become a resource for current and new clients. Even those who aren’t contributing to your bottom line should be included because although they aren’t interested right now, that could change in the future.
By adding value to your interactions without the pretext of “marketing” your brand, you can establish much stronger connections. Not only will those in your network appreciate what you’re doing, but the chances are that they will start to come to you more often, as well as recommend you to their colleagues. When you no longer have to chase down leads, that’s when you know that your brand is thriving.
Expand Your Social Media Circle
If you’re networking with the same people all the time, then you can get into a repetitive streak that will stagnate your ability to market yourself effectively. One example of this will be social media. While you’re already making sure to curate and post content regularly, how many genuine connections have you established across your various platforms?
Getting a bunch of new followers is nice, but they are meaningless if they aren’t contributing to your brand. Thus, one way to unlock untapped potential is to search for and reach out to new people whenever you get a chance. Start following influencers on sites like Twitter and Facebook. Send messages to people in your network to show that you’re paying attention.
While you can’t reach everyone, a few meaningful interactions are going to have a profound effect on building a stronger network. Each connection you make can lead to new ones, thus expanding your circle and raising awareness of your brand.
Don’t Dismiss Old Connections
Regardless of how much effort you put into your marketing and network strategy, you will invariably be interacting with a relatively small group of people on a consistent basis. However, that doesn’t mean that you should focus all of your attention on your most active users.
When cultivating a stronger network, it’s best to reach out to those who you may not have interacted with in a while. Whether it’s a cold lead or a connection that fizzled out, you never know what may rekindle their interest. By engaging with them again, you may discover that they are more interested in your brand now than when you first met, meaning that they could become an integral part of your network moving forward.
Too often, it’s easy to focus on bringing new people in, but while that’s a founding principle of any network solution, you can’t write off old connections just because they haven’t engaged with you in a while. You could discover a lot of untapped potential this way.
Analyze Your Current Network
For many businesses, it’s easy to fall into the trap of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” However, when it comes to marketing, you have to stay on top of new trends if you’re going to succeed in the long term. What may have been working so far could shift in the near future, and if you’re not prepared to change with it, you could be left behind.
The same is true for your network. Don’t hesitate to take a closer look at who is interacting with you the most to see what they may have in common. The most valuable question to ask here is why they are engaging with you. Understanding the reason behind these interactions can help you figure out a better strategy moving forward.
Analysis is a fundamental aspect of any marketing strategy as it allows you to correct any problems that may not be readily apparent. With regards to untapped network solutions, it could lead you to recognize why you’re not making the connections you want to – perhaps you’re taking the wrong approach with certain people, or maybe what you have to offer is not being presented the right way.
Overall, the more you can analyze your network, the easier it will be to determine the best course of action for the future. It will help shape your marketing strategy so that you can be a much bigger presence than you are right now, which is necessary if you want to experience more growth.
Contact Us Today
If you’re ready to expand your network, then contact us to see how our tools can help you get there. We have the resources that can help you succeed, as well as help you discover all of the untapped potential that your network has. See how we can transform your marketing strategy for the better.
Resources: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/networking-connections
https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/4-ways-maximize-network-social-media/