Home Business Tips

No More Time for Networking?

At some point of his life, the home business owner may find that he has too
little extra time in his life. There are family activities, invitations to
seminars, and office work. With the combined demands of his personal,
professional, and business life, he will find it easy to believe that networking
will just bring in more people who will eat up whatever meager free time he has.

Unfortunately, such belief is based on a wrong assumption that making new
acquaintances will consume too much time. The reality is that an average person
will always meet new people even without changing his schedule.

Such belief is also self-destructive. Meeting new people is a key factor in
expanding the home business. It has been estimated that an average person knows
250 other people. Meeting a new person implies that the home business owner have
indirect contact to an additional 250 people. If he shuns networking, he is
placing limits to his home business.

To conduct networking within a busy schedule, here are several suggestions
that a home business owner may use:

When meeting someone new, make sure that these three things are done:
1. Show an eagerness to know more about the new acquaintance
2. Express an intention to help
3. Suggest to meet again and stay in touch with each other

Even if nothing profitably develops with a new acquaintance, at least that other
person will think that the home business owner is a nice person.

• Do not attend some networking events. Join networking events that are related
  or crucial to the professional or business life only.
• Accept more business cards from other people. This places the home business
  owner in the position where he can control the pace of the business
  relationships.
• Become a member of an online business networking community. This allows a
  person to conveniently conduct his networking at home. Most networking
  communities are free or can be used with a minimal fee. The home business owner
  can browse at the profiles of the other users and he can choose whom he wanted
  to contact.

Believing that one has no time to network anymore is detrimental to the home
business. Networking will always be important. It provides the opportunities to
meet the person who may be the source of a crucial information, or of good
prospects, or even the name of a better store. The possibilities are almost
endless. Aside from the obvious benefit of growing the home business, networking
hones a person’s communication skills. Busy home business owners should
prioritize networking.

Small/Home Business Tips, Networking 2006-04-21 Home Business Tips