You’ll hear me say over and over again that when I started
my business I wasted money on things I didn’t need and in some cases my business
wasn’t ready. I didn’t have a coach or guide initially so anything that came my
way and seemed interesting or profitable I probably tried it. I guess it's the
shopaholic in me. I recall joining a chamber
chapter; now, there are many who’ve join chamber chapters and their businesses flourishes
as a result. For me I didn’t have that
experience, I joined a local chapter and didn’t do anything the cost for not
doing anything was $350. When I sit back
and think about it I could have used that money for something else but instead
I joined and only attended one maybe two chamber meetings. That was partially my fault, I joined because
I thought that If I was a part of the organization that business would automatically
come knocking to my door. What I didn’t realize
is that even though I joined and paid my $350 that I still had to cultivate and
manage relationships. It’s all about relationships, people do business with you
because they love your story, they love your why, as well as; they’ve built a relationship
with you.
Building relationships can be tough especially when you’re the new
girl on the block, some of my tips for building relationships that shouldn’t
cost you $350 are:
- Meet and greets – It’s important to know who’s in your industry make it a point to connect with them, call them up and say… “I’d like to meet you and learn more about your business”
- Make it a point to follow up after your meeting – Send them a personalized card.
- Make it your business to attend industry events and follow up with all those you meet after.
Again, it’s all about building relationships as the new
guy/girl on the block you have to remember that it’s going to take time and you
have to be persistent. Moreover, be sure to evaluate and think about it before
joining any type of organization that has member fees, sometimes your business
isn’t the right fit, make sure you do your research. Finally, don’t expect the
phone to ring off the hook, your new to this so, keep plugging, keep going and as
a result you’ll see your business grow.
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