Expanding Your Network Through Attendance
Networking is essential for small, local businesses to increase exposure and enrich business to business relationships for enhanced referral opportunities. Groups that leverage networking as a stepping stone for growing their businesses, see this growth as a direct impact in growing their own business. For the hosts and members of networking groups focusing on growth means increasing attendance to events.
During the busy holiday season you may see people that you wouldn’t normally see throughout the year. This makes it a great time to connect with people and invite them to your networking group. The end of the year is a great time to surround yourself with new activities and to look to the new year for avenues of success. The result is a more eager response from business owners to attend events than busier or more stressful times of year.
When considering the growth of your networking group there are a few steps that should be top of mind.
- Lead With Value
Highlighting the value received by connecting with the other members of your group will get their attention. Be sure to include how the impact of long-term relationships gained through your group have generated better referrals and clients. Drawing from your own personal experience can get you a yes fast. - Reference Specific Connections
Tailor your invitation to what speaks directly to the individual you’re inviting. Provide success stories from individuals in similar industries, challenges, or shared clients. If possible reinforce this by confirming it with others at in person events. - Show Authenticity
It is important to speak from your experience and what you have directly encountered. Being direct, honest, and setting proper expectations is important. You want your authenticity to be felt but you don’t want to oversell the experience as that may cause them to feel like it did not live up to what they had envisioned. - Be Persistent, Not Pushy
When you see an individual that you have invited, but is yet to attend be sure to remind them. Depending on their response it may be appropriate to ask them if you can expect them at the next event. You may also want to send a calendar invite or include them on a guest newsletter. - Follow Up
After someone visits your group it is important to follow up with them. Let them know that they were appreciated for showing up, and that returning will help them establish deeper connections and increase referrals. During follow up it is great to confirm that they’ll attend another event in the future.
Inviting guests to attend your networking event is essential to growing attendance and building positive long-term relationships. Newer groups find this to be a big challenge, but even established groups should work to grow the audience. Consider why you want to increase attendance and convey this to the individuals you want to see there and you’ll attract the right people over time.
