As a business owner how do you go about your day? 

Do you let your day run you or do you take control of your day by setting your intent and clear goals to achieve specific objectives, making things happen for you and your business?

Networking is key to any small business. It is important to be getting out there, constantly meeting new people and making new connections. You never know where this might lead. However, it is easy to become office-based and computer bound and only develop your networks online. Although LinkedIn is an excellent business social media tool to develop and nurture your networks and online brand, it doesn’t replace the human face of networking, which should not be underestimated.

Consider these scenarios:

Having already covered for a contact of mine at a breakfast networking group, I had the option to attend another local networking event shortly afterwards. So my choices:

1. Make an effort to attend the local monthly business networking event and focus a couple of hours of quality time meeting new people and developing new connections
2. Catch up with a growing list of e-mails, actions on my to do list and other business tasks, being mindful of my forthcoming holiday

It would be all too easy to take option 2 wouldn’t it?  However by doing so, would I make anything happen for my business? Possibly, but unlikely, I suggest.

Setting Your Intent – Networking for you and your business

I decided on option 1 and set my intent. I enjoyed the networking event, having had a number of productive discussions. I also managed to combine this with meeting a potential new client. He happened to call on the way, as wanted to meet personally, following a previous phone conversation. He happened to live in the same town.

Within minutes he agreed to take out the coaching programme. I had answered all his questions, allayed his fears and developed a good rapport, having met in person. On leaving, I noticed two people who were also at the networking event who I didn’t get time to speak with. They invited me to join them and we found there were some most interesting synergies. Having exchanged business cards we look forward to being able to work to mutual benefit in the future.

Isn’t it interesting how these events unfolded and strange ‘coincidences’? Would I have achieved the same results sat in my office beavering away behind a computer?  Most unlikely I’m sure you will agree?

So the moral of this story….. quite simply, that things rarely happen by chance do they?  However, if you set your intent, have clear goals, clarity of purpose and take positive action and understand the power of networking, then it isn’t coincidence that you make things happen for you and your business, is it?