On Networking…

There’s no doubt that expanding your business contacts and networking go hand-in-hand. Even in this day and age of social media and less face-to-face interaction, networking is an essential part of business growth. It’s worth the time it takes to attend networking events, which are a great way to meet new people and catch up with those you haven’t seen in a while.

They also provide opportunities to interact with people that share a common interest with you. It’s not often that you can be in a room with total strangers and know that you share some common bond. Whether it be geographic location (like local chambers of commerce) or a shared industry (industry associations), you know that you will have something to talk about with others in the room. This commonality is an easy way to start a conversation and begin to get to know someone. For an introvert like me, I really appreciate anything that makes networking easier and less intimidating. I’ve even used this tactic in social settings such as birthday parties, where I’ll ask about how someone knows the birthday boy or girl to get a conversation started.

In the article 10 Tips for Successful Business Networking Stephanie Speisman shares helpful hints on networking. Stephanie says that effective business networking is the linking together of individuals who, through trust and relationship building, become walking, talking advertisements for one another.

We are very fortunate in the Greater Rochester Region to have many opportunities to attend networking events and to be a part of networking organizations. For more information on local associations and chambers in our region, please visit the resources section of the Finger Lakes Business Information Clearinghouse (BIC).


For information on Small Business events in our region, visit the events section of the Finger Lakes BIC.