Business networking is one of the most effective ways to branch out, meet new people, learn from the success of others and most importantly, gain new clients. Networking is, of course, a very valuable way to gain new clients and to build a sustainable business. Here are our top 7 benefits for business owners attending Networking events:
More Referrals, More Business
This is not only one of the most important benefits, but also, helps to spread awareness about your particular business or brand! The good news about attending these events is that the referrals you get are normally of high quality and are even pre-qualified for you! You can follow up these referrals and ultimately turn them into long term clients – thus meaning you are getting far higher quality leads from networking than most other forms of marketing.
More Opportunites
A large group of motivated business people creates an 
abundance of opportunities! There is always plenty of opportunities that can come as a result of consistently attending Networking events in and around your local area.
There are many types such as joint ventures, client leads, partnerships and different speaking & writing opportunities! Opportunities within networking, to an extent, are endless.
Connections
Now we’re sure that you have heard the saying “it’s not WHAT you know, but WHO you know”. This couldn’t be truer in the business world. If you really want to build a successful business for yourself then you need to make sure you get around the right people who can help take you to the next level.
Networking provides a fantastic source of connections and really opens the door to talk to highly influential people in an environment where you might not have the chance to anywhere else.
It’s often said that it is not just about the people you are networking with directly either – those people will already have a network who you can tap into also. So you need to make sure that you ask the right questions so that you can find the right people with whom to speak.
Advice
Having business people around you that think, gives you a fantastic opportunity to gather all sorts of advice from them, specific to you and your business or industry. 
Business Networking is also a great opportunity to delve into advice and expertise that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to gather. I’m sure you’ll be able to work this one out rather quickly but make sure you are getting solid advice from the right individual. It’s imperative that you are getting this advice from someone who has had similar experiences to what you are going through and not giving you their opinion like a best friend might do.
Raising Your Profile
I once heard a saying, “You have to Network to get work”, and it’s so true. Not only does networking increase the number of clients you gain, but it also raises you and your companies profile! Being visible and getting noticed by other people is a massive benefit of being involved in business networking.
A mistake that a lot of business people make is that they initially make the effort to attend certain events, but they don’t regularly attend, meaning you are not a familiar face within these events. Being consistent helps you to build a reputation for yourself as someone who is knowledgeable, reliable and supportive by offering useful nuggets of information or advice to the people who need it. You are also more likely to get more leads and referrals as you will most certainly be the person that pops into people’s heads when they need your particular services.
It’s so important as a business owner that you make connections with different people, and with these connections come a new client base! Your business growth is very dependent on talking to people and gaining as much exposure for your company as you can.
A Positive Influence On People
The types of people that you hang around and talk to do influence who you are and what you do during your working career, so it’s important to surround yourself with people that are positive and uplifting who will ultimately help you grow and really thrive to help you take your business to the next level! Networking is great for implementing that positive attitude and, as a business owner, this is a powerful tool to use.
A Confidence Boost
This is a massive advantage in our opinion. By regularly attending these networking events, and pushing yourself to speak to all kinds of different people that you don’t know, will increase your confidence everytime you do it. Of course, there will be times where interactions with certain people don’t go to plan, but ultimately, it will help you to a great extent in the long run!
