Just as with most business networking groups, BBG is always keen to promote members completing regular one-to-ones with each other. It’s not about box-ticking, or slip-filling; rather, it’s a vital part of getting to know your fellow members, their businesses and what it is they’re looking for in terms of referrals.
However, we also realise that we’re all busy people. Finding the time to do a one-to-one may not always be easy, and that’s hampered even further by the fact that people are often confused about what they should be doing at such a meeting. Of course, there are no hard and fast rules, a flow chart to followm or even a list of questions you must ask.
That said, we have pulled together some questions/topics which can be useful to discuss if you really want to find out more about the other people in your group.
How did you get started in business?
The reality is that few of us wanted to run our own businesses as children. Whilst there are some exceptions to that rule, the vast majority of people almost accidentally fell in to their current self-employed status. Understanding what led someone else to venture down that path is a great way to understand their history and motivations.
What’s the best thing about what you do?
People who are passionate about what they do, and are clear as to why they do it, are the sorts of people we all want to work with. If you know that your networking buddy isn’t just in it for the money, but gets a real kick out of helping people get on top of their finances, or resolve employee disputes, or developing effective branding for businesses, then it’s going to be even easier for you to feel confident in referring them. It will also help you identify the kinds of referrals that they’re going to want to follow up.
What separates you from the competition?
You might want to ask this, or what their USP (Unique Selling Point is, but the result is the same. It gives you an opportunity to better understand what makes your fellow member stand out from the myriad of other individuals and businesses in the same sector. Again, this is a great way to better gauge how to find the right referrals, especially if a contact is already using another competitor within the same industry.
What have you found to be the best approach for your marketing?
This is a great question for actually brainstorming, and perhaps coming out with some new information for yourself, or providing it to your buddy. Many times, our members have discovered new local publications, or found out a quick cheat when it comes to social media marketing, by asking a question similar to this. By sharing information, and being available to help others, you are increasing rapport and that sense of trust so vital for a good networking relationship.
If you want to find out more about our members, why not come along to our next meeting, where you can ask them these questions, and more.
You can find out more by contacting us – CLICK HERE.