In the business world, maintaining the business you already have seems to be the ideal problem to have; finding new business can be a whole other story. Finding new clients takes a lot of hard work and plenty of man-hours in order to connect with the other company that you’re trying to cultivate a relationship with. Attending trade shows, cold calling or hiring a b2b telemarketing service, hiring a leads service, and networking via social networking sites are just a few ways that businesses are going about connecting with other businesses.
Attending Trade Shows
Trade shows cannot only be a lot of fun, but it can be an enormous resource in cultivating business-to-business relationships. Just think: an entire convention hall filled with like-minded people, each looking to exchange business cards and to advance their own brand. It’s the perfect combination of socializing and networking and can help you find great contacts on a much more national (and sometimes global) scale. Rather than dealing with the local market, these trade shows often attract companies from all over and this diversified contact pool can really grow your business.
Cold Calling
The tried and true fashion of manning the phones and putting out feelers to other businesses is probably the standard operating procedure for you and your business. If you can get the customer on the phone, you never know what can happen; you may find the long business relationship you’ve been looking for. Think of calling the businesses as the modern traveling salesmen: rather than going from business to business trying to get your foot in the door, all you need is your voice in the door. This kind of networking does require a lot of man-hours; so if you cannot afford to have yourself or a salesperson on the phone cold calling, consider hiring a b2b telemarketing service. They can take over the heavy lifting and make the calls themselves, freeing you and your salespeople up for maintaining current business relationships.
Hiring a Leads Service
When the market starts to run a little dry, it’s important to not wait around looking for things to turn around. Being proactive and finding the right leads can keep you afloat until things start to heat back up. There’s a reason why leads became an integral part of the film Glengary Glenross. In business, it can separate you from being a top seller to being unemployed. Luckily, there are companies that will provide you with leads just in case you need a little extra help trying to find that next great client.
Networking via Social Networks
Social Networks are not just for college kids these days. A phenomenon that grew out of connecting across campuses, social networking has grown into one of the most useful and efficient way to connect with other businesses on a global level. It can be done in a variety of ways, as well. LinkedIn has now become the #1 social network site specializing in connecting people in business relationships. It can be a great way to connect with someone on a personal level and grow that into a working relationship. Of course, Facebook and Twitter can also be utilized by your company as a whole entity and can be used to connect with prospective customers under your company name. The choice is up to you. Smaller businesses may benefit from the more personal touch of the one-on-one that LinkedIn can provide.
Staying afloat in the business world means having a steady stream of old and new clients to serve. Each takes a certain amount of effort, but without that hard work, you won’t be in business for very long.
Author Bio:
James Cash is a business professional and part time writer.
Filed under: Dangerous Lee University, Featured Press
