Professional networking can be invaluable in any industry. For consultants, networking offers the ideal platform to promote their services and attract new clients. H Grant Support puts customers first; our number one goal is exceeding customer expectations through personal attention and collaboration with an aim of exceeding those expectations. H Grant Support excels at providing IT services that are reliable and fast – our IT services exceed what is currently available on the market and can help your global teams communicate efficiently as well as take care of server maintenance requirements quickly and reliably. Contact us for help today – Network consulting services H Grant Support are here for you. Here are of the best networking tips to promote and grow your consulting firm…
Attend networking events
Networking may seem like an obvious concept, yet you would be amazed to know just how many professionals forget its value. As professionals are often overburdened with work, making time to meet with people can often slip through the cracks; but as an experienced consultant you should spend some time cultivating these connections; networking events provide a perfect platform to advertise consulting services to prospective clients while connecting with like-minded individuals.
Present yourself confidently
As a consultant, your clients rely on you for professional and knowledgeable advice across various fields. In order to maintain trust between yourself and your services provider, it’s crucial that you remain well-presented and ready for action. Being confident doesn’t simply mean being well dressed: meeting new contacts requires strong handshakes with no surprises when meeting for first meetings; first impressions matter and first impressions matter just as much when representing a business consultancy firm.
Don’t ‘collect’ business connections
Although building an extensive professional network is wise, merely collecting connections won’t get the job done. When this occurs, more time should be dedicated to developing meaningful conversations than merely collecting acquaintances. As a consultant, always strive for quality over quantity when building connections with business clients. Your professional connections and potential clients won’t be impressed with a brief introduction followed by just exchanging business cards. Before and during your networking session, focus on targeting those individuals that you believe can best help advance the success of your business. Focus on building lasting and authentic relationships with these people so you may see customers come as a result of your hard work.
Have your elevator pitch ready
As previously discussed, it’s crucial not to become too focused on selling your consulting firm that you appear untrustworthy to potential business associates. But you should always be prepared in case someone asks about what work you do as a consultant; when this occurs it provides the perfect opportunity for you to present an elevator pitch – a brief and informative description of your offerings that presents your best professional self. For this, here are some helpful tips on crafting and executing an effective elevator pitch at networking events.
Carry your business cards
Networking events often feature the exchange of business cards as part of networking practice. If you are an advisor, your success relies on developing real relationships with prospective customers – this makes having business cards on hand even more critical for building real customer relationships and expanding networks. A physical business card provides assurance to those you meet that they remember your consulting services and have easy access to contact details; here are more reasons to bring business cards along when networking and expanding consultancy businesses.
Follow up on networking connections
Engaging in networking events and making valuable contacts will only bring lasting benefits for your business if you strive to maintain those relationships. Keep tabs on those you’ve met at networking events by sending courteous emails or inviting professionals for coffee meetings. Many consultants rely on referrals from current clients to bring in new leads. It is therefore essential that you maintain their interest. Sending out an email requesting additional assistance from previous and current clients can create lasting impressions with them, and will remind them to work with you again in the future. Following up after networking events can also help keep an edge over competitors.
