From the Pen of the CEO - Meet John Stewart

Networking — Not a Quick Fix, but a Lifestyle

Networking is no quick fix.

I believe networking should become a lifestyle for business professionals and entrepreneurs.

The foundation of networking is simple: meet people and become known. The more people who know you, like you and trust you, the greater the likelihood that they will support you, recommend you and do business with you.

But networking requires effort. The more effort you put into networking, the greater your experience — and your potential reward — will become.

Networking Is About Relationships

True networking is not about collecting business cards or attending an occasional networking function. It is about building relationships that matter.

Within a networking cluster, Networking Partners get to know one another, understand each other's businesses and develop trust.

They tell their contacts about one another, make introductions, share leads and referrals, identify opportunities and support each other when a need arises.

That is what makes networking powerful.

Networking is not simply about what you can get. It is also about what you can give.

NET + WORK — Work the Net

There is something interesting about the word NETWORK.

If we look at it conceptually as NET + WORK, the message becomes quite powerful.

The NET represents a web, a network or a consortium of connections.

The WORK reminds us that networking requires action.

In other words:

 

If you want to network, you have to work the net.

 

You have to introduce yourself, communicate, participate, follow up, help others and build relationships.

A network only becomes valuable when you work it.

The Biz Web Approach

The Biz Web has much in common with established business networking organisations, but we have developed our own approach to networking.

We believe networking should extend beyond the networking table.

Our members can benefit from market- and area-specific Facebook Groups, allowing them to build their own networks within the greater Biz Web network.

We also provide additional exposure through professionally presented 60-second member introductions published on YouTube, helping businesses introduce themselves to a wider audience.

Our ecosystem also includes assistance with Facebook Pages, Business Profiles, national databases and directories, giving members additional opportunities to present their businesses and make themselves accessible to potential customers and prospects.

In other words:

The networking opportunity doesn't end when the meeting ends.

Physical and Online Networking

The Biz Web embraces both physical networking functions and online networking.

I firmly believe there is something special about sitting across a table from another business owner that technology cannot completely reproduce.

A handshake. Eye contact. A spontaneous conversation. Having coffee together. Introducing somebody to somebody else.

These simple moments create human connection and trust.

But that does not mean online networking should be regarded as less valuable.

Online networking removes geographical barriers, saves time and allows people to connect more frequently. A business owner in Cape Town can connect with another entrepreneur in Pretoria, Durban or Polokwane without either person having to travel.

More importantly, an online connection can become a personal relationship.

Physical networking creates depth. Online networking creates reach. The Biz Web brings the two together.

Technology Should Enhance Human Connection

A famous quotation has been attributed to Albert Einstein suggesting that technology would one day surpass human interaction.

Einstein did not, in fact, say those words. He did, however, express concern about the mechanisation and depersonalisation of modern life.

The principle remains relevant today.

My COO, Atlas Bizwell Steward, put it rather well:

 

“Technology should enhance human connection, not replace it.”

 

I couldn't agree more.

Technology should never replace human connection and interaction in networking.

It should make that connection easier, broader and more frequent.

We Don't Have to Network in Only One Room

I also believe that networking organisations can support one another.

The Biz Web encourages our members to participate in other networking organisations and platforms where those opportunities are valuable to them.

Why?

Because networking is not about belonging to one room.

It is about building relationships wherever opportunities to connect exist.

The more people you meet, the more relationships you develop. The stronger those relationships become, the greater the potential for leads, referrals, introductions, partnerships and business opportunities.

Make Networking a Lifestyle

Networking should not be something you do only when business is slow.

It should not be something you suddenly start doing when you need customers.

Networking is an investment in relationships.

You may meet somebody today who does not become a customer tomorrow. But that person may introduce you to someone next month, recommend you six months from now or become a strategic partner in the future.

You don't always know where a relationship will lead.

But if you consistently meet people, build trust, help others, share opportunities and remain visible, you create the conditions in which opportunities can happen.

So my advice to business professionals and entrepreneurs is simple:

Meet people. Build relationships. Help others. Share leads. Give referrals. Create opportunities. Work your network.

And above all:

Make Networking a Lifestyle.

At The Biz Web, we believe that technology can connect us, platforms can give us reach and networks can open doors.

But ultimately, people build relationships with people.

And that will never change.

CONNECT • GROW • LEAD • INFLUENCE