(ThyBlackMan.com) As a small business or a freelancer, getting clients often means spreading your wings and networking as much as possible. This can be challenging if you’ve built yourself a comfort zone where you only wait for customers to come to you. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to build up the confidence to put your business out there, and we’re going to describe a few of those strategies in this article.
Use social media more
One of the biggest lessons in business that people often learn too late is the importance of social media. Social media has become a core platform for all businesses to use if they want to grow their brand and reach a wider audience. Regardless if you’re a retail store, a freelance artist or a consultancy company, every business has a place on social media. Make sure you’re using the right platforms and attracting the right audiences in order to improve your networking capabilities. If you fail to use social media, then you’ll find it difficult to reach out to new clients and build a wider audience of potential customers.
Keep your business cards handy
Meeting people in person at events and public gatherings can be a great way to network, but it’s important to always have business cards to hand out at a moment’s notice. Your business cards should be simple, have your contact information and be in a standard size. You’ll want to keep these handy for whenever you meet potential clients in person, or even if you speak to someone in public by chance and they might be interested in what you have to offer. Business cards are a must-have and it’s a lot better than telling someone your social media account or website which they might forget.
Attend more events
While it can be expensive to attend events, it’s actually one of the best ways to network with other businesses, investors and potential customers. It’s also a fantastic way to meet with influencers and get them to talk about your products, especially if you have something new and interesting to offer. It’s a good idea for small businesses to attend events that are relevant to their industry. For example, if you’re an eCommerce store or if you sell different kinds of personalised items, then Gift Fair 2020 is a great option for you. If you’re into electronics and technology, then events such as CES and Computex are brilliant choices.
Make use of your business blog
A business website blog is a fantastic way to show off your latest products, developments in your business and also keep your audience up to date about what’s happening with your business. However, it’s also an excellent place to encourage engagement and also respond to comments. A business blog does take a bit of maintenance and it’s important to keep it up to date, but if used correctly it can be a fantastic way to network with clients, customers and new potential leads.
Staff Writer; Steve Jones