Networking 101 - Don't Forget to Market Yourself

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 71

Don’t Forget to Market Yourself

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:

“Not marketing yourself is like blinking in the dark.  You know you are doing it.  No-one else does.”

What a chuckle I had with this one!  It really did appeal to my sense of humour and I had this video moment of a cartoon with everything black as the lights are off and here and there you get a flash of white, that then very quickly turns back to black as someone  blinks in the dark!

Marketing yourself need not be expensive, you don’t have to hire one of those marketing guru’s to do it for you – actually it is exceptionally easy to do it for yourself.

Let’s take this one step at a time:-
•    Always, always, always have your business cards close at hand.  Your business card should have the name of your company and all of your contact details on it.  If your company name does not say who you are (i.e. if your company name is ABC Plumbing we all know what you do, but if it is ABC Consulting that is just another story altogether), if possible have something on the back of your card that gives people an indication of what it is that you do, like a list of your services. 
•    Whenever you send an e-mail out, even if it is just one of the funnies you share with friends, have your signature in place.  Your company name, contact details, web address etc.  You never know who your friend may forward your ‘funnies’ to.
•    Get onto some of the networking sites – not only business ones, but the social ones too, like Facebook (have you any idea how much business is done on Facebook?) – always put your company details and your contact details in your profile.
•    When you meet people, even socially, always ask what they do and always find an opportunity to tell people what it is that you do.

This is marketing in its most basic form, inexpensive but vital to the growing of your business.

So go out there – meet people, build relationships, build your brand and above all, remember to have fun!

For more information on Renate, please visit her website at http://www.drrenatevolpe.co.za

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za