Going Local - The Importance Of Local Networking

For years now, one of the golden catch phrases in the home business industry has been "going global" – that term means that you’re taking your business beyond your geographic area and into a larger (and presumably more lucrative) marketplace.  That’s a great idea but far too many people are missing the more important first steps that make such a move possible.  Introducing…local networking.

Before you can go global, you first have to go local.  That means you’ve got to get your name and your face in front of as many people in your neighborhood and your city as possible.  Try to act as though your business is a political campaign and you are facing an incumbent with years of experience and name recognition.  The only possible chance you’re going to have at beating your opponent – or even showing up on the ballot – is for people to see your face, shake your hand and talk to you about what you stand for.  Local networking provides that for you in business.

There are a multitude of likeminded entrepreneurs in your neighborhood, guaranteed.  In fact, your neighbors need the products and services you are selling and statistics show that they would rather buy it from someone close to home than from a faceless web site somewhere on the other side of the world.  These folks are much more inclined to do business in a local networking setting than online.

By using local networking outlets like BNI and MeetUp, you are opening the doors of your business to people in your community.  The majority of these events are free or very inexpensive, and shaking a hand & introducing yourself face-to-face has a much higher rate of interest than an Internet ad.  You are personalizing your business and hand delivering it to people who are in your back yard and doing so will see you increase your sales numbers and make a few good contacts at the same time.

These events don’t take a lot of time and they are most commonly social in nature anyway.  Why not spend a little social time making some local networking contacts that just might be the real key it helping your business go global?