· How are you going to bring in the business you are looking for?



· What other opportunities should you be seeking out?

· How can you keep your profile raised so you win over your competition?

· How should you spend your limited marketing budget?

You may already be out there promoting yourself and your business and at times wondering whether you are still getting the return you are looking for. One of your marketing activities may be business networking and this may be one expenditure that you are looking to cut, especially if the results are not instantaneous. However do ask yourself the following question:

‘Can you afford not to network?'

Well in short the answer is ‘no' …now, more than ever, is the time to get out and about in front of people and here are some of the reasons why:

Less business needs more marketing

When business is hard to find unfortunately stopping marketing your business is not the answer, leave this to your competition – you have to market yourself more to get the business you are seeking.

Your profile in the business community

If you keep your profile raised even in quiet times, when the going gets good again you will be there to hit the ground running while your competitors wither away.

Networking is a relatively cost effective way of marketing your business

You can easily spend hundreds of pounds on a single newspaper ad which gleans little or no business…can you afford this? Or you can spend a few pounds developing quality relationships with a circle of business people who will help you achieve the contacts you are looking for.

Other business opportunities

If the current climate is affecting your business you may need to be creative about seizing other opportunities which will supplement your current income streams. Attending networking events are a great way to meet new people and discover new opportunities.

Support

When times are tight for your business it can be really beneficial to meet up with others who can provide you with a bit of moral support and often some great advice to help you through.

Top tips for networking your way through the recession

1. Carefully choose your networking activities to meet your needs – think about what you want to achieve from networking, who you want to network with and how best to achieve this.

2. Raise your profile within business networking circles further by getting actively involved – be proactive about making business presentations, and volunteer to help run or market the events.

3. Use your quiet times to:

· Get to know other businesses, what they do and how you can help them

· Investigate new opportunities and develop new ideas for your business

· Improve your own personal networking skills – hone your ‘elevator pitch' (i.e. what you say you do when people ask you), your 60 seconds or your business presentations.

4. Take a look at who you can form strategic alliances with – teaming up with others may open up your markets and provide you with new openings.