Networking events happen all over the country in a number of industries including wholesale. But are they worth the effort? And can they really help you to increase sales?
The simple answer is yes. While networking events do appear a lot of hard work and you often have to take time out of your working week to attend them, the results can be very lucrative and it can help to boost awareness of your wholesale business. A lot of wholesale buyers want to network but don’t really know where to start or where to find out about events.
There a variety of ways you can network in the industry. Attending trade shows and organised events is obvious but you can also network online using social media and forums.
To find the best events and opportunities use a wholesale directory to find supplier and wholesaler details. From here you should be able to visit their website or supplier page and find out about any events they are attending. Wholesale media and trade magazines and publications are another great source of information and can help to uncover networking events. Social media sites like Facebook, Linked In and Twitter are usually used to announce company news and are worth checking regularly too. People will be openly networking on these sites so it’s a great way of building contacts.
As well as using social sites to find out about networking events, wholesale buyers can use them to network from the comfort of their own office. Starting discussions online, entering forums and commenting on statuses are all ways of networking and building your contact base. Wholesale buyers should follow relevant people and businesses to keep up to date with industry news. This is a really effective way of spotting product trends too and can help buyers boost sales.
But the most effective way to meet new customers and people in the industry is to attend events and meet people face to face. This definitely helps to build rapport. Once someone can put a face to a name it creates a more familiar relationship. This is definitely beneficial when it comes to working with wholesale suppliers – if you regularly see a supplier you are in a much better position to negotiate pricing.
But attending events is of no use if you don’t get involved. Turning up to an event, eating some of the food and then going home won’t help you promote your business. Networking events are only beneficial if you talk to people. So, when visiting an event, look out for people that you want to network with and approach them! Ensure you take business cards or contact information with you. Although most people you meet will be suppliers and retailers, you could find yourself meeting a potential customer so ensure you are ready.
It’s useful to use a wholesale directory and industry media to find contacts initially, but meeting them and networking in person can further boost the popularity of your wholesale business and brand.
