"I’ve tried networking. It didn’t really work for me!"

I admit that the above quote could have been spoken by me, Adam.

Before I worked with VOOT, and had learnt from the inimitable Nigel Short, I'd tried networking for my own freelance illustration business with a couple of local groups. But I struggled with it. In hindsight, I see now that a lot of that was due to my own low confidence as an illustrator as well as not knowing how to start a conversation with strangers.

Nigel, on the other hand, is a serial networker. He doesn't buy the 'it didn't work for me' line. “Well, he wouldn’t”, I hear you shout! Stay with me here. Nigel is definitely someone to learn from about networking.

When Nigel set up VOOT, he did it with a singular marketing plan, and that was to ‘Network, network, and if all else fails, to network some more’. I'm not quite sure why he did it that way but it is befitting to the VOOT brand. Nigel is not only extremely gregarious (yet sensitive to others), but VOOT's ethical business model almost demands this kind of personable approach, where always showing your heart and a transparency that requires you to show your face, is the only way. In fact, we believe that in the 21st century, people are increasingly expecting and demanding more heart-connection with the businesses owners they're trading with. The days of relying solely on corporate branding as a way of connecting with a company are waning.

When Nigel decided to solely focus on networking, he recognised that would mean a very slow ramp up of sales. But his strategy was for that slow ramp up to be maintained by more and more networking, and for all the activity to generate an increasing amount of leads each month. It has certainly paid off! With those sales that were generated from networking, they have then lead to more sales through referrals from satisfied clients. In the time that I've been working with VOOT, I've seen that happen time and again.

Nigel's networking was pretty relentless (2 or 3 times a week) for the first 10 years of VOOT's life. And extremely enjoyable it was too. Nigel has met some fantastic people, some of whom I have also had the privilege of meeting and it is clear that they have gone on to be firm friends of Nigel's. That's the benefit of face to face networking that nobody really tells you to expect - you develop a little support network. As is common in life you will like some people more than others (and they you). Nigel has met some people who have gone on to great success, others who have tried and tried in their business and admitted defeat.

Nigel's tried the structured networking, the (inter)national networking companies like BNI, and he's tried the local networking groups where often you meet the same people you met at the last local networking group that launched and disappeared as fast as it arrived. He likes both types.

He's gone to regional networking groups organised by the Chambers of Commerce, North Notts Business Group. He's done the evening meetings and the breakfast groups (he much prefers the breakfast groups). He couldn’t possibly try and calculate how many hours he's dedicated to networking in the last 18 years but I know this - from a slow build up of clients, to the steady stream of clients (old and new) that networking now generates, it has sustained the business and been the major reason for its success. That - and ensuring that VOOT's reputation for quality customer service at the right price is known in the room before he arrives.

The friendly business networkers of Phoenix BNI, Aston Hall, Sheffield. That's our Nigel in the middle in the grey shirt and glasses. He's waiting to introduce you to the group!

And that really is the key.

If you’ve tried networking and it didn’t really work for you ask yourself:

a). did I give it enough time?, and

b). how am I seen in my community?

If people aren't talking about you for the right reasons, networking definitely won’t work for you. If people aren’t seeing you at all because you’re still in bed then you aren’t really trying networking are you?

The beauty of really engaging with networking and sincerely trying to help others who are doing that same is that people remember you. Recently, Nigel solved a huge telecoms headache for a business he’d never met before that had been referred to him by a client/friend/fellow networker he's not seen face to face for about 5 years. But he was still confident enough to put his own reputation on the line by introducing Nigel to someone in his own business network. VOOT did a great job, and his client thanked him for the introduction. That is networking at its best.

If you’d like to join Nigel at a future BNI Business Breakfast at Aston Hall Hotel, he can introduce you to 30 of his network of contacts. He'll show you the ropes, and you can learn from a real pro! Please send Nigel an email or give him a call at VOOT for a chat about it. He assures you that it will work for you IF you follow the ground rules above.

Thanks for reading.

Adam.