In a previous blog, I gave you my top 7 tips for networking (you can download the pdf here, issue 2 – 7 ways to network effectively). The thing is that unless you are able to network with confidence it will be a waste of time – even if you do end up with a hand full of business cards.
If you have your own business you are no doubt passionate about your product or service otherwise you wouldn’t be working all those long hours. You know every detail about your business inside out and believe that you have a strong elevator pitch and still sometimes this isn’t quite enough. Perhaps you are currently lacking confidence in the market due to the state of the economy, or maybe something’s happened to make you lack some confidence in yourself. Perhaps you think you are confident but your body language and posture say something else!
Rest assured this can happen to everyone. Today I had an email from a client who runs a successful small business in Scotland. She has always been one of the most confident people I know and today she admitted that she had a confidence issue networking with some of the traders that she needed to sell her new product line. Unfortunately she can’t make it to our new workshop ‘Face Your Fears & Grow’ in Amsterdam – hopefully you can!