Networking

One of the courses I teach for an online University is Business Communications, so you would think I would have all the answers. I am a newbie at Facebook, and my daughter signed me up for a MySpace, but many other options face a business owner as far as networking is concerned. This blog offers one opportunity to let people know what I am about, and I belong to two other organizations that purport to help business owners connect with like-minded businesses. All that said, one of the simplest ways we can connect is through good old-fashioned meetings and sharing of sound practices and ideas.

This morning I talked for a bit to the restaurant owner from across the street. This afternoon I met another new tenant, the owner of Zoomies, a skateboard company (I'm sure there's more to it). Both individuals have unique forums for sale--the restaurant sells bubble tea and crepes, while the other has products designed to attract a particular segment of consumer. We all work for the same dollar, but we all also have interesting--and more important--different venues. What I like is that we want to help one another also. Don has made a board that we put in one of the windows that holds ads for different businesses. That's one step. Another is to link our businesses through discounts. Bring your Deb's Oils receipt to Icey or Zoomies and get a 10% discount on XXX purchase (shop owner determines minimum order, within reason). Also, we have offered to put coupons or ads in our customer bags. That will spread the word.

Blogs are fine, and websites help, but give me word of mouth and personal testimonials any day. To me that is the quickest route to spreading the word.