Every day new businesses start and new businesses fold. Why? Because they are struggling it alone and a bit of solid advice from those who have been around a while could have put them on the road to success. If you are active in the B2B community and have built a strong network amongst your peers, why not take some of that knowledge and experience and share it with a new entrepreneur who is getting his or her feet wet? It’s a rewarding endeavour, and as the old saying goes, giving is receiving. Here are some ways you can help start-ups and perhaps grow your own business in the process.
Introduce Them to the Business Community – Their Peers
Chances are you happened upon an entrepreneur through a lead in your own line of work. Newbies understand the concept of networking but as they haven’t yet ‘experienced’ it, you could show them the ropes. Teach them the art of communicating with their peers and how to spot business opportunities when they present themselves. This is something that takes time to develop, time that you’ve had, and by giving a new owner/operator a few tips on how to network for success, you have just gained a loyal friend/peer.
Show Them Ways to Expand and Grow at Lower Costs
Keeping overheads low is one of the most important facets of meeting a budget. Oftentimes new business owners think of all the things they see in established businesses that they really could do without, at least until they have increased their bottom line. Many times they don’t even need a physical location if they are selling a product manufactured elsewhere or a service that doesn’t require space. Letting a virtual office like the ones found
here
can provide all the benefits of having an office without ever needing to show your face. Complete with receptionists and amazing network technology, a virtual location allows for an address in a prestigious business area, a phone number and the appearance of a full-time staff.
Explain the Importance of Brand and How to Build a Strong Reputation
One of the most difficult challenges for a budding entrepreneur is learning how to
build brand and back it with a strong reputation
in both the business community as well as with consumers. How long did it take you to establish brand and build a trusted name in your market? You probably went through an amazing number of pitfalls along the way that a mentor could have helped you prevent. Knowing how to compete with mega corporations is an art and one you have developed through trial and error. You may just learn a new way of expanding your own reach in the process of mentoring a newcomer!
Unfortunately, many people just don’t get the underlying
concept of B2B relationships
and are all about themselves. It’s sad if they carry that mentality across the way they live their lives, but sometimes you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. What you
can
do is foster a sense of belonging to a newbie in the business community and that just makes your own network one business stronger – at the moment, that is. Your network will grow algebraically as well once that business starts to grow and the snowball effect benefits you as well as the other business. Remember, giving is receiving and this was never truer than in B2B networking when approached correctly. Get out there and show them how it’s done!
