Making the right connections is the essence of great new business lead generation. Networking is an important part of the mix. But how effective is it really, and where should you start?
How many of us have turned up at an early morning breakfast event, only to realise that none of the “big guns” are there, the coffee is cold and all you have accomplished is the opportunity to see the sunrise? Great though that is, it’s not the outcome you envisioned when signing up.
In a nutshell, networking events have their limits.
Maybe you’re the new kid on the block, in the sector, or the city. You’re ready and raring to go, with a host of great ideas, services, products, and people. Or perhaps you’re a reasonably established player, but still finding it hard to make continuous new connections to grow that ever-hungry pipeline.
So how do you actually reach the people you need to engage with?
Sure, there are direct marketing and email lists (remember those?), but getting to the beating heart of a city or sector is elusive, complex and time-consuming.
Understand where the influence lies
If you want to make deep inroads into your audience, you need to understand where influence lies. Growing a business is about putting yourself front and centre of decision-makers by embedding your organisation at the heart of those webs of influence. Those complex webs may not follow predictable patterns. The most effective businesses understand a more sophisticated, tangential approach will add real value when deployed with more mainstream methods.
Look outside the box
Every city and every sector has those ‘under the radar’ people and organisations that wield subtle power and influence, but identifying them isn’t easy. They may not be the expected players; those high-profile figures in business and media, industry bodies and the like. There are a whole host of other people that are at the centre of any bustling city or market. Stand-out figures in the arts, public sector advocates, universities, charity stalwarts and bloggers all play their part in bringing a place or industry to life, providing those hubs and meeting opportunities for collaboration and the sharing of ideas.
Network with influence, the PURE way
Our programme identifies those who exert real authority for your sector or locale – whether it’s regional, national or international.
Utilising our PURE Noise Cancelling methodology, we draw on a combination of industry experts, analysis tools, our own deep contacts, PR, social media and events experience, coupled with decades of insights expertise, to deliver laser-focussed strategies. Through this multi-faceted approach, we establish, build, and nurture business leaders’ networks of influence. We will quickly and effectively establish a full directory of all those people and platforms where interesting things happen, that are spot-on for your needs. You will have an interactive forum at your disposal, highlighting how all the most connected and influential opinion formers gather, communicate, and network in environments that are not necessarily obvious.
Then we execute through a tailored mix of tactics across earned, social and experiential spaces, to drive reputational change amongst those that matter. The result? Your organisation: at the heart of interesting debate, discussion and opportunity.
This is networking with influence.