Networking Should Be Top of the Options for Every Business
Jeremy Silverstone - Purple Marketing

As a marketing planner with some 25 years under my belt, I've worked with global companies such as Barclays, BT and Orange to help them understand what they can do and say to make their prospects and customers buy from them. And along the way I've also worked with hundreds of SMEs and dozens of charities.

It has always struck me that the principles are exactly the same, whatever the size and nature of the organisation, and these can be summarised as:

• understand your target audience, and know where & how to reach them
• create compelling messages that will trigger a positive response from them
• make sure all communications are consistent and single-minded
• set targets, and track the performance of all activity
• no sales activity is as effective as developing a reputation for excellence and value - if you can achieve this, you'll have them queueing at the door!

Being able to reach the audience in a cost-effective way is often the most difficult bit, but across the board there are few techniques that can compete with the value of face-to-face networking.

We regularly create logos, brochures, display material, websites, mailers, promoions, advertising and PR material for our clients, but it's rare that networking is excluded from what we'd consider to be a balanced mix. And the reason is simple - people want to do business with people. Given the choice, most buyers would much rather buy from a real person they can see, and trust. So getting yourself known in networking circles is an important part of what any business - and especially an SME - should be doing.

But there are also several hidden benefits to being a part of the networking community. Top of my personal list is the sheer pleasure of personal interaction with people I like. Added to that is the training, and the market knowledge one gains from one-on-one meetings with other group members.

So websites can be wonderful, brochures can be beautiful, mailers can be marvellous, exhibitions can be exhilarating, and advertising can be awesome. But for sheer value, a breakfast meeting is the first thing any serious businessperson should put on their marketing shopping list.

See you there!

Jeremy Silverstone is the Managing Director of Purple Marketing Limited.

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