Does networking come naturally to you, or do you find yourself lost for words when faced with socializing with your professional peers? 80% of professionals say that they believe networking helps to elevate their career success. If you’re still getting tongue-tied at networking events, maybe it’s time you stepped it up a level.
How you engage with others as a franchisee can make or break the success of your business. Read on to see for tips to make networking for franchisees work for you.
Stay Local
The best clients you’ll find when starting out as a bookkeeping franchisee are those that are already around you. Local small businesses often want to work with other local businesses. Go to networking events in your town or city and see if you can make some connections.
You’ll already have a common point of interest in that you’re both running businesses in the same area. That already gets you a foot in the door. Plus, if you do well and sign them as a client, local business owners are often quick to recommend services to their friends.
Dedicate Time to Networking for Franchisees
When starting out with your bookkeeping franchise opportunity, it can often feel like there isn’t enough time in the day for it all. However, you can’t afford to skip-networking. It’s just as vital a part of your franchise as anything else.
Networking opens up doors not just to potential clients, but a wealth of resources as well. Attending seminars and joining associations are all part and parcel of networking and you can learn a lot from them.
Any smart business owner knows that you are never done learning, so why not shake some hands and meet some familiar faces at the same time? You never know how much the time you invest now might pay off down the line.
Help Others
A bookkeeping franchise offers varied great opportunities, but it also comes with its own challenges. Finding a community that offers support is a true goldmine. To really integrate with that community, it’s important to give as much as you get.
Whenever you see an opportunity to lend someone else a helping hand, take it. People are much more likely to help you in return if they see you as an equally valued member of the community.
Engage With Your Employees
As your bookkeeping business grows, so too will your employees. Invite them to network events along with you. Not only will it expand their horizons, but it also doubles the chances of someone from your business to meet that golden connection or potential new client.
Even if you run a virtual bookkeeping franchise, there are still so many virtual networking options available. Plus, if you can get yourself and your employees to a physical event, it’s a great opportunity to spend some time with them in person.
Looking for Extra Help?
With these tips on networking for franchisees, you’ll soon be schmoozing with the best of them. Make sure to come prepared with your elevator pitch and business cards ready to go, and you’ll be amazed at how quickly it becomes second nature. If you’re looking for more tips on starting a bookkeeping franchise, don’t hesitate to contact us. The BooXkeeping franchise team is always happy to point franchisees in the right direction for getting the help they need.
