Key Takeaways
- Shift your mindset from “taking” to “connecting”
- Know who you want to meet
- Upgrade how you introduce yourself
- Make conversations easier and more valuable
- Follow up in a way most people never do
For most small and medium-sized business owners, growth doesn’t come from random luck. It comes from relationships.
The right introduction can lead to new clients, better suppliers, strategic partners, or even investors. Yet many entrepreneurs treat networking as occasional events and business card swaps rather than as a core business skill.
You don’t need to “work the room” like a politician to be good at networking. You need a simple approach you can repeat consistently.
This is your bi-weekly SME Entrepreneur Newsletter.
This article breaks networking into five practical habits:
1. Shift your mindset: from hunting to helping
Poor networking feels like hunting: collect as many cards as possible, pitch to everyone, push your agenda.
Effective networking is the opposite. It’s about being known as someone who helps.
Two simple mindset shifts:
-From “What can I get?” to “How can I help?”
Look for small, specific ways to be useful: share an insight, suggest a resource, make an intro.
-From “meeting everyone” to “building a small circle”
You don’t need hundreds of contacts. A handful of strong relationships will beat a thick stack of business cards.
2. Get clear on who you want to meet
“Networking” is too vague. Be specific about the types of people who would genuinely move your business forward.
Think of three categories:
1. Potential customers or clients
- Who typically buys from you?
- What roles, industries, or company sizes?
2. Partners and collaborators
- Who serves the same customers but isn’t a competitor?
- Agencies, consultants, software providers, complementary service providers?
3. Guides and peers
- More experienced founders who’ve solved problems you’re facing
- Peers at a similar stage who can share lessons and support
3. Upgrade how you introduce yourself
Many SME owners lose people in the first 10 seconds:
- Too vague: “I’m in consulting.”
- Too technical: “We provide integrated multi-channel demand generation solutions.”
- Too long: a full company pitch before anyone has asked a question.
Aim for a simple, conversational answer to “What do you do?” that covers:
1. Who do you help?
2. What problem do you solve?
3. The outcome you create
Formula:
“I help [type of customer] who struggle with [problem] to [result], so they can [bigger benefit].”
Examples:
- “I help independent retailers who struggle with online sales to set up simple e-commerce and marketing systems so that they can grow without massive ad budgets.”
4. Make conversations easier and more valuable
If networking feels awkward, you’re probably putting pressure on yourself to be impressive. Shift the focus to being *curious* instead.
Ask better questions:
Instead of the usual “So, what do you do?”, try:
- “What kind of customers do you usually work with?”
- “What’s something you’re focused on growing this year?”
- “What’s working well for you at the moment?”
- “What’s been challenging in your business lately?”
These questions quickly reveal where you might be able to help, refer, or share an experience.
5. Follow up like a professional, not a stranger
Most of the value in networking happens *after* the event, and this is where most people drop the ball.
Simple follow-up system
Within 24–48 hours:
1. Send a short, personal message
- Reference your conversation
- Offer one small piece of value (a link, intro, or thought)
- Suggest a low-pressure next step (only if it makes sense)
2. Connect on one main platform
Choose what best fits your market: LinkedIn, a local business group, or a relevant industry community.
3. Capture key notes
- Congratulate them on a visible win (new office, award, launch)
- Invite them to a relevant event or webinar
- Ask a quick, thoughtful question that shows you remember them
Consistency over time builds genuine relationships. That’s where referrals and opportunities come from.
At your next event or online call, use this one-line intro structure:
> “I help [type of customer] who struggle with [problem] to [result], so they can [bigger benefit].”
Then, commit to following up with just two people within 48 hours. That small change alone will improve your networking results.
“May you always have the mindset of an entrepreneur”
Sajjad Hamid is an SME & Family Business Adviser who supports entrepreneurs in scaling their ventures. In his spare time in Trinidad and Tobago, he cultivates organic tropical fruits and vegetables, practising sustainable farming in his home garden.
He is the author of Build Your Legacy Business: Solopreneur To Family Business Hero. Sajjad is a Fellow of the Family Firm Institute. You can contact him at [email protected] or visit www.entrepreneurtnt.com.
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