Business Networking as a course

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Offline Faiyaz

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Business Networking as a course
« on: September 29, 2012, 08:30:39 PM »
When I was in my 6th semester I had the opportunity to take the organizational behavior course under our honorable Masum Iqbal sir. And sincerely speaking I loved it. If I have to name only one course that I enjoyed, I'd definately say OB. Now lets come to the point, in the course I learnt that effective managers do a lot of communication where successful managers do networking. Networking is an activity done among a 'syndicated' managers which pave opportunities for themselves (individuals and for the hailing business entity). For example, a marketing manager may take help from a sales manager for transportational facilities. Or when our teachers bring different resource persons for different seminars without compensation it's also networking. On the other hand these resource persons are also networking as their arrival is much more powerful integrated marketing communication than PR or advertising now a days, proved in several studies. But as a student of marketing, you've to know that everything is about internation with the other person, which could be either organizational or that person could be the consumer. But I see internal networking is much more complex than external ones. First you have to be a 'citizen' of the organization. Then you got to conjunct yourself with a 'group', increase your membership. And then make a somewhat 'clique' among themselves so that you may be part of a huge section of influentials.
So to call a spade a bloody shovel, I think business networking is a very crucial matter which is very much related with the current business interactions. And I think that it should be introduced as a core course in the syllabus since even in our varsity most of the students are naive and fail to understand complexity and fell to different 'traps' set by some cunning people. Thus we will be able to relate with true corporate world still away from that. Again I am asking apology if my words have hurt any and I know that I should have researched a lot before posting but I felt like letting people have a glimpse of what it should be like in very easy terms. And I cordially ask the authority to render some attention in this regard.     
M. Faiyaz Naveed
Asst. Administrative Officer
Office of the Pro-Vice Chancellor
Daffodil International University

Offline goodboy

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Re: Business Networking as a course
« Reply #1 on: September 29, 2012, 10:53:33 PM »
Interesting post & I think it is a well thought subject to be introduced as a course in BBA program!!
 You are right Mr. Faiyaz, Networking means a lot for todays generation to accomplish any kind of job or planing. So if this course granted, then I think we will have the great opportunity to know some fantastic tricks & tactics of making internal & external interactions with others.

Thank you.
Md. Abul Hossain Shajib.
101-11-1375
Department of BBA, Sec:B.
25th Batch.
Daffodil International University.
Email: shajib_1375@diu.edu.bd
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Offline tree

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Re: Business Networking as a course
« Reply #2 on: December 03, 2012, 11:25:13 PM »
Business Networking is a really valuable way to expand your knowledge, learn from the success of others, attain new clients and tell others about your business.

I highly recommend business networking as a way to gain new clients and to build a sustainable business. Here are the top 9 benefits for business owners of getting involved in networking:
1.   Generation of referrals/Increased business

This is probably the most obvious benefit and the reason most business owners decide to participate in networking activities and join networking groups.

The great news is that the referrals that you get through networking are normally high quality and most of the time are even pre-qualified for you. You can then follow up on these referrals/leads and turn them into clients. So you are getting much higher quality leads from networking than other forms of marketing.

The increase in business from networking is the major advantage, but there are many others as well.
2.   Opportunities

With a motivated group of business owners comes an abundance of opportunities! There are always lots of opportunities that come from networking and in fact this is where the benefits of business networking are huge!

Opportunities like joint ventures, client leads, partnerships, speaking and writing opportunities, business or asset sales… the list goes on, and the opportunities within networking are really endless.

Just make sure you are jumping on board with the right opportunities and don’t go jumping into every opportunity that comes your way. The opportunities that you get involved in should align with your business goals/vision, otherwise you might find that you are spinning your wheels chasing after opportunity after opportunity and getting nowhere.
3.   Connections

“It’s not WHAT you know, but WHO you know”. This is so true in business. If you want a really successful business, then you need to have a great source of relevant connections in your network that you can call on when you need them.

Networking provides you with a great source of connections, and really opens the door to talk to highly influential people that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to easily talk to or find.

It’s not just about who you are networking with directly either – that person will already have a network you can tap into as well. So ask the right questions to find out if the person you are networking with knows who you want to know!
4.   Advice

Having like-minded business owners to talk to also gives you the opportunity to get advice from them on all sorts of things related to your business or even your personal life and obtaining that important work-life balance.

Networking is a great way to tap into advice and expertise that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to get hold of. Just make sure you are getting solid advice from the right person – someone that actually knows about what you need to know and is not just giving you their opinion on something that they have no or very little experience in.
5.   Raising your profile

Being visible and getting noticed is a big benefit of networking. Make sure you regularly attend business and social events that will help to get your face known. You can then help to build your reputation as a knowledgeable, reliable and supportive person by offering useful information or tips to people who need it. You are also more likely to get more leads and referrals as you will be the one that pops into their head when they need what you offer.
6.   Positive Influence

The people that you hang around with and talk to do influence who you are and what you do, so it is important to be surrounding yourself with positive, uplifting people that help you to grow and thrive as a business owner. Networking is great for this, as business owners that are using networking are usually people that are really going for it, positive and uplifting.
7.   Increased confidence

By regularly networking, and pushing yourself to talk to people you don’t know, you will get increased confidence the more you do this. This is really important as a business owner, because your business growth is very dependant on talking to people and making connections.

Networking is great for people that aren’t confident as it really pushes them to grow and learn how to make conversations and lasting connections with people they don’t know.

I was certainly not confident when I started networking, in fact it completely petrified me! But as I do it more, the more confident I get and the easier it becomes, and the more benefit I get from it.
8.   Satisfaction from helping others

I really love helping other people, and networking is a fantastic way that allows me to do this easily. Networking is full of business owners that have problems or issues within their business that need solving, and there is great satisfaction from helping someone to solve a problem they have and get a fantastic result from it.
9.   Friendship

Lastly, this one is more personal related rather than business related, but is a big benefit none-the-less. Many friendships form as a result of networking because (mostly) you are all like-minded business owners that want to grow your businesses, and you meet and help each other regularly, so naturally strong friendships tend to form. Some of my strongest friendships have been started from networking.