As a business owner I knew that networking is essential to grow my business, but what I wasn’t expecting was all of the love and support I would gain too.
However, not all networking events are the same and after visiting many different meetings I discovered that I love networking with other businesswomen. It just feels right – and the results speak for themselves.
Further to this, I love networking SO much that I decided to start my own networking meetings and WIBN Warrington, St Helens and a national online group was born.
Why I chose WIBN – well it’s pretty simple really
It is THE BEST networking group for women out there. And I’ve been to a lot!
It isn’t a clique or a club. You don’t need to know anyone and it definitely isn’t like mean girls.
We’re all genuine lovely women who have a business that we love and we want to grow and become more visible – but we want to do that with like-minded women.
First, it’s the women – they are all successful businesswomen who are there for a lot of different reasons but they are all natural supporters and encourages
Why WIBN instead of the other women’s networks? – there is nothing I would change about it. How many times do you go somewhere and think “I wish they would just do that” or “If only they did this”?
I didn’t think that with WIBN which is why I decided to start my own groups using the support from a network that has been running women-only networking groups for 17 years.
I genuinely wouldn’t change a thing!
I’ve been to the more structured networking events that are very structured, and very target-driven and there is a rhetoric of ‘You must, you must, you must
I’ve also been to the opposite end of the scale where it’s a lot more relaxed – a social, over coffee with people that are at the beginning of their journey and perhaps haven’t taken the leap into being self-employed full time.
Women In Business Network is the perfect blend of both
Bringing the balance of fun and formal and it brings some of the brilliant elements of the corporate world into networking whilst retaining all of the support and friendship.
WIBN has an agenda that we follow – and the franchisee is the perfect woman to facilitate the meeting by guiding the group through the agenda. It’s got 3 key ingredients (well 4 actually – because the food is just as important)
The first key ingredient
The Monthly Minute
This helps you to practice articulating what it is that you do. Getting it out of your head and communicating with people what it is that you do and how you can help them.
Business Topic
Everyone needs to learn things as they travel along this amazing personal development journey. And the business topics cover things that you could just never imagine. They help you in your business to develop the skills you need to really succeed.
Member Spotlight
This is where you have the chance to tell everyone more about you. You as a person and you as a business owner – you scratch below the surface and really connect with your fellow members.
But why just women?
The reason that I think networking with women works (and I only network with women now) is because as you know in sales and marketing the thing that really works in the:
- Know
- Like
- Trust
- Buy
Funnel…
There are books about it everywhere and it’s proven to work. Nobody goes from meeting a stranger to buying from them. Equally not many people see something online for the first time and buy it immediately. There is a process that they go through before they take the leap and make that purchase. And you can’t bypass this process.
Know, Like, Trust and Buy
Women are brilliant at this – they just naturally do it as part of their day-to-day life. Women are interested in YOU, how you work, and what makes you tick. Once they feel they have gotten to know you better they are naturally interested in your business and helping you to succeed.
Community
The other thing that you can be missing as a business owner aside from day-to-day structure is a sense of community. Running a business can be a lonely place and you need fellow business owners to talk things through with, whinge to and generally feel supported. You can show up as your authentic self – there is no need for a corporate mask or a ‘work personality’ we want to know the real you.
Your fellow WIBN members are a ready-made peer group – it’s a bit like being in a leadership meeting (but without that annoying bloke that is head of IT).
Outside of the meetings WIBN members meet up and have 121 meetings to cement those relationships – it’s just like a work family only you get to choose. And we all need that!
Strangers become Friends
All of these elements add together to really build trust. Strangers become friends – whether you want them or not.
And it’s not all about business. These women will help you in your personal life too. WIBN members cover everything from children’s psychology to home staging and help with your insurance. And who better to get these things from than someone you know and trust.
There is nowhere else that I have felt comfortable enough to show my true self and meet likeminded women that have given me the most amazing support whilst growing my business AND friendship too.
If you want to find out a little more about the amazing world of networking with WIBN you can read more here. All About the Women In Business Network