What is the meaning of business networking on Staten Island?
What is the point of networking on Staten Island?
The point of networking on Staten Island is to meet new people and build relationships. This is the key to building and growing your business. Everyone wants to be able to say, “I know someone…” or “I recommend this person for….”. This all happens in good time. When you first date a person, you don’t drop to one knee and ask for their hand in marriage. You go on dates, get to know each other and build a relationship of trust and confidence that you can recommend this person. I don’t recommend everyone, some people I just don’t click with but there are many others that I will recommend. When you recommend business, you should trust that they are going to get the best treatment and be well taken care of. If not, you can burn a bridge with your customer and possibly lose them yourself.
Another important note, and it’s weird to think… Staten Island is like a small mid-west town. Everybody knows everybody. Someone’s cousin is related to my brothers Uncle or you went to school with this one who knows my brother. It’s crazy. I meet so many people and we always wind up saying the same thing… what a small world. The more people you meet, the more people you will realize you already have a relationship in some way.
How long is it going to take?
It may take weeks or maybe a few years, trust is earned and as long as you can show that you can be trusted, business will come your way. At my first mixer, I introduced myself and started my sales pitch. Casale Jewelers has the best jewelry, we design customized jewelry and we only have the best. It is all true of course, LOL, but it didn’t work. I was a walking billboard and business card flipper rather than someone that can be spoken to and feel comfortable around. I started reading and educating myself about networking and that’s when I realized that I had no idea what I was doing. Networking = relationships. Read up on it. Jeffrey Gitomers book, “Little Black Book of Connections” is a great read.
What networking groups are are available on Staten Island?
There are business specific groups like BNI and Chamber Business Guilds to name a few. Each business classification is exclusive so you can’t have 2 jewelers or plumbers, only 1. Than you have larger business organizations such as the SIEDC and the Chamber of Commerce. Both try to better Staten Island by getting involved with the community and having special events that businesses are part of and support. And finally, they have charity specific organiztions such as the Rotary (I am part of South Shore) that signfiy service before self. Rotary in International and do a large amount of work for the community. Either way, each of these groups allow you to network and show the type of person you are. You market yourself by getting involved and others like to deal with people they know.
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For More Information, feel free to contact:
Cory N. Schifter
Casale Jewelers
1639 Richmond Road Staten Island, NY 10304
P: 718.351.8300
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