Climate Business Network

Boards of Trade along with Chambers of commerce are those organizations with local, regional, national, international and bilateral representation or Chambers, forming a global business network, which their primary goal is to improve the business climate in a locality. Hence, the local Chamber of Commerce can help you grow your own small business.

From business cards to common projects and a broad range of services, the Chamber of Commerce is a good opportunity to promote your business. There is a misconception regarding these organizations, which prevents many home business owners from joining, because typically it is believed that only mid-size and large companies can become members.

Small businesses can join their local Chamber of Commerce to prosper quickly, promoting each other and working together toward common goals. Business cards are the best way to show that you belong to the Chamber, which aids in improving your opportunities to close deals easily.

Your Chamber of Commerce may bring you many other associated benefits and the opportunity to attend events with other small businesses where you will be able to set up a booth to promote your products or services, as well as exchange your business cards with visitors and other businesses.

Furthermore, as a member of the local Chamber, you can qualify for low cost health and business insurance, and have access to the small business consultant’s office, where mentors can help you develop your own strategies, and over time, you can become a mentor yourself.

Through your local Chamber of Commerce, you can be referred to other Chamber members. You need to make sure there are enough business cards in your pocket when you meet them at events such as lunchtime sales or parties featuring new products or services for local small business’ owners. Continue Reading

I have a colleague who works in the construction industry, initially in the insulation industry and latterly in the glazing systems market. He’s a great guy and full of the joys of spring.

Talk to him about the merits of Pilkington K glass or ask him to explain window energy ratings and he’ll wax lyrical for many an hour (especially if he has beer in his hand!). How I admire someone who is so passionate and full of belief for the company in which he works.

Talk to him about the economic climate and how “safe” he feels at the moment and you’ll get a different story about how the construction industry in general is going through a hard time.

“Work in the public sector is holding up and that’s only to be expected as the government pledges to keep on spending and not make any cuts – well at least until after the election!

Construction in the private sector however is a different story and particularly is what’s called the domestic sector – that which is paid for by you and me. At the end of the day, when the average man in the street is worried about his job, the last thing on his mind is going to whether to build an extension to his house, add another layer of loft insulation or buy a new conservatory.”

Read the papers or indeed many of the other articles on this site and you cannot escape the fact that many companies (and not just in the construction industry) are having a bad time of it. The budgets have been done for next financial year, the revenue forecast is poor due to a lower selling price and input costs continue to rise on the back of the price of oil so there’s only one way to make ends meet and that’s is to reorganise and cut heads.

The publicity of redundancies leads to a lack of confidence in job security and we tighten our belts, is it any wonder that the average man of woman in the street is not spending as much as they were a couple of years ago. Continue Reading

As the owner or manager of a small business, nothing is more important than finding new customers and clients that you can work with. This is always an important goal, and it’s especially crucial in tough economic climates when business is harder to come by. Of course the problem is that the economy also slashes your marketing and promotion budget, leaving your hands tied and your options limited. The best low cost marketing option that you have available to you is business networking.

Business networking isn’t anything complex, it’s exactly what it sounds like. However, you may be surprised to learn how few people take advantage of these opportunities. Additionally there are other people that would like to make more use of such an effective low cost marketing strategy but they don’t know how. It’s important to understand the basic elements of business networking so that you and your organization can continue to move forward, thrive and grow.

The truth is that business networking is all about building relationships. When it comes down to it, people are going to do business with people they know, and people they trust. When you go the extra mile for somebody by getting to know them, talking to them and learning about their needs, you are helping yourself stand above the competition. Then when it comes time to make a decision you and your company will be the obvious choice, instead of just another group in the running.

These are things that a brochure or an advertisement will never be able to get you. You can’t buy somebody’s trust or respect, and you can’t just go around advertising that you’re credible. All of this has to be earned, but the great thing is that it’s essentially free to get done. It’s the perfect low cost marketing solution, and it’s easy and intuitive to accomplish once you get started. Continue Reading