Networking can develop long-lasting and beneficial partnerships


“Now recognised as Britain's favourite bakery brand,


Warburtons has doubled in size in the last decade alone to become a £500 million-a-year business. This means that more than a quarter of all bakery products consumed in the UK is produced by Warburtons.” And such success will undoubtedly have been aided by


the cultivation of relationships – from loyal customers in Bolton to the realisation of mutually beneficial partnerships countywide and utilising the evolving options open to the business as collaboration opportunities developed. Yet networking and collaboration is not without its challenges. There are clearly implications to factor in – some are financial, while many relate to the precious time cultivating relationships can take. Such pressure on time and resources can cause some


business owners and leaders to weigh up and question the value of networking on a regular basis. Start-ups and smaller enterprises, for example, may have a handful of staff at most so committing regularly to networking and collaboration-based activity can be a big commitment, especially considering such efforts may not immediately bear fruit. As the old adage goes, time is money. Yes, a sustained approach to sourcing potential clients,


customers and partners may offer tangible outcomes in the fullness of time, but can fledgling businesses afford such


time in their formative months and years? For starters, there needs to be an acceptance that in most circumstances there’s a degree of give and take – an understanding that it is a fluid process which can ebb and flow. Best-selling author and business conference speaker Bob


Burg sums the premise of networking up effectively when he states “Networking is simply the cultivating of mutually beneficial, give and take, win-win relationships. It works best, however, when emphasising the ‘give’ part”. And of course just getting yours and your business’


name out there and becoming known in your business circles – be that your local business community or your sector – can start adding value and integrity, aside from the crux of sourcing new clients and securing new partnerships. Just as getting regular exercise can have a knock-on


effect to other areas of an individual’s life – such as mental health, mood, quality of sleep and the like – so too can networking and collaboration gradually begin to add layers of added value. And there is of course no right or wrong way to network


and connect with others. The landscape of networking and collaboration is an ever-moving one because of the aforementioned technological enhancements – not just in terms of our ability to communicate across the world online, via the phone or through conference


business network March 2019 57


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