Five benefits of networking you’ve probably never considered.

Congratulations! You’ve found your TRIBE.

It can be incredibly tough working for yourself. Sometimes you’ll do anything to avoid those tasks you don’t really like doing, perhaps it’s the filing, or picking up the phone to make some cold calls?  So if you ever find yourself procrastinating here is what you do. Put on a fabulous dress, do your hair and make-up, get out of the house and go and network. 

Get yourself to a business women’s lunch and you could find your tribe. Women who are driven and passionate. Whether it be selling greetings cards or offering financial advice you can find women who have a vision for their future and are following it.  When you are networking it is for you and not your other roles you might have in life. Spending time with like minded women can  make you feel you can move a mountain, and if a mountain needed moving, they’d roll up their sleeves too and you could all move it together. 

You can meet some of the best friends you can ever make no matter where around the  world you end up.

After attending an event you go back to your own office more motivated and able to tackle tasks you have perhaps been previously putting off. So exactly what is it you do when you are networking that can help achieve this mindset shift.

1. Realise we are not alone. You hear someone else hates doing their accounts or dreads cold calling and realise you feel normal. You may also get some great tips on how you can get past what-ever road blocks you are navigating. Sometimes just hearing yourself verbally articulate your issues helps you find the solution.
2. Offer advice. If someone else is struggling with something you have overcome you’re able to offer advice. Perhaps someone is wondering how they could send out a survey to potential customers and you’re a Survey Monkey ninja then your advice could make their day. By hearing about what others struggle with you’ll realise you have many skills that you just take for granted. Pat yourself on the back for areas you are awesome in and share advice with others.
3. Set each other challenges. Most groups meet monthly, so why not group challenges. In one months’ time could you have a group challenge to tidy your office space, install virus protection, sort out public liability insurance, update your website, be a guest blogger. If you have items on your things to do list then share them at the next event and check in with each other. Start a post on the group Facebook page and post pictures of your tidy office or links to your latest blog post. By being accountable to each other you can achieve more. 
4. Swap services. You hate gardening but are a computer whiz. If your front lawn needs some love but you can’t afford to hire someone can you do a swap with the woman who runs the gardening company and has a tired old website. Bartering services can be a great way to get going at the beginning when you have more time that money.
5. Change your environment. Productivity experts recommend changing your work environment often. Even if it is taking your laptop and sitting in another room for 45 minutes changing your environment is a great way to boost your brain. Don’t wait another whole month, arrange to have a quick coffee brainstorm with some of the attendees before the next meeting and see your productivity, and sanity benefit!