Over nearly a decade watching thousands of small businesses launch and scale through networking, I’ve learned what works, and it’s rarely what people expect.
Real business growth doesn’t happen in stuffy conference rooms with forced icebreakers. It tends to happen when people make genuine connections, and often when they have clear intentions.
Before you go
1. Be crystal clear about what you need (and what you can give)
The biggest mistake is showing up thinking “I need to network” with zero strategy. People meet dozens of contacts and achieve nothing.
Before any event, get specific. What problem are you solving? Finding a commercial solicitor? Sourcing manufacturers? Connecting with salon owners in your region?
Equally important: what value can you bring? Introductions? Expertise? Being a potential customer?
The most successful networkers I’ve met are givers first. They show up thinking “who can I help?” and business opportunities follow naturally. I’ve watched this play out thousands of times.
2. Research strategically, then make warm approaches
Most events publish attendee lists or have online communities. Use them.
Look for people who are one step ahead of where you want to be, doing something complementary to your business, or facing challenges you’ve already solved.
Then reach out before the event. A simple “Saw you’re attending, would love to connect about X” transforms random networking into purposeful meetings.
Tap into your network – warm introductions convert at about 10 times the rate of cold approaches.
At the event
3. Ditch the elevator pitch, have real conversations
Nobody wants to be pitched at. After nearly a decade observing business networking, I can tell you: the hard sell repels people.
Lead with genuine curiosity:
- “What brought you here today?”
- “What’s working well in your business right now?”
- “What’s your biggest challenge at the moment?”
Listen properly. When someone mentions a problem you can help with, offer genuine value: “I know someone who solved exactly that. Let me introduce you.”
That’s how meaningful relationships start. You help fulfil a need through your knowledge or network, trust gets built, and business follows naturally.
4. Make following up fast and frictionless
Business cards are dead in 2026. Accept it.
The smoothest connections happen when you have systems sorted: QR code linking to WhatsApp Business or LinkedIn, a simple way to capture details instantly, calendar app ready to book follow-ups on the spot.
I’ve seen brilliant businesses lose opportunities fumbling for LinkedIn while their new contact drifts away. Remove every bit of friction from staying connected.
After the event
5. Follow up within 48 hours, with substance
Here’s the truth as I’ve seen it, time and again: if you don’t follow up within two days, you probably won’t at all.
But don’t just send “lovely to meet you!” – that’s meaningless. Your follow-up needs substance:
- Reference something specific from your conversation
- Deliver on whatever you promised
- Suggest a concrete next step with an actual date
Good follow-up: “Really enjoyed discussing your Birmingham expansion. I’ve introduced you by email to someone who runs three clinics there and navigated exactly those challenges. Fancy a coffee early March? I have thoughts on the supplier piece you mentioned.”
That gets a response and tends to start a real relationship.
6. Think ecosystem, not transaction
This is the biggest lesson from watching entrepreneurs and consumers network: the most successful don’t network for immediate gain. They build ecosystems.
After every event:
- Add contacts with proper notes about how you might help
- Connect people in your network with each other (this creates enormous goodwill)
- Share opportunities or introductions when genuinely relevant
- Check in quarterly, even if it’s just “saw this and thought of you”
The businesses that have grown from kitchen-table startups to seven figures aren’t the ones constantly asking for business. They’re the ones consistently adding value, making introductions, and showing up for others.
Giving your all
One of the most influential books I’ve read that has influenced me when it comes to networking is The Go Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann. I love it because they talk about giving before anything else. It dedicates its opening chapter to how much your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment, and I believe that’s key to all successful business relationships.
The reality
I believe effective networking is about building genuine relationships with clear purpose. One solid connection with someone who gets your business or opens meaningful doors is worth a hundred superficial LinkedIn connections.
Quality beats quantity every time. The small businesses I’ve seen thrive, from dental practices to law firms, all understand this. They network, they give to others, and they follow through. That’s the formula, as I see it. Add value to your network by building relationships instead of contact lists.
Do that consistently, and 2026 will be your year.
Zamiha Desai MBE is founder of ProfessionalAsian