Social distancing has definitely been the most used term of 2020 so far. It’s not something we ever dealt with before, yet it looks like we will have to contend with it for many more months. Even as the world slowly returns to something resembling normal, social distancing rules are still in place across various walks of life. For businesses, this throws up a couple of key issues. One of those issues relates to events and networking. Previously, you’d attend business events as a way of networking and growing your brand. Unfortunately, the chances of thousands of people being allowed in a confined space are very slim. So, is it possible to network in the age of social distancing?
The short answer is yes. While attending corporate events is an excellent way of networking, it’s not the only approach you can take. In fact, there are two very effective networking ideas that you can try from the comfort of your home. Both of them take place online, so start implementing them in your business to grow your network today.
Online networking events
A big thing to take from 2020 is that the human race is very adaptable. When faced with sudden and drastic changes, you start to see who the smartest people are. This is highly evident in business as the companies enjoying the most success are ones who have used their brains and adapted to change. Apply this to the idea of networking and you soon find a simple alternative to traditional business events.
That’s right, you can attend online events instead! A quick search will point you in the direction of many online business events that you can attend remotely. Here, you get to watch presentations and communicate with other people via a webchat. There’s still a chance to expand your knowledge while connecting with likeminded people. Ironically, one advantage of this is that you could grow your network far and wide by making international connections that wouldn’t have been possible with traditional events!
Social media
Social media is always fantastic when it comes to networking. Now, the best way to network on social media is to use LinkedIn. This is more of a professional social media website where you can directly connect to other business professionals. It’s a simple case of reaching out with a message and starting a dialogue with others.
Or, you can create content for your LinkedIn page that attracts more people to it. From here, other people may engage by leaving comments, which sets up networking opportunities. It’s very straightforward and this should already be a firm part of your networking strategy.
While social distancing may keep us apart, it doesn’t mean you can’t connect with others. You just have to think outside the box and move away from traditional ideas. Who knows, you may find that these two networking ideas work better for you than the old-school ways! You might never attend another business event again because these two approaches create better results. Regardless, don’t sit back and assume you can’t do any networking because of social distancing – it’s definitely possible.
