Of the more than 31 million small businesses in the US last year, the firms that employed the least number of staff grew the most, creating over 1 million new jobs. If you have a small business that you are hoping to expand, establishing networks to help you communicate both online and in-person is essential. Whether you are a freelancer setting up a physical office for the first time or you already run a successful business that’s ready to move to larger premises, getting connected should be your priority.
Expanding Your IT Network
In the physical sense, this means establishing a reliable and comprehensive IT infrastructure when moving your business location.
As soon as you have secured your new premises, you can identify any potential cabling problems and ensure that all your networking needs will be met.
This will allow your employees to stay connected with each other, and communicate without interruption or unplanned downtime.
It has been estimated that small businesses could lose $40 billion in productivity this year because of internet outages.
With a strong network and fast internet connection, your growing business can stay in regular contact with established clients, while also reaching out for new business.
Building Up Your Customer Base
Away from the office, social networking events offer a valuable opportunity to meet new like-minded people and find potential clients for your business.
At conferences, talks, or even happy hour drinks, you may have the opportunity to set up partnerships with other companies who carry out work in a field that is complementary to your own with a view to referring business to each other.
Wherever you go, simply leaving a business card with everyone you meet can quickly help to spread the word about the work you do. The promotion of the business on social media pages is also a good idea to a stronger base.
Increasing Your Workforce
As 85% of jobs are filled through networking, making the effort to connect with other businesses and individuals is also one of the best ways to find new employees for your growing enterprise.
For a small business, hiring new workers can be expensive and time-consuming.
However, contacting people you already know, or asking for referrals from other companies, can save a lot of effort and reduce the risk of hiring unvetted employees.
