Business Networking - Who Wins?

Business Networking - it's a buzz word for today, but who wins? If two people network, do they both win? If both of them win, does the customer lose? Ideally, business networking should result in a win-win-win situation. And in most cases, that is what does happen. Individuals or businesses can network to provide enhanced services, faster services, and better talent to clients than either would have working alone. The client can belong to either business, or be shared by both. Clients can be an existing client, or new, or one that both individuals or businesses pitched together to obtain.

For example, a print advertising agency has a client that wants a video production. This ad agency can network with a reputable media production house to provide the video production. At the same time, the video house can benefit by having the print agency do any related printing or DVD covers, etc., that might be needed. The video producer can focus on what they do best, the video production, and leave the print items to the network partner who specializes in that area. Neither has to take on the burden of new talent, or purchasing equipment to provide what the client wants. The network relationship can be informal or put on paper like a partnership. Meetings would be helpful in advance to propose the project, and determine the division of duties, and of course, important monetary distributions and bookkeeping details.

Looking at "business networking - who wins?" from the client side, the benefits are working with one contact person (sales or marketing representative) who is the intermediary between the client and both companies. Simplification of payment and records, and time saving are also cost savers. There may be some actual dollar savings for the client who works with business networkers also, if they pass along some of their own savings to the client. The client receives better product from both companies who network together, because each is skilled in their particular area and do not have to try to "wing it" or start from scratch in an area they do not know.

Putting together these business networking partnerships can be easy or hard, depending on the principals involved, but it is always interesting, especially when it works like clockwork. The most difficult part is probably the interactions of different personalities, especially in an ego involved area like creative services. There must be a willingness to negotiate and compromise, to reach effective solutions and remain client centered. On the client side, they may not even realize what is going on the in background with the networking process. Nor do they have to know about any business networking. All they need to know is they are getting the best, highest quality performance from the company(ies) they have hired for this job.

If two people (or businesses) network, do they both win? If both of them win, does a customer lose? Yes and no, if business networking is conducted properly, the business networkers win, and the customer does not lose. Otherwise there is no benefit to the networking!

Article Source: http://nichecontentarticles.com

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