About 5% to 20% of new customers come from trade shows
Business relationships are built through face-to-face contact. Fairs, trade shows, conventions, and other networking events provide ¼ to 2 million potential opportunities for the average individual to meet people while at the same time expanding their network for business.
A study in the U.K. found that about 5% to 20% of new customers come from trade shows. One of the primary benefits of trade shows is that 90% of them have an open bar and the majority of them involve small, one-on-one conversations where people can get to know each other, share their needs and interests, and possibly establish an in-person connection that could lead to repeat business.
Trade shows come in almost any size and shape, and are very popular in the United Kingdom and the United States. Of the top ten trade fairs, eight of them take place in the United Kingdom and the total number of annual trade fair attendees in Europe is more than 1 billion. And although the United States usually hosts the highest number of trade fairs, the United Kingdom has the largest number of attendees.
Of the U.K. business events, business shows take first place by a long shot. They are usually local in nature and tend to be smaller. Many large companies host corporate events, but they usually take place every few months at a local golf club or hotel.
Approximately 40% of prospects become new customers with in-person meetings
At shows.
Approximately 58.5% of leads sourced from trade shows are qualified to be sales prospects.
Online outreach generates a high percentage of leads, but only 1.4% of qualified leads become sales in the following year.
An average B2B business has 60-90 contacts in its database. (Based on analysis by the research firm EuroFIND)
Every $1 invested in business travel yields $12.50 in incremental revenue
In business, it’s a well-known fact that tangible investments and capital expenses such as office space, computers, furniture, and equipment can create significant gains in value and earnings. Yet, there’s often a greater opportunity cost for intangible investments, such as training, mentoring, participation in industry associations, and membership in other associations that pay fees. And it’s been proven that the payoff of association membership is more than that of tangible financial investments, indicating that it can be a solid enterprise value driver to the success of a company’s financial position.
Business cards help land new business, according to 90% of business owners
According to a study conducted by CardMunch, nearly 90% of business owners believe business cards help land new business. 83% of business owners handing out cards said the result of distributing cards has been new business. The survey also found a 43% increase in new business card recipients from 2008 to 2009.
Business cards are a great way to keep a number of vital contact information on hand, even when you’re not vacationing, attending a conference, or meeting with clients.
Many freelancers (46%) get work from friends & family
To get freelance work, you sometimes have to tap your own personal network of referrals.
LinkedIn Messages have led to new opportunities for 35% of networkers
LinkedIn provides a great platform to network. These stats prove LinkedIn as well as other social connections can help people find new opportunities and extend their reach, often for the better.
LinkedIn provides a great platform to network. These stats proves LinkedIn as well as other social connections can help people find new opportunities and extend their reach, often for the better. You don't need to take out a bank loan to make their happen!
LinkedIn provides a great platform to network. These stats prove LinkedIn as well as other social connections can help people find new opportunities and extend their reach, often for the better. You don't need to take out a bank loan to make their happen! While they don't always work out, 68% of networkers have received a referral from a LinkedIn connection.
LinkedIn provides a great platform to network. These stats prove LinkedIn as well as other social connections can help people find new opportunities and extend their reach, often for the better. You don't need to take out a bank loan to make their happen! While they don't always work out, 68% of networkers have received a referral from a LinkedIn connection. 58% of networkers use LinkedIn to connect with others for professional development.
About 38% of entrepreneurs say bars & restaurants are great places to network
About 41% say that working website are excellent places to network.
About 40% of entrepreneurs say at least 50% of contacts are leads.
About 42% say face-to-face is important for beginning a relationship.
About 23% say event attendance is important so you can meet people at events.
About 34% of entrepreneurs say monthly chapter meetings are valuable.
About 28% of entrepreneurs say monthly meetings are important to stay current.
About 29% say social media is effective for professional development.
About 20% of entrepreneurs say social media is important to keep you current.
About 39% say social media is useful to develop a personal profile.
About 38% of entrepreneurs say social media is useful to develop a personal brand.
You should make eye contact 30% to 60% of the time
You’re probably already in the habit of making eye contact and being polite when you’re talking to people. Meeting new people is even more nerve-racking, as you don’t want to scare them off by staring at them too hard or by staring not hard enough. However, it’s been found that you should make eye contact with a stranger roughly 30% to 60% of the time.
A study was conducted in public areas of local shopping centers where there were two versions of a smiling, painted mural. One version was simple and looked like a blank, featureless wall, while the other version was done in vivid colors with a humanlike face. Researchers had six people walk by the murals each time and, to make sure they didn’t note what the mural depicted, surreptitiously told them that it was a painting by Picasso. They then watched to see how many times the people tried to avoid the face. The people who passed the humanlike face in vivid colors, however, made an average of 20% more eye contact (over 40% of the time) than those who walked by the blank wall.
Over 43% of the attention we devote to someone goes to their eyes
- And the power of connection has spread to even the most inauspicious of places.
- We connect with strangers in the waiting room at the doctor’s office, at the local coffee shop, and in the back of our favorite chains……(yeah, we’re still going to Starbucks every day and pulling out our ear buds even when we’re at work). Why? Because it’s easy and it’s intimate. In case you haven’t heard, we’re big on connection these days.
A recent study found that there are 6.5 billion social media accounts.
In other words, some of us have close to five friends and eight acquaintances on Facebook. Smart-phone usage is increasing, so it’s easy to count your friends…and acquaintances…right on your phone.
Many (40% of respondents) say they network more online than in person
And of those, 82% report having increased the frequency of their networking. Half of those who use any social media at all (37%) report using LinkedIn to network. The most common way that businesses use social media to grow their network (52% of respondents) was to establish trust with potential and current customers.
You are more likely (58%) to get a job through acquaintances than friends
(41%).
Video: Networking 101
Up to 90% of job seekers, recruiters and hiring managers get their job leads from a non-employer source (i.e., a LinkedIn InMail, a direct mail piece, a cold call, a referral, etc).
Up to 60% of hiring managers now consider social media sites (from LinkedIn to Twitter) and social media applications (from LinkedIn apps to Twitter) to be a part of the overall job search.
Up to 54% percent of managers’ senior managers now expect their senior managers to personally recruit for their teams.
75% of hiring managers spend at least an hour a month reaching out to job seekers on LinkedIn or through some other non-employer source.
53% of those with university degrees are unemployed and looking for work.
4% of those with university degrees are employed full time in their job of choice.
Only 56% of job seekers get a job through job ads.
35% of job seekers find work in general social media sites (like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc.).
Most jobs (85%) are filled through networking
Instead of just contacting employers and applying for job openings.
This is according to LinkedIn.
The average member of an organization that is a part of a business network receives an average of 65 job opportunities from the network throughout their career.
This is according to the Global InterNetwork.
Today’s businesses are increasingly using social media and social networking technologies to reach their target market.
Almost two out of three American consumers are active on Facebook, according to a 2010 report issued by Nielsen.
Globally, there are more than 2.2 billion active social network users.
Globerek, a company who works with companies to help them get the most out of social networking.
In 2012, 86% of the websites that placed in the Lead411 list of best network marketing companies were associated with a group’s social networking presence.
Lead411 is a lead database and management platform for network marketing companies.
Facebook accounts for 10.2% of all the online ad spending in the United States, even though it has a 6.2% share of all Internet’s browsing.
According to a 2009 report issued by Forrester Research Inc.
Two-thirds of all marketers say they use Facebook for business.
Marketing Technology Blog.
There are 35,000 coworking spaces available
Around the world.
The number of coworking spaces stands at 35,000, and that’s only the tip of the iceberg. There are also subscription lounge and the community – memberships that are sold to the public.
Bottom Line
You have all heard the saying that business is about people. But why? Why is it more than just taking orders and providing goods and services? We humans are social animals and the primary reason we create economies is because we need to be around other people to survive.
Creating and maintaining a living business is our attempt to be socially-connected- constantly. It could be that your relationship with a mentor, your colleagues or your customers are what makes doing business worth it. In my experience it is the idea of doing for others… that keeps you in the game and makes you resilient in business.
So, how do you stay in the game? By putting your best foot forward.
You could have the best business cards and website in the world (heck we have done a lot of work to make sure our sites are professional and beautiful). But if you don’t go out and meet people, how are you going to create those winning business relationships? Networking is what will take your business from good to great.