Networking Tips for Small Business Owners

When small business owners need to wear a lot of different hats, networking might seem like one hat that isn’t necessary. Networking can be advantageous to the business, but it can also be enjoyable connecting with other professionals in your field and potential clients.

Here are a few networking tips for small business owners:

Set Networking Objectives

To maximize your efforts, sit down and think about why you want to expand your network. Do you want to recruit new talent to join your team? Do you want leadership skills development advice? Maybe it would be nice to talk through how to solve common issues with another small business owner in your field. No matter what you want to achieve, it is important to target your objectives.

Perfect Your Elevator Pitch

When you’re speaking with people about your business, it’s helpful to have a concise and catchy blurb. Whether you are talking to community leaders or potential clients, it’s essential to represent your business well. In your elevator pitch, make sure you include who you are, what you do, and what makes your business different. Most importantly, make sure you represent your business passionately; passion is infectious.

Find more tips to craft your elevator pitch here.

Establish an Online Presence

Like it or not, social media is here to stay. An exorbitant amount of people’s time is spent on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, to name a few. There is ample opportunity to network, and maintain connections, with peers and colleagues online. By posting about your business and new opportunity, you dispense information about your company and push your brand a little further. It also helps to get creative.

Talk, But Also Listen

While networking, it’s easy to get carried away about your objectives and mission—and that’s important. It’s also important to lend an ear to your peers. Not only is it polite, but other small business owners are a wealth of information. Networking is as much about learning and expanding your knowledge base as it is about furthering your business.

Follow Up

If you have a meaningful conversation with somebody, it’s acceptable to follow up the next day with a polite email. If you both connected and had a productive conversation, they will want to hear from you. Reaching out – while it might seem uncomfortable – is flattering, not pushy. The other person will appreciate the thought and follow through. Following up is a good way to start maintaining the relationships you are forming. Follow-ups can turn a networking event into an established professional relationship.

Join the Sartell Chamber

It’s easy to get involved and join the Sartell Chamber. We pride ourselves in providing quality networking opportunities – where we would love for you to put these tips to work. Get involved by joining an event committee. We have five with spots open in each. You can also become an event sponsor, volunteer at an event, or simply attend one of our events. By sponsoring a monthly meeting and buying lunch for our members, you receive 20 minutes of presentation time.


There are so many ways to get involved and to start networking now. A year from now, you will wish you would have started today!

Interview Tips

We all get nervous about interviews from time to time… or always. Doing the proper research beforehand can help to ease some nerves and also lead to greater success. There are the basic tips like dress professionally and don’t show up late. We have seven unique tips that are easy to implement but are commonly overlooked when preparing for an interview.

1. Don’t schedule your interview for early on Monday’s or late on Friday’s.

Sometimes you may not have control over this. If the employer asks if you’d prefer Monday at 10:30 or Tuesday at 10:30, go with Tuesday. Studies show that peoples’ minds may not be fully engaged in work early on Monday’s and late on Friday’s so you are better off with mid-week interviews.


2. Aim to be 10 minutes early

Don’t be too early to the interview because it can cause more anxiety while you wait to interview and it can cause the interviewer stress and pressure because they feel as though you are waiting on them to begin the interview. You do not want to be anxious and you do not want your interviewer to be stress. 10 minutes is the perfect amount of time because it shows that you are serious because you are early but it does not create boredom and anxiety for you nor does it add pressure to the interviewer.


3. Leave your phone in the car.

This may seem like common sense but you would be surprised how many people bring their phones into an interview. You may have your phone so you can watch the time or have something to look at while waiting for the interviewer, but you should just leave it in the car. Even the slight glance at your cell phone can lead the interviewer to believe you aren’t serious about the job and it can be seen as a sign of disrespect.


4. Wear color.

Of course you do not want to be distracting with too much color and flashy jewelry but some color is important. It seems when you wear color people think that you are happier and friendlier. Do not go with all neutral tones or you will not stand out. It is a delicate balance between too much and too little. You are your best judge but we recommend incorporating color in a professional way into your attire for an interview.


5. Notice the time-table of the interviewer’s questions

If the interviewer is asking questions in a future manner that is a good sign. If the interviewer is asking you about your future plans and where you will see yourself this is because they are naturally picturing you in their organization in the future and they are curious whether your plans align with their ideas. The further into the future the interviewer frames questions or conversation, the better.


6. When answering a question talk for no less than 20 seconds and no more than 2 minutes.

This is important because you do not want to leave awkward silences by giving an inadequate answer but you also do not want to exceed about two minutes and dominate all of the discussion. Studies show that during most successful interviews the dialogue is about 50/50- 50% the interviewer and 50% the interviewee.


7. Send a thank you note or email after the interview.

This point is one that is so easy yet so many people neglect to do it. Not only does a thank you note make you look thoughtful but it is also a great way to follow up! You do not even need to hand write a letter, email is sufficient. Sending a thank you is a great way to make you stand out. If an employer is on the fence about whether or not to hire you, a thank you note may sway them in your favor.

Creating Your Own Brand

In the job marketplace we all know that networking and professionalism are important, but how do you want to be seen by others? You don’t want to be the same as everyone else. That is why you must create your own personal brand. Within your brand you can focus on your strengths and how you would be a valuable asset to any company. You must set yourself apart from the crowd. We have compiled three major steps in formulating your own self-brand for the business market.

1. Figure out who you are and who you want to be. 

Think about yourself, your values and your principles. You want to portray yourself as you are so that you find a company whose values align with yours. Think about who you’d like to be in a business. Are you a leader? How so? What types of tasks are you best at? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Take a personality assessment such as “The Big Five Personality Traits” so that you understand what type of organization you would fit best into based on your personality style. 

2. Develop your strengths and weaknesses and be able to speak to them.

Think about what comes naturally to you. A great tool to use would be the StrengthFinder application. This assessment helps to identify major areas of strength and why/where/when these strengths would be useful. Identify your weaknesses as well as your strengths. Think about how you can utilize your strengths to help you to improve upon your weaknesses. Think about this in a way that you could explain to an employer when being interviewed or networking. The ability not only to admit to a weakness but also how you can improve upon it is very valuable to any employer. 

3. Define your goals.

What is your dream job? Why is this job your dream job? Incorporate the first two steps into your goal. How can you utilize your strengths to reach your goals? Think about your values and beliefs and use that to figure out what type of organization you’d like to work for. Create your own personal mission statement. Your goals should be SMART or Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound. The more concrete you are about your goals with yourself and your potential employer, the more likely you will accomplish them.

The concept of marketing yourself or “selling” yourself may seem slightly tacky but it is actually one of the most genuine ways to be honest about who you are & what you want, and it will help you to find an employer who is interested in those things. Creating a personal brand will help you to become more appealing to employers because of your individuality and it will help you to find an organization whose values align with yours!

4 Enjoyable Ways to Spend Your Fall Days In Sartell

Does the crisp fall air and the sight of changing leaves make you crave spending more time outdoors with friends and family? Around Sartell there are countless opportunities to satisfy your Fall fever.

With 24 parks, 17 miles of trails, playgrounds, bike lanes and the Watab River running through the community, it is easy to find beautiful autumn landscapes and fun activities to partake in. While keeping this in mind we want to share some ideas that you will enjoy this season!

1.    Fall Leaf Photography and Collection: A beautiful way to spend a fall day is to take time to admire the leaves on the trees as they change colors. Planning a picnic or a hike in the woods during fall can be a great romantic getaway for two or a fun day for the family! The changing colors make gorgeous photography and with the miles of trails in Sartell this may be the perfect place to start!

2.    Create a New Family Tradition: Fall is the perfect time to involve the family in an outdoor sport. Football season has started and it is still warm enough for soccer, baseball and other group sports. Go on a bike ride, a hike or even rake the leaves in your back yard and make a scarecrow. All of these activities can be turned into an annual fall family tradition.

3.    Navigate Through A Corn Maze: There are plenty of corn mazes available in the Fall for kids and adults. At night there may even be some mazes haunted by the costumed staff members that create the perfect spooky atmosphere. For these after dusk mazes, it is perfect for families with older children and the younger kids can still enjoy the maze during the daylight without all the monsters!

4.    Pumpkin Patch and Apple Orchards: It just isn’t fall without pumpkins or caramel apples! Take the family out to a patch and orchard to pick those apples and the perfect jack-o-lantern! Make sure to make those delicious caramel apples on a stick for everyone to enjoy.

I know we are excited to enjoy this fall weather and we hope you are too! Now get out there with your family and friends and enjoy the beautiful Minnesota autumn while you can!

Caption This!

Beginning this month, January 2013, the Sartell Chamber of Commerce will conduct monthly contests for the whole year of 2013! These contests will be promoted and run using our Facebook page. The contests will all be "Caption This Photo" contests. Each of these photo contests will feature a business. The businesses will be Sartell Chamber Members that have donated contest prizes. The winner will be chosen by the business that will be spotlighted that month. The businesses participating in this year long Caption Contest include:

• Facetime Business Resources
• 360 Chiropractic
• Blue Line Sports Bar & Grill
• St. Cloud Federal Credit Union
• Granite City Tire & Auto
• Pacific Wok
• House of Pizza
• St. Cloud Overhead Door Company
• Synergy Chiropractic & Wellness Clinic
• Big Brothers Big Sisters
• Xcel Energy
• Pine Cone Pet Hospital
• Brandl Motors

The January contest begins NOW! The spotlight is on Facetime Business Resources for the entire month of January!

Visit our Facebook page, provide a caption, and see if Chris Dolney (owner of Facetime Business Resources) choses your caption. If you are chosen as the winner you will receive 500 business cards, courtesy of Facetime Business Resources.

Promote Your Small Business for the Holidays

Shop Small is a nationwide campaign dedicated to supporting small businesses through Small Business Saturday by American Express. According to the Shop Small website, over one hundred million people came together to "Shop Small" in their communities last year. Small Business Saturday 2012 is November 24th and falls between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This shopping holiday was first celebrated November 27, 2010 and has proven to be successful for participating small businesses and it can add to the succes of your small business.

Getting involved with the Shop Small campaign is easy thanks to American Express. American Express provides small business owners with free advertising for qualifying small businesses and free marketing materials for small businesses and community members via the shop small website. It is up to the business to utilize the information and make Small Business Saturday work for you. Saying is easier than doing, which is why we are here to show you exactly how easy it is to market your business for Small Business Saturday.

The first step is to visit their website (www.shopsmall.com) and click the "Promote Your Small Business" tab at the top of your page and download the free marketing materials. After clicking the download tab they will ask you to fill out some information. Don't be intimidated by this step. We would suggest taking the extra steps to personalize your materials and downloading the information but either way it is up to you. Hit submit when you are finished. Here is what you can expect:

After you submit your information it will take you to a page thanking you for your order. Here you can order free prints by clicking Get Started. Be sure to read the small print. You are only allowed to print the poster you just downloaded and the free download has no cash value.

Next, simply enter your zipcode and select the nearest participating FedEx location and fill out the information. This is where things might get confusing. They will ask you to submit a file. You will be submitting the 11 x 17 print poster you just downloaded. If you chose to email your download you will have to take an extra step and go into your email and click the link to download the information. Typically you can find this under downloads and select Small_Business_Sat_Marketing_Kit (1).zip. After you unzip the file select the Print-Ready_Poster and select the Print-Ready_Poster_11x17.pdf. If you do not see the pdf here you will have to go back to downloads and look for a pdf title signage.pdf. This is also where you will be able to access the rest of your marketing materials. After you have chosen the poster simply hit send and pick up your order at the location you selected. If this is too confusing please feel free to email amyjo@daytamarketing.com.

After you pick up your free prints hang it up in your small business and start spreading the word about Small Business Saturday. Go back to your downloads and update your email, blog, website, facebook, and twitter accounts with the information you have been given. If you are really ambitious run a sale, offer discounts, set out free lemonade and cookies. Show your customers your appreciation for visiting you on Small Business Saturday and have fun!