Happy Thursday everyone! I hope everyone is having a great week. Last week I blogged about curly hair and the Deva Curl Hair Care Line. This week’s blog is about the importance of networking.

Last month, I joined the Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce so that I could network and be more involved in my community. I had to pry myself out of bed at 6:00am to attend the new member orientation meeting for the Chamber. My Husband can attest to the fact that I am not a morning person. He can also attest that networking isn’t my strongest trait as a business owner. Networking for me is like eating healthy. You know you need to do it and you know it is good for you. However, it can still be difficult to do. This is the case for me anyway. I have mainly built my business on word-of-mouth. This has really worked for me in the past but with the downturn in the economy, I have had to go outside my comfort zone and market the salon in other ways.
Upon my arrival to the orientation, I saw a few people that I already knew who were also attending the meeting so I felt a little more at ease. There were roughly 35 new members. I tried my best to connect with the people there, including the people that were there that work for the Chamber. It was a great meeting and I learned a lot about the different committees that I could get involved with and market my business. I gave out a handful of business cards before leaving and I left the meeting feeling motivated and in some ways recharged (even though it was still early in the am).
Later that day, I was at the salon finishing up with my last client when a woman walked in. She didn’t have an appointment but needed a haircut. I was able to accommodate her since I was about to finish for the evening. I figured she was just in the neighborhood or was on her way to Outback but when I asked how she heard of us she said that a friend of hers who works for the Tampa Chamber referred her. Amazing! In not even 24 hours Lavish Salon potentially gained a new client. Also, I learned that this client is looking for work in a particular field that a couple of my existing clients could potentially help her with.
In summary, I have a whole new perspective on networking. I have already signed up for the South Tampa Chamber of Commerce and I’m looking forward to participating with this group of business owners as well. I suggest anyone who owns a business, running for office, or involved in a charity if you aren’t already a member of the Tampa Chamber of Commerce or the South Tampa Chamber of Commerce, I suggest becoming a member ASAP!