5 Questions To Ask At Small Business Networking Events

Small business networking events are designed to facilitate relationships. They offer businesses chances to connect with other professionals in the industry. Small business owners like you need to know what questions to ask other industry leaders at these events. The conversations you have are more beneficial if you inquire about more meaningful topics. The right question can sow the seeds of a future partnership as well as create growth opportunities for your business. Keep reading as we highlight the best questions to ask at small business networking events.

What Skills Do You Consider Important?

At small business networking events, one of your primary goals is to find ways to improve your own company. To get that information, a great question to ask is what skills another professional considers important. Ask this question to get to know more about their field. The skills they attribute to a good employee or partner highlights what makes them successful. Also, this tells you a great deal about the skills they have. These skills do not have to be limited to running the business. Get to know them personally as well as professionally. This is the basis for a strong business relationship. Use the top networking tips to create an even stronger relationship with fellow business owners. By asking what skills another professional at small business networking events deems important, you get a glimpse into their industry and personality.

What Got You Started In The Industry?

A great conversation starting question at small business networking events is asking what got a person started in the industry. This gives the person an opportunity to talk about their business goals. Also, you gain insight into their dedication and skills depending on their answer. When you understand their experience in the industry, it becomes easier for you to trust them and refer customers to their services. In turn, you create a chance for them to reciprocate with referrals of their own. Not only does this generate business opportunities for you, but it also fosters a mutually beneficial relationship you can use in the future. Ask what got a business owner started in their industry to learn more about their field and create a partnership with an experienced professional.

What Are Your Biggest Challenges?

To get an idea of hurdles you may have to overcome in the future, ask business owners at networking events what their biggest challenges are. This question always evokes the longest answers. However, these responses are invaluable to you as a business owner. Spend your time at small business conferences wisely by asking well established business owners this question. The answers to this question offer more than just insight into the challenges they have faced and overcome. They also tell you a lot about this individual’s passion and motivation for working in their industry. Whether you are looking for a partnership or ideas for growing your business, you need to know the challenges other professionals face. When you attend small business networking events, ask what challenges others face to understand what drives them to be successful.

What Do You Enjoy Most About Your Position?

Furthermore, a great question to ask to keep things positive is what another business owner enjoys most about their position. Ask them what their favorite aspects about their position are. This puts them in a good mode and creates a friendlier atmosphere. Also, you have the chance to understand what their duties entail and determine if the role interests you. This allows them to tell their story and hints at what kind of professional they are. If you are looking to create a partnership, you want a professional who mostly enjoys their responsibilities. Ask what business owners enjoy most about their positions to see if you want to fulfill that same role or to determine if they are a good partner for you.

Do You Have A Business Card I Can Take?

Finally, at the end of a conversation at a small business networking event, ask if the individual has a business card you can take. This is your chance to solidify the relationship you are working to create. Owners who plan to make a lot of connections at business networking events should bring a decent supply of business cards. If another professional gives you their card, it is proof that they want to stay in touch. This allows you to contact them in the future to thank them for speaking with you or to get additional advice. Additionally, a business card is evidence that you have created a potential partnership. When you are at a networking event, ask for another professional’s business card to continue creating a partnership.

Small business networking events are designed to generate relationships and growth for all individuals in attendance. Ask what skills other business owners consider important to get to know their industry’s standards and demands. Question what got them interested in the industry to learn about them personally and professionally. Ascertain what their biggest challenges are and what they enjoy about their position as a way to find out more about the roles you must carry out. Furthermore, ask for a business card so you can continue to keep in touch and grow relationships. Ask these questions at small business networking events to get ideas to grow your company and create relationships with other industry professionals.

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