Our kids have got it right. Computers are an amazing technology for building and strengthening all our networks. Really, computers can be even better for adults than for our children, because we may be better at keeping network relationships in a healthier balance of electronics, voice and face.
That still leaves serious questions, though. What kinds of networks and what kinds of benefits should we aim for?
In other words, why should we pump precious time into a buzzword?
Increasingly, the answers are clear, and relevant. Specialization within agriculture means that farmers have to go further afield to find other farmers with similar farming setups. And the computer age has created all kinds of new networking opportunities for marketing your products.
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If you don’t network, you’ll miss out on many such benefits that our parents got from their neighbours.
Plus, frankly, networking is more do-able now. More of us are feeling the need to connect with others, whether for business or for social reasons. It isn’t just you. It’s just how others are feeling too, meaning they’re more open to forming new kinds of personal and business relationships.
So what exactly is networking? From a classic business perspective, networking begins when one person with a need contacts another person with a resource, says business guru Donna Messer, author of Effective Networking Strategies . “Networking has been practised by humanity for thousands of years,” Messer explains. It was originally done to find the best hunting grounds or safe water or a supply of medicinal herbs.
“Today we use it for the same reasons, just updated for our millennium,” Messer says. We might network to find a restaurant, a hairdresser or a friend. Or in the case of farming, to find a seed supplier, a customer, production information or an accountant.
We’ve also learned how to be much more effective at creating networks.
Through his work with successful clients, John Anderson, a farm business consultant with KPMG in Kingston, Ont. has identified key traits shared by top managers. Among those traits, one of the most striking is that leading-edge farm managers seek opportunities to discuss business management with like-thinkers as well as challenge-thinkers
Challenge thinkers, Anderson says, are individuals who ask: “Have you thought of this?” and they can be critical for helping inject new thinking into an operation.
Nor are networks only about solving day to day problems. Top managers, Anderson says, also develop networks of people who are optimistic, dynamic and give them a lift.
Conferences and courses are a great place to connect with people who have similar interests. “They attract like-minded people,” explains Anderson, “but be sure to exchange e-mail addresses so you can stay in contact after the conference.”
Larry Martin, senior research fellow at the George Morris Centre, an independent agricultural think tank in Guelph, says he’s been impressed at how effectively participants in their Canadian Total Excellence in Agricultural Management (CTEAM) program use the opportunity to create lasting networks.
After spending 18 months together developing strategic and operational plans for their farms, Martin says, the participants from across Canada stay in touch with each other, using each other as informal advisors.
In addition to being a source of ideas, your network can be a support system. “When you are alone, running your business, it’s good to have someone to talk to who understands,” emphasizes Anderson.
Don’t be afraid to look outside of agriculture for your networks, Anderson advises. Other small businesses share many of the same issues such as banking, employee management, working with family and succession planning.
Anderson cites the example of one farmer he knows who got some good human resources tips from the owner of a small landscaping company. The landscaping company owner had developed an employee handbook documenting company policy on issues including absenteeism, holiday pay and raises. The framework was transferable to the farm business and helped them improve employee productivity.
You may find these contacts locally through your church, your children’s school or a service club, says Anderson. Or with the Internet, your contacts can be spread around the globe.
“It’s important to have contacts inside and outside of agriculture… not to be isolated,” adds Anderson. “You need to know what is going on outside of your own farm, in your community and in the world.”
Of course, when you’re talking about non-farmers, you may also be talking about customers.
Concerns about the environment are creating a heightened interest in agriculture. “Farmers can seize this opportunity and make those connections,” says Michael Berger, founder and president of Plan B Services, a company focused on business and personal coaching in Chilliwack, B. C. People want to know more about where their food comes from, he says.
Berger advises farmers to get involved in their community. Join a service club and help out by donating product or space for an event, or volunteer to help with an event, he suggests. “This gets you known and is a great way to build up credibility.” Berger cautions that it’s important to look beyond the immediate benefit. “You need to think long term.”
Again the Internet can play a role here. Some farmers allow customers to order products directly from their websites and even use Paypal (credit card) to pay for their purchases online. Customers who sign up can also receive regular updates and newsletters via e-mail.
That’s just one of the advantages of the Internet, though. Its bigger advantage, in fact, is that it brings together people with similar interests from a widespread geographical area. In September, the University of Guelph launched its AgriBusiness eCampus, a web-based network hub for agribusiness management information (www.agribusinessecampus.com).This site will include links to discussion boards where producers can network with one another, industry, government and academia.
The younger generations are very tech savvy, so virtual networking is only going to get bigger says Rollings, North Carolina small business growth and marketing coach, Janis Petit.
There’s a multitude of ways to connect with others with similar interests on the internet.
LinkedIn is an Internet networking site similar to the better-known social networking site, Facebook, but is geared to helping professionals network with one another. And Meetup.comis an Internet site that allows people with shared interests who live near each other to find each other via the internet and then meet locally.
The Internet can also be used to connect businesses with their customers. Company websites have been standard fare for several years but new opportunities are being created on the internet every year. Think blogs, You-Tube videos and Yahoo Groups. For about a year now, Facebook has been encouraging small businesses to create a corporate page on Facebook where customers can add themselves as “fans” (rather than “friends” as with personal pages), form discussion groups and send news updates. CG
