Maybe you’ve heard about the popular idea that more business is conducted on the golf course than inside the boardroom. It is up to debate whether that is actually true or not. However, there is an undeniable synergy between golf and business that definitely exists – golf networking is a proven business development strategy for many businesses.
Corporate golf days are a long-standing staple of the business social calendar and have been for many years. Invitations are sent to prospective clients and current clients for a day out on the links.
Why Do So Many Businesses Do This?
The answer is simple: it’s a very effective way to network.
Building Strong Relationships Is Key
In today’s modern business world, networking serves a very important function when it comes to growing and promoting a company. It provides you with the opportunity to talk with partners, colleagues and customers from your local community in a more social environment away from the office.
In most large cities and towns, there are network meetings that take place for this exact purpose. They provide opportunities for exchanging ideas, sharing stories, maintaining a high profile and keeping up to date on exactly what is happening in your local area and industry.
The most important benefit of all is that networking is critical for building, nurturing and maintaining good relationships with customers, prospects and business colleagues. A great place for all this to happen is right on the golf course.
When you invite a business partner or client to play a game of golf with you, it provides you with a great opportunity to spend quality time with people away from the office and without a shirt and tie on. This allows you to focus on your golf game and any other ulterior motives that you may have. It’s an excellent way to build strong relationships with people who aren’t just based on work, but also include plenty of fun and shared camaraderie. It’s a great way to spend a weekday afternoon. You are outside in the fresh air and walking the fairways so that you can challenge yourself on the golf course along with other like-minded people.
Gives You The Chance To Talk
In the past, golfing for business has been called a six-hour sales meeting. That doesn’t mean a round of golf has to take six hours to finish. However, if you factor in the time out on the golf course and then the chance to continue socializing back at the bar over drinks afterward, then you can maybe see where this idea originates.
It does take some time to play a round of golf. Even before considering how much time is spent after the game is over, you will still be out on the golf hours for a few hours at least. During that time you will spend lots of time waiting at tees, walking the fairways and things like that. It will provide you with lots of time for talking; probably more than most other formal kinds of networking sessions.
When it comes to golf networking, how well you play golf isn’t important at all.
Although there will inevitably be some competitiveness that comes into play during your round of golf, your golf skills really aren’t the reason for why you are there. It isn’t the Ryder Cup that has your skills pitted against your opposition’s. This is just a great opportunity for you to spend some time chatting with associates, decision-makers and clients who are important to your business.
However, that doesn’t mean you have to roll over and let everybody win. Golf provides you with a very positive networking environment because it is based on fair play and etiquette. Just follow the rules of etiquette, play fairly and play your best. This will put your relationship with those you are playing with on a very sound footing of equality and trust.
How To Formalize Your Golf Networking
Arranging rounds of golf on an ad hoc basis or planning corporate golf days are great. However, there is always the chance that all the positives that can come out of your day on the golf course are soon forgotten and you have all go back to business.
However, what if you had a consistent golf networking schedule where you were provided with the chance to get together and socialize with others on a regular basis from your local business community?
That’s precisely what “FORE” business has to offer. It provides you with the opportunity to sign up and become a member of a golf network in your local area that meets on a regular basis. Your membership will provide you with a four ball every month at some of the finest golf courses that are in your local area. These are events that are specifically structured as business networking events. This means you have a chance to play golf and also opportunities for enhancing your business profile through other additional business benefits, including:
Meet & Greet sessions prior to tee-off
The ability to tailor your networking with those you choose
Presentation opportunities
Online profiles and the opportunity for networking via social media platforms
The ability to combine that unique appeal of golf with the best practices that business networking has to offer. “FORE” business provides you with an active, fun and excellent way of helping your grow your business and broadening your corporate reach.
Here are the 3 Fore Business Groups in Berkshire:
Ascot Group | Royal Ascot Golf Club
Goring Group | Goring and Streatley Golf Club
Newbury Group | Donnington Grove
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Round of Golf at Eton College on Wednesday?
