Increased Role of Networking in Marketing Mix

While a majority of companies in Vietnam (68 percent) believe face-to-face networking will remain the best way to find new customers over the next two to three years, an increasing proportion also predict the rising importance of business social media in the new business mix (53 percent, up from 32 percent in the previous three years). This developing multi-channel approach to new business generation are the latest research findings from global workspace provider Regus, which surveyed over 16,000 senior business managers across the world.

 

Face-to-face networking remains the top new business technique. However, the increasing importance of professional social networking sites such as BranchOut, Viadeo and Xing stands out in the research, also witnessed by increasing user volumes, with LinkedIn having reached more than 135 million members.

 

Other key tools for new business generation: 84 percent of Vietnamese respondents also declare online advertising to be one of the top channels to find new customers in the next three years, up from 47 percent in the previous three; Attending trade exhibitions (37 percent) and public speaking at key events (53 percent) are also regarded as significant tools for future customer recruitment; Globally, 71 percent of small businesses believe that face-to-face networking will be key to recruiting customers over the next three years, compared to only 61 percent of large businesses; Traditional advertising, direct marketing and telemarketing only gain a minority vote, and all are in decline.

 

The research was unveiled as Regus announced the launch of BusinessLink, a bespoke online trading platform that allows hundreds of thousands of its customers worldwide to buy and sell products and services, and connect with other businesses using the Regus network. BusinessLink comprises a website accessible via Regus global customer portal myregus.com, as well as informal networking events held around the world. The BusinessLink website allows users to browse through online offers posted by hundreds of thousands of businesses using Regus workspace across 95 countries worldwide, or request specific products and services when needed.

 

Andre Sharpe, Global Director of Product and Business Development at Regus notes, “The rise and rise of business social media networks mean that today they are as essential a tool to finding new customers as face-to-face interaction. For many years our customers have told us of the added value of being able to connect and do business with other companies using Regus. We are excited to respond to their needs with the launch of BusinessLink, which will instantly become one of the world’s largest invite-only trading portals. Solely accessible by Regus office and virtual office customers, BusinessLink brings a global market within the reach of any company, no matter how large or small.”