In the current economic environment, it’s not always easy for small businesses to fill up their order books. Neither is it for corporations to find qualified business partners that understand their needs and can develop action plans to meet their specific requirements.

This is what matchmaking sessions are all about: quick business meetings where larger corporations (buyers) and small business owners (sellers) typically have 15 minutes to get acquainted and compare capabilities to requirements, possibly leading to a business deal.

Still not sure if they’d be worth your time to attend?

Here are the main reasons why, as a representative of your company, you should seriously consider attending the next matchmaking session that shows up in your inbox.

1.      Meet the right business partners

As a buyer for your company, you will have the opportunity to “speed date” many small business owners. Without wasting time or mincing words, the vendor will pitch and explain to you what they have to offer and how their business can provide value to yours – it is straight to the point, efficient communication. This popular (and sometimes free) one-on-one business interview will help you select the vendors that can fulfill your requirements, follow up with them and later request an RFP that can eventually lead to a contract.

2.     Network and build lasting relationships

Although you won’t match up with every company participating in the session, you will certainly have the chance to meet other peers from your industry and be able to start building trusting, healthy and ideally long-term relationships. As a matchmaking participant, you’ll be listed as either a buer or a seller, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do both. The point of the event, no matter your needs, is to get introduced and begin talking.

3.     Gain exposure

While identifying potential business partners is the primary purpose of matchmaking, they are also important to attend for product and service marketing purposes. Participating in matchmaking sessions will help get your business name out there. Simply attending these events strongly increases your chance to be seen, heard and remembered by the other corporations, small businesses and government organizations present – and may even lead to opportunities you’d never even considered.