When setting business goals, it’s easy to focus on revenue targets, marketing plans, or systems. However, one of the most effective and measurable growth strategies is often overlooked: building and nurturing the right professional network.

If referrals are important to your business, your network should be treated as a core business asset, with clear goals, structure, and accountability.

Start by assessing who is already in your network. These are the people who understand your business and are most likely to refer you. A practical goal at this stage is clarity: know who your key referral partners are and how often you are meaningfully connected with them.

Ask yourself whether these relationships are active or passive. Many referral opportunities are lost simply because relationships are not nurtured consistently.

Next, set a goal around who you need in your network to support your growth. Think about the clients you want more of this year and the professionals they already trust.

Rather than trying to meet everyone, focus on building relationships with a small number of complementary professionals whose services align with yours but don’t compete. Strong referral networks are built on relevance, not volume.

To make networking goal-driven, keep it simple and measurable. For example:

• Connect with one new complementary professional each month
• Hold weekly 1-2-1 meetings with existing referral partners
• Actively look for and pass at least one referral per month
• Attend a structured Local Recommend meeting every week

These types of goals turn networking into a consistent business activity rather than an occasional effort.

This is where platforms like localrecommend.com.au play a key role. Local Recommend provides a structured environment where business owners build trusted relationships, understand each other’s businesses deeply, and actively look for referral opportunities.

By committing to regular participation, you will stay top of mind, strengthen your credibility, and create predictable referral outcomes. The structure removes guesswork and makes relationship-building measurable and repeatable.

As you plan the year ahead, set clear, measurable goals around your network. When you consistently review who is in it, who complements it, and how well relationships are nurtured, your network becomes a reliable source of referrals rather than a hopeful one.