4) Professional Networking

Another important reason to communicate is to grow and develop your professional network and to use that network to gain and share information. You might attend professional association meetings, extension meetings, conferences, or workshops. Over time, you meet people with whom you interact; asking questions about production, marketing, business management, or other things. You also provide information about your business to others. Farm business owners, as a group, are very willing to share information about their businesses with their peers. In so doing, all network members may be better off.

Remember that, with the Internet, your network may include people from all over the world. Like many business owners, you may not be willing to share financial or other sensitive information with local peers. However, those who don't directly compete with you in the local market may make wonderful additions to your network.