Here are five suggestions for what you can do when attending your first business networking event:
Remember, networking is an ongoing process, and your first event is just the beginning. The more you attend and actively engage in networking events, the more comfortable and effective you’ll become at building relationships and expanding your professional network.
This a simple question and as always not necessarily a simple answer, so what is networking, and how can it benefit your business?
We know for many people networking is a necessary evil that they have to do for the business they represent, they don’t enjoy it they just participate because they have to.
For me, networking can and does help you meet a new circle of people, can help you be introduced to people you’d never have the opportunity to meet and can help you grow your business contacts thus developing your business. In a nutshell, networking is the making of connections that can help you and your business, what it is not is the start of a sales process. Put simply if you’re going to any networking event hoping to walk away with a sale you’ve gone with totally the wrong mindset, networking is not about pitching and I can’t say this strongly enough its about making new connections and keeping in touch with those you already know in a semi formal way.
For the first time, we’ve decided to offer a business lunch and we’ve partnered with one of our members South West Business Connections to offer this to all there attendees as well. The lunch is on the 19th October at the wonderful Cridford Inn in the heart of the Teign Valley on the 19th October and we’ve being served locally sourced two-course menu at this highly rated pub click here for more details and booking.
We welcome all types of businesses to what promised to be a great event for us, good food, a good location, and great business people – look forward to seeing you then.
So business networking, what’s it all about, and why should you go networking and go to any of the numerous well-run business networking events?
Well, I’ve been attending networking events for years and also I’ve run my own business networking events in Devon for many years and these are my top ten reasons why you should get out and go networking.
Ten reasons why you need to go networking, hopefully, compelling enough for you to make that first attempt if you haven’t already and go networking. If you’re based in or near Devon then do check my business networking group out, you’d be most welcome to attend.
We always take a break for Summer with no meetings in August, so I’m delighted to confirm that we’re back at Teign Valley Golf Club on Wednesday 21st September.
Our first Autumn South Devon Business Networking event at the fabulous Teign Valley Golf Club and we’ve even made a short video as to why you should come and join us.
To book your space on Eventbrite click here: https://sept22g12.eventbrite.co.uk we look forward to meeting you then.
It does amaze me that some people just don’t want to talk to others unless it comes with a sale guaranteed, they ask why I spend time every week speaking and meeting new people — the truth for me is that I actively make space and time every week to meet and have conversations with someone new, it’s my fuel, its what drives me on and its what has helped grow and develop the Exeter digital marketing business and the business networking group that I run.
Consequently, during the lockdown, I spoke to the widest variety of people possible, through the networking group I’ve made time to contact every member and I’ve also tried to contact all past attendees where I can, just to touch base with them. These calls have had no agenda, they’ve simply been about making contact and keeping that relationship we had when we could meet face to face alive as well as we can in the unknown Covid times we found ourselves in.
So how do I plan this you may ask? Well, I keep a schedule in an online calendar that blocks out time for me every week — clear time when I can make that effort to call a group of people one after the other. This way I know that I have time in my day blocked out for the task and if I have a list I can work as far through that in the time before I stop and move on to another business task. As for any agenda or plan, for me I try and keep this as simple as possible, really I want to have a conversation with no agenda or plan. I ideally want to learn more about who I’m calling, what’s happening with them, and also if can learn more about what makes them tick, I’m aiming to build a bond. It’s quite simple, I believe that the world runs on relationships — so I take time to build some.
Let me summarise, in easy and simple terms people buy from those they know, like, and trust so I spend some time every week on building that relationship as I know if I do this then the referrals and sales will follow…
Growing a Small business is about building relationships and a great way to do that is by networking. The benefits you’ll gain from networking are critical to your business development overall.
We know that within all networking groups there is a varied level of experience and expertise and for us it doesn’t matter if you’re a startup, sole trader, entrepreneur or a member of a larger team, you’ll love the relaxed, informal environment.
The Mount
72 Paris Street
Exeter
Devon EX1 2JY
(01392) 241653