Enliven your business with the power of networking

4th May 2018

For many people, the idea of networking fills them with dread. For others, it’s second nature. Whilst connecting over social media has transformed the way we do business, there’s nothing quite like good old-fashioned face to face networking.

Step out of your comfort zone, move away from your desk, ditch podcasts and webinars and build your local network. You’ll be surprised how much it can help to enliven your business, as well as your thinking.

1.   Connect

‘It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.’ It is vital to connect with people – we have an innate need for social networking and interaction. There is more energy and buzz at a networking event than you’ll ever get from a hashtag! It’s a chance to meet like-minded people, discuss your business challenges and realise that you are not alone.

Top Tips: Go and say hello to someone you’ve never met before. Remember that most people remember the first and last things you say.

2.   Create Opportunities

Although it sounds obvious, it is an excellent opportunity to meet new customers and suppliers. There is potential for making joint ventures, partnerships and client leads. This may be now or in the future. It is important to not only think about immediate gain but how opportunities could develop in the long-term.

Top Tips: If doing a quick round table summary about your business, give your name at the start and end. Introduce people to each other – become a relationship broker.

3.    Valuable Insight & Knowledge

It is a chance to grow your knowledge of the economy and business management. Taking this further, if you connect with people in your sector, you may also gain valuable insight into sector specific trends and issues that will improve your business planning.

Top Tip: Be as targeted as you can – look at the delegate list as soon as you arrive.

4.    Solutions to challenges

Really listening to other people’s experiences can help organisations to grow and avoid potential pitfalls. Taking advice from others or meeting your future mentor can kick-start a new way of approaching and dealing with challenges.

Top Tip: Consider your current challenges before the event.

5.    Stimulate creativity

You may meet like-minded businesses that can help to stimulate new ideas that can refresh your business. Perhaps you might learn about new applications or services that enable you to run your business more effectively or more efficiently. Seek out those new ideas on how to do things differently to your competitors to give you that competitive edge.

Top tip: Listen and learn from other business’ experience.

Face to face networking and online networking can work extremely well together. By following up after the event, providing something relevant and of value in communications rather than an overt sales pitch, can make you memorable. There might be other local opportunities to extend your LinkedIn life via LI meet ups, too. 

Most of all, have fun! Mix and mingle over breakfast, drinks or food. Have fun, make friends, laugh, connect and relax. There can only be a positive outcome, either now or sometime in the future.

Business West Networking Events

Business West runs a whole series of vibrant Chamber Networking events across the region. Our events are open to members and non-members and we pride ourselves on providing relaxed and friendly events, driven by feedback from our attendees. 

So, whether you are based in Bristol, Bath or Gloucestershire, there is an event that will suit you. Join us for a tasty breakfast and networking at our popular monthly Bristol event, with 90+ attendees. Our bimonthly Gloucestershire event also features breakfast and networking, but it followed by an interesting keynote speaker. In Bath we run both breakfast and evening events so if mornings aren’t your thing, then network over a glass of wine instead. Both Bath and Gloucestershire events attract around 40-50 businesses. We look forward to seeing you at one of our events soon!

View all Business West events

What People Say:

'Enthusiastic members, lively & engaging' Amanda Kerin, AJK Events.

'The Business West Chamber breakfast is the one networking event I never miss. As well as being a regular direct and indirect source of business for me I have met some very very interesting people there.' Greg Cooper, Marketing and LinkedIn Coach.

One of our new Business West Chamber members, Mark Field from DM Informatics tells us why he finds networking useful and gives his top 3 networking tips. He also talks about the positive benefits of Chamber membership for his business.

What Chamber membership can do for your business and top reasons to network

 

 

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