Building a new networking group
Discussion
Has anyone done this and has any tips?
I'm really not a fan of those groups like the BNI where you need to refer business to people every week and have them refer you. I'd much rather go along and just chat to people about their business, my business and the world in general. Since there's nothing like this local to me and I really need to grow my contacts (I'm not going to just use it to sell to everyone) then I thought I might as well set something up myself.
I'm not completely new to this as I built up a digital marketing event before, but this feels like it should be a bit different. My SEOProSco events were usually young digital marketing types wanting a free slice of pizza, some meeting of their mates from other agencies and maybe tune in to one or two of the talks that we put on.
I think in order to interest business owners from SMEs then it's needs to be a bit different?
Breakfast, lunch or evening?
Someone giving a talk?
Break into groups and play some kind of ice breaking game?
Pay a couple of quid for tea and cake, get it sponsored by someone or just take the cost on the chin?
I've got a few ideas on how to spread the work but any good ones that have worked for you would be really useful.
I'm really not a fan of those groups like the BNI where you need to refer business to people every week and have them refer you. I'd much rather go along and just chat to people about their business, my business and the world in general. Since there's nothing like this local to me and I really need to grow my contacts (I'm not going to just use it to sell to everyone) then I thought I might as well set something up myself.
I'm not completely new to this as I built up a digital marketing event before, but this feels like it should be a bit different. My SEOProSco events were usually young digital marketing types wanting a free slice of pizza, some meeting of their mates from other agencies and maybe tune in to one or two of the talks that we put on.
I think in order to interest business owners from SMEs then it's needs to be a bit different?
Breakfast, lunch or evening?
Someone giving a talk?
Break into groups and play some kind of ice breaking game?
Pay a couple of quid for tea and cake, get it sponsored by someone or just take the cost on the chin?
I've got a few ideas on how to spread the work but any good ones that have worked for you would be really useful.
Andrew[MG] said:
Break into groups and play some kind of ice breaking game?
*Shudder*I've been to most of them. BNI, 4N etc. But I was at one last month which was 'sold out' (it's free) the month before. First Wed of every month, in a nice hotel, 9-11 or so. I assume there's no charge to the organisers as it's basically the bar area which would be empty at that time of day anyway. If everyone buys a coffee the bar takes a few quid that way (near £5 for one on the Starbucks concession!).
Total free for all, speak to who you want. Pros and cons with that but imo it's preferable to a forced format a la BNI. Things that put people off networking are standing up and speaking, cost and antisocial timing. These guys avoid all of that and get 80 bodies every month.
Eventbrite, local listings, LinkedIn, Twitter etc for promotion.
I was going to suggest how I use them smartly so I'm not selling and don't have to speak to everyone but I've just seen a) you're in marketing (as I am) and b) you're in Scotland (as I am) so I'll let you figure it out from there yourself.
technodup said:
*Shudder*
I've been to most of them. BNI, 4N etc. But I was at one last month which was 'sold out' (it's free) the month before. First Wed of every month, in a nice hotel, 9-11 or so. I assume there's no charge to the organisers as it's basically the bar area which would be empty at that time of day anyway. If everyone buys a coffee the bar takes a few quid that way (near £5 for one on the Starbucks concession!).
Total free for all, speak to who you want. Pros and cons with that but imo it's preferable to a forced format a la BNI. Things that put people off networking are standing up and speaking, cost and antisocial timing. These guys avoid all of that and get 80 bodies every month.
Eventbrite, local listings, LinkedIn, Twitter etc for promotion.
I was going to suggest how I use them smartly so I'm not selling and don't have to speak to everyone but I've just seen a) you're in marketing (as I am) and b) you're in Scotland (as I am) so I'll let you figure it out from there yourself.
I'm not selling marketing these days, I've got a car lease brokering business. I'm now marketing myself I've been to most of them. BNI, 4N etc. But I was at one last month which was 'sold out' (it's free) the month before. First Wed of every month, in a nice hotel, 9-11 or so. I assume there's no charge to the organisers as it's basically the bar area which would be empty at that time of day anyway. If everyone buys a coffee the bar takes a few quid that way (near £5 for one on the Starbucks concession!).
Total free for all, speak to who you want. Pros and cons with that but imo it's preferable to a forced format a la BNI. Things that put people off networking are standing up and speaking, cost and antisocial timing. These guys avoid all of that and get 80 bodies every month.
Eventbrite, local listings, LinkedIn, Twitter etc for promotion.
I was going to suggest how I use them smartly so I'm not selling and don't have to speak to everyone but I've just seen a) you're in marketing (as I am) and b) you're in Scotland (as I am) so I'll let you figure it out from there yourself.
If you could pass on the details and the tips then I'll get the mochalattechino in at the next one!
In that case, SIB Networking, Village Urban, Glasgow.
As for tips, if you can save people money on their leases I'd be approaching accountants. They'll have several hundred clients they're in the business of saving money for. They also like money as much as the next man. I'm sure you can figure out the rest from there.
As for tips, if you can save people money on their leases I'd be approaching accountants. They'll have several hundred clients they're in the business of saving money for. They also like money as much as the next man. I'm sure you can figure out the rest from there.
I didn't say it was 'good', I said it was busy.
But it's horses for courses. There is usually a bias towards micro type business with no premises, freelancers and the like, who don't know how or can't afford to do much else.
But then there can be diamonds, it depends on what you're trying to achieve and how you go about it.
But it's horses for courses. There is usually a bias towards micro type business with no premises, freelancers and the like, who don't know how or can't afford to do much else.
But then there can be diamonds, it depends on what you're trying to achieve and how you go about it.
4/5 years ago a good pal of mine sat and thought about creating a Yorkshire networking group
he ended up doing it as a linkedin group, backed up with drinks evening
branding was regionally inspired
He started the group called The Yorkshire Mafia
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/1260737
it now has almost 19,000 members and off the back of it he has the Buy Yorkshire Conference http://buyyorkshire.com/
http://theyorkshiremafia.com/
he ended up doing it as a linkedin group, backed up with drinks evening
branding was regionally inspired
He started the group called The Yorkshire Mafia
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/1260737
it now has almost 19,000 members and off the back of it he has the Buy Yorkshire Conference http://buyyorkshire.com/
http://theyorkshiremafia.com/
I've been to Yorkshire Mafia events and thought they were decent
I've also been to others and found mostly that it was full of people who just wanted to pitch stuff that had no context to why I was there, the splattergunners who were out to sell to anyone who'd listen. Or not listen, it didnt really matter to them. And again, others where everyone was in competition to each other and no-one really would give an inch
I've also been to others and found mostly that it was full of people who just wanted to pitch stuff that had no context to why I was there, the splattergunners who were out to sell to anyone who'd listen. Or not listen, it didnt really matter to them. And again, others where everyone was in competition to each other and no-one really would give an inch
I've recently set up a local 'Jelly' ( http://www.uk-jelly.org.uk/ ) which is an informal co-working event for small business owners, freelancers, self employed folk, folk who work from home or, indeed, anyone who fancies a change of scene for their daily grind
It's not traditional networking as such, and obviously touting your wares is frowned upon, but already, there is some business being done, and some ideas being worked on as a collaboration between some of the attendees and it's starting to become reasonably popular as a result
If there isn't a local Jelly for you, then perhaps that would be a good opportunity to start something that's networking related without all the associated pressure?
It's not traditional networking as such, and obviously touting your wares is frowned upon, but already, there is some business being done, and some ideas being worked on as a collaboration between some of the attendees and it's starting to become reasonably popular as a result
If there isn't a local Jelly for you, then perhaps that would be a good opportunity to start something that's networking related without all the associated pressure?
technodup said:
I didn't say it was 'good', I said it was busy.
But it's horses for courses. There is usually a bias towards micro type business with no premises, freelancers and the like, who don't know how or can't afford to do much else.
But then there can be diamonds, it depends on what you're trying to achieve and how you go about it.
I think I missed you?But it's horses for courses. There is usually a bias towards micro type business with no premises, freelancers and the like, who don't know how or can't afford to do much else.
But then there can be diamonds, it depends on what you're trying to achieve and how you go about it.
Andrew[MG] said:
I think I missed you?
Aye, I couldn't be arsed since I found a cheat code. That one and at least one other in Glasgow on EventBrite (as long as you register) send the contact list of attendees/registrations after the event. Which means I can register, ditch the event, wait for the email, select the people I want to speak to, phone them with some waffle about the event to build rapport, all without leaving the house.
It's great. Obviously the face to face bit is lost, but a lot of that is talking to people you don't want to anyway. Mentioning the event shows something in common and then get to the real point.
A couple of hours out the day is reduced to a handful of phone calls. No petrol cost, no expensive coffee, no tedious pitches, no bad breath.
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