Networking
This morning I attended a business network event run by Business Network Clubs, over 25 business representatives attended, which was pretty good going considering it started at 6.45am!
In the past I have found some networking clubs to be a bit too regimented and formal, so I was pleasantly surprised to find the club to have a much more friendly, welcoming and generally less serious format. There was also a twist to the usual 60 second pitch as you had to give a pitch for the person sat next to you! This was actually really effective as instead of switching off during the pitches I had to learn all about someone else’s business and it was interesting to hear if the other person understands enough about your business to talk about it – and if not – then it can make you rethink how you describe your services / products.
I found it particularly useful as I had to explain all that EGS can do for a business in really simple terms – the lady stood up and described EGS perfectly and also tailored the pitch towards the Small businesses attending – such as the e-newsletter management and tracking module and the CRM contact management module – which there was quite a bit of interest in!
It really was great to see so many different people making the effort to get up so early and to meet so many different business people – there was everyone from a lady who makes bespoke dolls houses, another designs corporate offices, an independent courier service, a full service marketing agency, a telemarketing company and a media production company – to name a few.
These are all new contacts that I will add into EGS and having gained their permission I will include in our quarterly e-newsletter. I will certainly be joining them again (providing I get an early night beforehand!).
Penny Moore said the following at May 24th, 2007 at 1:34 pm :
Having read your message. I agree. The BNC is the most effective and yet casual networking club, I have ever attended. I feel that because we are not under pressure to bring referals, it actualy makes us try harder, because we want to do well for our colleagues and not because we feel we have to. Also there are no slapped wrists if you just cant get up one morning!!!!