Have you heard the exciting news about our expansion into breakfast networking meetings, in addition to our usual lunchtime events?
As you read this, we may well be at the launch of our Rise & Shine Business Breakfasts at the Liberty Stadium, Swansea on 1st March from 8 – 10am.
The Liberty Stadium has kindly sponsored our launch event and they are as excited as we are with this new development within The Business Network brand.
As I mentioned, the launch will take place in Swansea, but we are actually targeting three areas for our breakfast meetings: apart from Swansea, we also have Bridgend and Heads of the Valleys and will meet once a fortnight from 7.30 – 9.30am in each area. Please go to the diary page at the back of the magazine to check out the dates in your area…..after all, you don’t want to miss a fantastic networking opportunity, do you? It offers the format you love at a time to suit you!
You can’t have failed to notice that there is an awful lot of competition in the networking industry these days; in fact, I reckon network owners might be viewed as the used-car or double-glazing salesmen of the day. So many groups obviously dilute the market; there is only so much money that businesses (especially SMEs) have available to spend on their marketing. So how do you decide which group(s) to join?
It is important to try different networking groups before deciding upon membership of any of them (believe it or not, the membership aspect is really important, as this is what encourages commitment). Each group is different so you need to decide what suits you best. Timings: breakfast, lunch, afternoon, evening…..it’s up to you. Also, consider what format is used: structured, informal or a mixture of both? Is the group industry specific, are there invited speakers, and is it educational? Do you feel comfortable with the format? Are you made to feel welcome?
Another point to consider is the longevity of the group – how long has it been established, and how long do members stay a part of the group? How much (if any) business is being generated between the members directly or indirectly through referrals? And is it measurable?
All of these are really important factors to consider when looking to join a new networking group; never feel under pressure to join a group until you’re ready.
And to answer some of the above points: The Business Network has a structured but informal format, with everyone conscious that they are there to do business, while knowing that you can do business and enjoy yourself at the same time. We take the time to speak with you before your first event with us, to find out about your business- asking who is your target market, and who can you form a strategic partnership with? This helps with our seating plans. We also run through the format of our events with you in advance, so you know what to expect. We always offer a very warm welcome when you come along and our members are really helpful, especially when a visitor seems a little unsure or nervous.
The speaker at our events is always one of our members, as this is one of the (too many to go into now) benefits of the membership package.
The Business Network is in its twelfth year of trading and, yes, we have members who have been with us all that time and who are still generating business through the connections made at our events. We also have 8 year old, 5 year old and 3 year old members (that’s the length of membership, not the age of the members!!) and all points in between.
But even though I’ve told you something about The Business Network, you still won’t know whether it’s suitable for you until you come along and try us. So have a look at the diary pages towards the back of this magazine, to see if there are any events you’d like to come and visit – there are lots more to choose from now with the lunches and the breakfasts. We hope to see you soon.
I promise you’ll have a lovely warm welcome - Lynne
What a day it has been today with the launch of our Rise & Shine Networking breakfasts at the Liberty Stadium, the launch of our new website plus our new-look online magazine The Handshake. 
