Which business networking event is right for you?

• Luke Cunliffe (Cunliffe Associates)
• Tuesday 5 January 2010

Long train journeys, airport departure lounges, corporate hospitality events, product launches, conferences - all offer the chance to start a conversation with someone who may become a valuable contact.

In fact, any place where people gather offers a potential networking opportunity.

Wherever you go, have your business card to hand and be ready with a brief but impressive summary of what you do and how you may be able to help someone else. But avoid the hard sell - networking is about building and cultivating relationships.

If you want to take a more targeted approach to networking, there are many groups specifically set up to help professionals foster business relationships, but how do you decide which one to go to?

What do you want to get out of it?

First it's vital to work out what you want to achieve through your networking activity and the sort of people you want to meet, as this will help determine the type of events you should go to.

" Do you want to meet potential clients and get commissions for work?

" Are you looking for a new job?

" Do you want to make contact with other people in your line of work?

" Are you looking for respect from your peers?

" Do you want to meet other people running small businesses and chat about issues that are complicating your lives?

"If you're looking to change jobs or you want to get to know more people in your own business, then events run by industry associations and professional bodies are a good place to start," explains Luke Cunliffe, principal of Cunliffe Associates, a training and development consultancy specialising in business networking.

Conferences, seminars and workshops also offer a ready-made pool of networking contacts. There, you can meet other people in your industry or profession, get to know the bosses or senior partners in other companies and put out feelers for vacancies that might be coming up.

"If you are self-employed or a smaller business or professional looking to win clients, it makes sense to go to one of the groups that accepts only one person from each profession, so there's no danger of your competitors turning up," adds Luke Cunliffe.

These encourage members to nurture long-term relationships and you might well be the only accountant, lawyer, web designer, physiotherapist, plumber or photographer that the other people in the group know. Once you have come to understand and trust each other, they will recommend you to friends and colleagues. You are expected to do the same for them.

Most of these will allow you to visit meetings before you commit to signing up as a member.

BNI (Business Networking International) is one such organisation and has groups - known as chapters - all over the UK. You get to know the other members in your group through regular breakfast meetings and then keep an eye out for opportunities to generate referrals for them. Members attending meetings give a "60-second speech" to describe the service they offer as well as having longer one-to-one conversations. Each chapter accepts only one member from each profession.

It works well for sole traders and people wanting to meet other small business owners and for those whose business proposition is simple enough to be explained in a tight time slot.

You have to pay to join a group and commit to attending regularly, bringing referrals or visitors throughout your membership. It has a slightly cultish reputation as members are asked not to join other networking groups, but BNI insists this is so that you can focus on generating referrals for members of your chapter.

Business Referral Exchange (BRX)

BRX holds structured meetings rather like BNI, but the organisation has no objection to your joining other formal networking groups.

4Networking - Similar to the above with structured breakfast meetings offering scheduled one-to-one appointments.

NRG Business Networks runs a similar style of facilitated business networking events based on advocacy and referral. Meetings take place over lunch, which can cut into the business day somewhat but is great for people who don't like getting up in the morning.

Rotary clubs

Rotary is working hard to shake off its image as being packed with older, white men. Its focus is on charity work and fund-raising, promising a sense of achievement as well as the chance to work, socialise and network as part of a team.

Institute of Directors (IoD)

The IoD holds networking events all over the UK, mainly attended by (predominantly male and suit-wearing) directors of SMEs.

Federation of Small Businesses

The FSB is the UK's biggest lobbying group for small businesses and offers support to members including legal advice and discounted services. Its networking events are popular and well-attended.

Chambers of Commerce

Most local chambers run regular networking groups, and they can be an excellent way to meet people from bigger companies who don't attend other networking groups.

The Athena Network

Athena is a women-only networking group that aims to put like-minded businesswomen together. Membership offers the chance to make connections with professionals in a wide range of industries; to develop business skills through interactive workshops and training courses, and to inspire and support others. Contact building and networking are a big part of why people join Athena, although the organisation doesn't pressurise members to generate referrals for each other.

The Women's Business Club

This is similar, holding monthly lunch meetings in various locations around the UK, focused on collaboration and peer group support to help women develop their businesses. Members share expertise and experience, pool resources and generate contacts. Premier clubs accept membership from only one representative of each business type.

Ecademy is chiefly an online network but it also organises live events around the UK.

Speed Networking Events

If you have a clear role or service that can be explained simply and your goal is to meet a wide range of people and collect a lot of business cards, you might like to try speed networking, where you have a rapid succession of three-minute one-to-one meetings during the course of a morning or afternoon. Be warned: it's not for the faint-hearted.

It is a cheaper option than joining the long-running groups and you don't have to commit to attending regularly. However, collecting a large number of cards from people you can barely remember the next day (and who may well have forgotten you), may be far less valuable in the long run than taking time to get to know a few people better.

If your proposition is a complex or technical one, it may be hard to describe it adequately in a short time - though it is very good practice to try to do so.

Luke Cunliffe concludes: "You never know when you're going to meet someone who may end up landing you a large contract, introducing you to your next employer or giving you ideas that add great value to your business - and you need to ensure that you make a great impression on them when you do."

www.cunliffeassociates.com

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