Survey shows how every small business can benefit from networking!

• Stuart Russell (FindNetworkingEvents.com)
• Friday 8 November 2013

Traditionally many people view networking as being all about pushy salesmen in suits. Far from it, the recent survey of 430 networkers across the UK has revealed that there are multiple different benefits to be had from attending events.

Whilst 87% of respondents did indeed say that they were looking for leads and referrals, 52% stated that they also used networking events to find other businesses to collaborate with and 44% said they provided a useful support network. This seems to follow the growing trend for small businesses to work with other similar sized organisations rather than taking on employees. This enables them to fill any skills gaps that they may have and potentially take on bigger contracts than they might otherwise have been able to tackle.

Also highlighted were other less tangible benefits of networking such as self-improvement. Nearly 60% of those that answered the survey said that they networked to learn new ideas and a quarter gained confidence and motivation from networking. Stuart Russell, Founder of FindNetworkingEvents.com says “The past few years have seen many networking groups evolve to provide a more diverse range of formats, often including mini-workshops or perhaps an expert speaker on a particular topic. These events provide a great way for people to come away with new ideas to implement in their own businesses, whilst meeting new contacts at the same time.”

A notable side-effect of the recession has been the increase in the numbers of people running a business from home. This helps minimise overheads and gives fledgling ventures the best chance of success. However, the downside of working from home is that it can be isolating at times. 39% of respondents stated that the social side of networking was important to them. Stuart says “Regular networking gives home workers the chance to get out of the house and meet people. This can be incredibly motivating and is essential when you are missing out on the traditional banter that goes on in a workplace”.

For full details of the business networking events benefits survey, visit:

www.findnetworkingevents.com/survey

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