Please don't dismiss the importance of this post just because you may not live in the historic town of Royal Leamington Spa like I do. For off-line opportunities which offer potential – networking meetings have huge potential. I'm going to break it down into two sections.
- My experience of Leamington Business Network Meeting
- The overall potential of attending networking meetings in your local area.
My Experience of Leamington Business Network and their twice monthly meetings.
I actively searched for a structured networking event in my local area and never expected to find anything. But by using twitter, I connected with the Leamington Business Network and once I'd registered my interest, one of the organisers contacted me to confirm when the next meeting was.
Unfortunately due to last minute 'Oh my goodness I have to have a breakfast with complete strangers and I've just started my lifestyle change' moment, I made the decision as I was dressed and ready not to attend, for fear I would be presented with a full cooked English breakfast and nothing more. That's a nutrition nightmare for anyone trying to change their eating habits.
After contacting the co-ordinator and apologising, she said she totally understood and told me when the next meeting was taking place. She also told me about the eating options – which was nice of her to do. This was the first thing I noted; The organisers are very approachable and non-stuffy. That was a good pull for me to get up this morning and find myself surrounded by business men and women who serve my local area and beyond.
So, to the meeting…
It is hosted in a lovely restaurant where the food is simply delicious. Seasons Restaurant, if anyone wants to know. I'm always aware of vibes when I walk into a place, and instantly I felt very comfortable. Partly due to some friendly 'hellos' from the gentlemen sitting at my table next to me. The format for the morning was to spend some time talking about the 60 second pitches you wanted to deliver. My table (which consisted of two of the organisers) got a little side-tracked and I must admit, I was totally unprepared. But then again I hate to feel like I'm reading from a script. So I just rolled with mine.
The prospect of delivering 30 second pitches about your business may fill you with dread. But honestly, this exercise is one of the best ways to get used to talking to groups of people. People rush, fumble their words and some, like me, go over their 60 seconds and get stopped by the tap on the glass. But it doesn't matter – at least you've made people aware of who you are and why you're there. I chose to do my 60 second pitch using one of my greatest gifts – which is my personality. HA! I have to tell you at that time in the morning my personality isn't normally fantastic, but I was enthused by other people, so I used that as a motivator.
I asked the attendees if they had goals for the week or the next few weeks in which they wanted to achieve? Yes, a little audience participation. Some people didn't want to say anything and others raised their hands and nodded. I continued with a smile and said, 'What? No one has goals and you're in business?!' *cue laughter from the attendees* It was a nice icebreaker. I told them about giving people the ability to achieve goals and igniting self-belief. The important thing here is that I didn't go into the whole 'I'm a coach' and take it from there. There had to be some rapport. And like many of the attendees, their business maybe targeted but it's still diverse.
I felt good when I was finished – and I didn't mind I ran over time. When breakfast was done there was an opportunity to go around the tables so each person could give referrals and/or tell others who they were looking to work with or needed leads on. This was super interesting and although I had no referrals, I did ask that people make themselves aware to me, so if I had any clients I felt would benefit from there services I would have some information to hand.
The Diversity
Leamington Business Network is a diverse group. From charity organisations, property development, architects, natural health care specialists and creative people too. I really was very impressed by the different types of people there. At the end you have a chance to pass out your business card, talk to people face to face, and generally get to know a little bit more about them. There is also a business card box you can pop your cards into and get other people's business cards from. Very handy!
Conclusion
I walked out with lots of business cards and some potential leads to collaborations, clients and general offers of meeting up with people for coffee to find out more. When I got home I already had an email waiting from someone, and several more followed throughout the day. I also emailed a few myself and I have more to email tomorrow. And fantastically, I received an email to book a solid day to meet up for a 1-1. (I'm really looking forward to that.) I really loved this experience.
I am very excited to go again and I've registered my interest to facilitate a group presentation on a certain topic I feel would benefit everyone who went to that meeting (and no, it's nothing to do with my business.) I have to go on the waiting list, but that's fine with me – at least I've set the ball rolling. Leamington Business Network is highly recommended for established and new business owners in the Warwickshire area! I warn you; they may have to put people on a waiting list to join soon since its proving to get more popular each time they meet. If you're in Leamington Spa or the sourounding areas and would like more information on Leamington Business Network then please click here.
The overall potential of attending networking meetings in your local area…
Nothing compares to actually getting out there and telling people what you do, how you do it as well as learning what other people do. You will meet lots of diverse people – many will have nothing to do with your line of work. But the potential to collaborate, get clients, and swap ideas is hugely beneficial to any business owner. The biggest hurdle is finding a good structured meeting which is also fun to be at. Sometimes it's trial and error. And sometimes, like me, you just find an excellent first base. Most networking meetings do ask for a fee to cover food or possibly a special speaker, so be prepared to pay for the experience.
My personal experience with my networking meet-up today was not expensive (£10) but I do know other meet-ups that cost more than that to attend. Get recommendations if you can but also use your own research. I felt pretty secure in my decision to go to this meeting group because the organisers have their own businesses which have a web presence, which I could read about, and also… it felt nice just to have a friendly email banter with one of the organisers.
Too many times we rely on the internet to give our business a kick start when the simple fact is that you have to get off your behind and seek out people off the net and talk to them. It helps your business progress immensely for so many reasons. It may be nerve-racking and it may be fear-inducing to meet up with a group of strangers and pitch your business. A little piece of advice is – be yourself. Even if you fluff up, it doesn't matter – each and every one of those people who will be networking with you will have had those moments. Plus you'll probably find there will be people who are new to off-line networking too.
Everywhere Else…
If you're looking for off-line networking opportunities in your local area, then start with Google. Do some smart research before you attend meetings to make sure they are operated with the interests of all those that attend, and not just the facilitators who want simply to pitch their business. There is a lot more I could go into, but I don't want to write a guide here. If you're attending a network meeting and need more in depth guidance on how to approach and mentally prepare, you know how to find me. 
Vx
