Special offer from the Chamber of Commerce

I've now had a phone call from the man himself (Alistair Druett! The coordinator of the Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce networking events), informing me that they now have a special offer of £15 for all of those people wanting to try out a breakfast networking event on a bargain!  

For that you'll get: 

* A Full English breakfast at a professional venue (If your veggie like me or have dietary requirements, just inform them when you book)

* A seat amongst potential clients with time to pitch to all of them

* As much tea, coffee and orange juice you can drink in 2 hours!

The events are held early morning so you can get them in before work and they often organise a short presentation by a local business that can be helpful with a number of issues i.e. ways of saving money with government legislation and hints to cutting down on computer time and errors...

I can't stress enough that this has been the most cost effective and successful way of generating new clients.  Grab it while you can, it's a great opportunity to meet people and most of all make money!  

                

Cheeky Business

It's official! During a presentation on branding to some business start ups, I found out that a gentleman had managed to get a free breakfast networking event with the Chamber of Commerce. So be cheeky and ask for a try before you buy!!

However, before you go make sure you have your 6o or sometimes 45 second commercial sorted. This may also be called an Elevator Pitch (based on the circumstance that you are in an elevator with another business person and only have a short space of time to sell your product or service before he/she gets out, phew!) or Advert. It's pretty simple but this is your time to sell yourself to the other 40 somethings in the room. Keep it short and snappy but you must include:

* Your name and your company name (obviously)
* What your products/services are
* Why your different
* I close with how they can get in touch and squeeze in my URL address (as long as it's not long)

You will be standing when you talk so if you don't know what to do with yours hands, which I'm terrible with, find something to hold like a napkin, leaflet or business card. I've done my pitch a few times now so I've pretty much got it down cold but if you are very nervous, practise in the car before you get there so it's fresh in your mind. One last thing to remember is to speak up and you'll be fine, good luck!

Brand exposure and a church!

I have talked about my love for networking before and I am still a huge believer in getting out there and talking to people about your products/services. Face to face communication is the perfect way to show potential clients how motivated you are and what you can do for them. Networking leaves a lasting impression and can lead to other opportunities that can benefit your business. For example, my latest project has been for a local church, branding for a roof appeal of course! This is a freebie but in return Urban Mind will get public exposure when the website goes live, a mention in the local newspapers and the company brand will to be placed on the large poster that will be placed on the scaffolding to display the new website appeal address. I'm also hoping that this will secure me a place in heaven...x

Network, network and breakfast!

Networking has been my most success way of generating money full stop! I'm not just talking about telling the local shop owners and your current hairdresser about your services or products, although you must do this too. The SPEED programme introduced me to the Chamber of Commerce who organise Breakfast Network Meetings for it's members on a regular basis in locations around your area. These events put you in front of professional business people that may need your services and also connect you to people providing those other essentials i.e. accountants...

The events start nice and early so that you can get them in before you go to work and refreshments are included. Although, I must admit the breakfasts aren't great if you don't like a Full English, so if your on a diet you may struggle. The veggie option isn't too bad although it really depends on where you go, but be sure to let them know of any requirements before you book your place!
However, the breakfast is a great way to sit down and chat to people. It's at this point that I have generated a lot of my current clients. Seriously, I rate this type of advertising more highly than on paper or the web especially within the graphic and web design sector. If your unsure of whether this would work for you, I'd recommend phoning your local Chamber of Commerce and cheekily asking if you could have a free trial, well it's worth a try! If you do get a freebie please let us know. For other networking opportunities contact Business Link as they hold many free events that include training and time to connect with other businesses.