Business Networks

[Dean]

Hi all

Been talking about exciting potential of this forum with some of the others in another post.

I love the idea of how much can be gained by likeminded business folk getting together and sharing ideas and approaches to problems. Survving our first years in business is as everyone knows the typically hardest hurdle to jump.

In the short time I've had my own business I have found that it is east to spend over the odds for services or perhaps take on the wrong person for a job.

I would love to start up a Business Network (Is the another name for it?) in Northern Ireland -specifically Belfast for new and established business owners.

What are your experiences of attending these kind of networking events. Have you been to any good ones and what was good at them? What kind of thing did they have going on? What would you like to get from such an event if it was held regularly? Would you like to hear motivational speakers and successful business people speak. Has anyone been to any inspiring workshops? Can you describe what was inspirational?

I need to work on the length of my posts...

[aarpol]

Dean,

Excited about the idea of a group in Belfast.

The BRE meeting model looks interesting at least at the start to get everyone talking to each other:
http://www.brenet.co.uk/meetings.htm

I'm also keen on something where referrals are encouraged rather than just a support network.

Most of my networking is online and there are very few people who use the Internet in our part of the world to the extent that you and I seem to do.

Are you an Ecademy member Dean? I was asked a while ago to start a local Ecademy in this area, but wasn't sure how it would work out - still a possibility. I strongly recommend Ecademy by the way - www.ecademy.com - if you're excited about networking.

[BBWdressseller]

Originally posted by Dean
Hi all

<snip>

What are your experiences of attending these kind of networking events. Have you been to any good ones and what was good at them? What kind of thing did they have going on? What would you like to get from such an event if it was held regularly? Would you like to hear motivational speakers and successful business people speak. Has anyone been to any inspiring workshops? Can you describe what was inspirational?

I need to work on the length of my posts...

WRT bad experiences, the ones where people are only there to try and sell you something are the worst, and doesn't inspire confidence. i.e. you don't see me for dust at the next meeting.

The better ones are where selling is purely an aside, the people in them have a common interest first, be that marketing, finance, etc.

For example: the brother has a car related business in Lisburn (not too far from Belfast) and is in a sports car related club, while I don't think he set out specifically to network, it has turned out to be a superb way of networking with like minded people.

So by all means introduce yourselves and say what you do, but try not to allow anyone to do a hardsell, it drives people away, very, very quickly.

[Yours Faithfully]

Also look at BNI, its a similar thing to BRE (www.bni-europe.com)

I joined my local one about 3 months ago - it cost me quite a lot to join but I have benefitted in many ways, I know more people than I did 3 months ago, more people know about me and I have just about made back my subscription.

I am also a member of ecademy but I dont find it as useful as getting out and meeting people.

Good luck with whichever route you take.