Networking Events

[Alan Contempo]

Hi,

I am looking for business networking events in the Glasgow area (property events if poss). I am fairly new to networking and would like to try and go to the most worthwhile events.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Alan Govan

[barryhynd]

Hello again Alan

The only thing I know that has a property focus would be Thrive. I've not attended them myself but have posted a link to them below.

Thrive Property Clubs

I totally appreciate why you would want to focus on the property side but I do think you may be limiting yourself quite a bit as there are many other networking opportunities in the Glasgow area.

Off the top of my head i'm thinking Business Network Scotland, The Power Lunch Club, The Small Business Club and I think 4Networking also have clubs recently established in Glasgow. I will try and get some links together for the above as well but i'm sure if you googled them you would find them all quite easily

[sam09]

May sound daft but you can turn a lot of night that aren't classed as networking into networking nights.

Depending how far along you are with your business or how you want to move it forward you can attend some free classes via various groups that help with the running of your business and meet people there, ans they'll be in the same boat as you so you might find them likely to be able to share info or help you out more.

I have just been to one myself and met 2 joiners, a dog walker, a massuese(sp), an inventor and various other people. May not seem usefull at the time but any contact can come in handy when you least expect so always keep a business card on yourself.

And these sort of night may be less scary than a full blown networking night if your a bit unsure about it all.
Also just chat to everyone in a given opportunity, cos then you can slyly put in oh great speaking to you...i'l give you my number so we can chat again....in fact even better here's my card. They might not need you right then but when a situation arises you could just pop up.

Sam

[TFGtv.com]

More by way of reflection rather than adding anything useful...

I'm often put off by the formality of many (most actually) structured networking events. Whilst I want to know who's out there, and make it known that I'm there too, I don't want to be constantly sold to nor am I about to start ramming TFGtv down people's throats...

Personally I feel there's nothing more off-putting in business terms than an elevator pitch played out time and time and time again up close and personal.

I've often thought that if events were organised 'round some sort of information pool that people could dip into to find out who they had been talking to rather than the 'talking to' bit being all about pitching the product or service, then the networking event would be a much more useful tool...

[Murray]

Hi,

We try to attend a lot of networking events in and around Edinburgh and Thrive is one of the ones that we have joined. These meetings are well run and there is always the opportunity to put forward an 'ask' to the other delegates and you never know who in the group may be able to help you. This would be well worth going along as a guest to see what you think.

The Power Lunch club is great and would thoroughly recommend trying it out as is the Small Business Club.

Good luck.

Murray

[EmployEasily HR Services]

Don't forget BNI! Plenty of chapters in and around Glasgow and THE most successful business referral organisation in the world.

Being active in BNI is like having up to 40 sales people working for you, because your fellow members will be carrying your cards and referring your business to people they meet, without you having to pay them any salaries or commission. Successful businesses depend on 'word-of-mouth' marketing as the best form of promotion there is.

BNI provides a structured, supportive, business environment in which local business people can get together to network, learn valuable new marketing skills and develop the strong personal relationships that lead to trust and the consequent generation of significant business for each other.

Contact me by PM if you want to know more.

[Adventurelife]

Every business is different and will find its clients via a whole range of routes. You need to experiment and then measure each route to market to ensure you have a sales funnel that is producing in the most efficient way possible.

I only attend about two or maximum three networking events per year but they are very targeted with a lot of pre-work and appointments set up prior to the event. That suits my business and produces trade returns and in-direct channel returns, other routes produce the day to day returns that the business requires.

The only way you will find out what works is by doing, good luck hope they work for you.

[Gordon N]

A lot of the events listed on the calendar here on SBF are more central belt based and although the BNS events include Aberdeen, that seems to be it for the Northern areas. I have tried a few of the small business groups in and around Moray which tend to have the same people, talking to the same people, about the same thing they were the last time - and unfortunately full of what I would class as stagnant businesses.

I am keen from my own point of view (and my new boss is also keen for me..) to find some Aberdeen/Inverness based networking events to attend.

Is anybody aware of anything up here at all?

I would prefer something a little less structured than BNI (sorry Gary!) but the whole setup of BNI doesn't agree with me - I think networking should be slightly more relaxed and free of pressure to work properly.

[findnetworkingevents]

We have a fair few events listed in the Grampian area now, other than the BNS events

Networking Events in Grampian

there is also Deeside Business Networking organised by Debut Marketing

http://www.debutmarketing.co.uk/news.html

[jimbairn]

I was emailed this yesterday:

Aberdeen Entrepreneurs will be running a series of events, starting on Thursday 19th November 2009, when Bob Keiller will share with us his journey from Graduate Engineer to the global success of PSN. Hear his anecdotes and personal lessons learned. The event will also include opportunities to network, entertainment and a light supper.

The Entrepreneurial Journey
Bob Keiller of PSN

Bob Keiller, PSN
Thursday 19th November
Hilton Double Tree, Aberdeen
18:30 for 19:00
£35 including VAT

Download a booking form

Bob KeillerAfter graduating in 1986, Bob Keiller worked as an engineer for BP. He was then head-hunted by both a technical consulting company and by oil producer Amerada Hess. Further career progression at Amerada Hess would have disrupted his children’s education with overseas postings, so an offer to join Halliburton in January 2002 was irresistible.

* In May 2002 Bob became head of UK operations for the Production Services division within Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR). Following this success, Bob was made Global MD of the Production Services division in 2004.
* Recognising that the business model for Production Services differed from the rest of KBR he saw the opportunity to spin out the division. Bob secured over $400m (US) of funding from the Bank of Scotland Integrated Finance and on 1st May 2006 created PSN through an award-winning $280million (US) management-buy-out.
* Since the origination of the deal, PSN has created over 2,500 new jobs globally and now employs a network of over 8,500 people, working in 26 countries, across five continents. The company now has a turnover over $1.2 billion and an order book worth more than $2.5 billion.