Over the past few months, most of us have had to adapt and work in a different way.
Networking is something that has really changed, and the shift to online networking has suited some more than others.
When I first started out in business, networking was a great way to get to know other businesses and businesspeople. It was a tool to get my face and my name recognised, while promoting myself. I was recommended to join a local Chamber of Commerce, which is what I did, and I then started attending their networking meetings.
I liked the community spirit, the feeling of belonging to something, and the way people wanted to help me. I generated some business there, so then looked for other networking groups which I could join to grow my network even more.
I went to every networking meeting I could find, then determined which were the groups that generated business for me, while also offering a friendly and welcoming community.
I discovered that different networking meetings have different communities, while some didn’t have a community at all. I also found that different networking groups work for different businesses; there is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to networking.
‘Working Together Generates More Business’
And what better way to find businesses you can work with than at networking meetings?
You can imagine the enthusiasm when the Regeneration and Recovery plan put forward by Torbay Council and TDA to improve Torbay included bringing businesses closer together. It is exactly what we at Paignton Chamber of Commerce believe in, and are striving for. This is why we’ve formed a new networking group, called ‘The Torbay Business and Chamber Network’.
The networking group will start virtually, and, with the help of Will Reddaway, we are going to have a live video feed from the venue, with a panel of experts from around Torbay speaking about a different subject each time.
Our first event will be on 15th September, and then on the third Tuesday of every month after that.
We continue to have our own virtual Paignton and District Chamber networking meetings every other Friday morning, and also our members networking events once a month, so there is plenty of opportunity to get to know other businesses, and to work with and refer jobs to each other.
We hope to see you at one of our events soon!