Networking in Surrey News – week beginning 10 October 2011

‘Don’t panic, Captain Mainwaring!”  This classic quote from Corporal Jones in Dad’s Army (whose brilliant co-writer David Croft died last month) is a timely piece of advice for all our businesses, as most Western economies slide inexorably towards the second dip in the ongoing recession.

Vince Cable likened the current crisis to a war, and we really are all in this together. Joining forces to combat the effects of the downturn makes perfect sense, so the strength of your network, and how effectively you use it to grow your business, are more vital than ever.

Doing your bit!  Of course, you already use Networking in Surrey to find events in your area (over 200 each month!) where you can spread the word about your business and grow your network. And increasingly, our 726 Members (meet the latest to join our community here) are discovering they can use NiS as a free tool to manage their personal networks.  It's like a more focused, niched-down Linked In, for people you actually meet face-to-face.

For example, if you add the people on NiS that you have met out there in Networkland as Friends, you are creating your own self-maintaining local ‘network contacts’ database. Like you, they will have entered all their data – much more than you get on their business card – and will keep it all up to date for you (it’s a team effort!)

Then, from your My Page profile, simply select View All to see all your connections as pages of photos (and that’s yet another reason you absolutely MUST have a good clear mugshot on your own profile if you’re serious about networking).  Casting your eye across the page, you will then spot people you need to follow up – Simples!

TOP TIP: Use the RSVP box on the page of each of our featured EVENTS pages to let other Members know you’re planning to attend that event, so they can arrange to meet up with you there for a 1-2-1 (always message each other on the site to confirm).

Talking of events, we have the usual array of great networking opportunities, from all the Regular Group Meetings – BNI, 4Networking, BoB Clubs, Athena, Ladies At Eleven – to the featured EVENTS – freebies, one-offs, expos and so on.

Here’s a snapshot of upcoming events on the site just in the next few days:
• Surrey Chambers Google Evening, Frimley

• FREE Google Marketing Link-up Evening, Guildford

• The Best of Richmond Evening, Richmond

• Business Network Surrey Breakfast, Woking

• FREE Surrey Jelly Co-Working Day, Caterham

• FREE Business Biscotti Morning, Woking

• FREE Meet Nigel Botterill at Ascot Racecourse

• Business over Breakfast Farnham

• FREE IoD Business Risk Breakfast, South Croydon

• FREE Entrepreneur's Circle Evening, Shepperton

Diary of a Networker...

As mentioned in the last blast, I managed to get out on the golf course at James Webster’s Foxhills Networking on a ‘Phew what a scorcher!’ afternoon, where I went round with Max Wright and Steve Redden before the BBQ at the Summer House by the pool (tough game, this networking :o) There I bumped into Len Goss and Mike Loughton - but poor old James himself didn’t make it, as he was busy putting the finishing touches to his extravaganza, the Leisure, Luxury and Lifestyle Show at Sandown Park.

I dashed straight from the poolside to the Surrey Sports Park that same evening for the Digital Surrey event, to hear Jon Bishop (South African, not the Scouse variety!) Head of Social Media at PayPal, talking about the impact of mobile media on marketing and society in general – amazing stuff! Also there were Elaine Hickmott (who’s already posted her February Commercial Connections event on NiS - no slouch, our Elaine!), Nicky Kriel, Steve Coburn and Sarah Giles among others.

I squeezed in a couple of breakfasts: the BoB Club Weybridge launch with Derek Hawkins (back in circulation at last – hoorah!), Sam New-Fielding, Darren Allen, Uzma Afzal,and  Karen Sutton, and 4Networking Walton & Weybridge with Charlotte Grant, John Edward, Manuel Boger, Fiona Duncan, Peter Wilford, Rowan Johnson and Ian Crocker.

It was nice to pop in to Biscotti Wentworth on Monday – despite the fact that Volvo were running a golf event there which made parking a bit difficult, but then I guess it is a golf club as well as a networking venue! Good to catch up with Martin Horswood, Martin Wallman, Tina Williams, and Martyn Keates (worth pointing out, chaps, that your name doesn't actually have to be Martin - or Martyn - to attend!

Happy Networking...