Uckfield Matters April 2019

usinessmatters
SO YOU WANT TO NETWORK?
by Sue Edwards
Having lived and worked in Uckfield for over 23 years, it’s great to see how
business flourishes here. Many businesses have been here for years, both on
the High Street and the industrial estate – always buzzing with activity.
So, how about networking? No doubt
you already have a good online
presence, however doing business
face-to-face can often work better.
More business owners or their staff are
attending networking nowadays.
To find networking events in your area,
I recommend Eventbrite. It’s one of the
best resources for finding networking,
seminars, workshops. There is quite a
lot going on around the Uckfield area,
and I use it about once a week to see
what’s new. It can be tailored to your
requirements and preferred town.
If you sell mostly to local clients, you
may prefer to network locallly. And if
you reach further afield, it’s good to
network - you never know who you
might meet.
Uckfield hosts excellent networking
opportunities, with the Chamber of
Commerce being the largest with over
200 members.
SO, WHY NETWORK?
• It's a great way to connect with
people you may not otherwise
meet.
• Helps to get your name ‘out there’
• If your business is not 'visible',
networking is a good way to start.
• Gives you the opportunity to meet
business owners in person.
• Meeting with potential clients faceto-face
can be more fruitful than
them visiting your website.
• Meet competitors who offer
services that you don’t and you may
be happy to collaborate with.
• Ask for feedback or advice on
anything, if you need it.
Sometimes networking can be
disappointing and feel like a waste of
time, particularly if not many people
turn up. But, I’ve been to networking
where only four other people
have attended, and it’s still proved
worthwhile. Quality often wins over
quantity. On the other side of the coin,
some meetings I’ve attended are 80 plus.
At these events it’s often hard and timeconsuming
to find the right person to
talk to and if you’re not careful you can
get stuck talking to someone with whom
you have no or little interest at all. I
usually try to politely say ‘it was nice to
meet you…..’ and move on.
So, do more networking as part of your
marketing strategy, whatever the size of
your business. It is worth it!
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