Business Referral Networking; 1 Cost, 3 Benefits

It's all too easy to evaluate the benefits of referral networking by measuring the bottom line: How much have I made from leads and referrals? In reality there are three benefits to your membership of a networking group. Follow the link to this article on Business Networking Now, website of East yorkshire BforB.

Networking tips, Networking or Hard sell?

Sometimes the line between networking and selling is blurred. Follow this business networking now link to BforB Hull and East Yorkshire to see.....

Speed Networking On Old Territory

A few months down the line and it was back to the KC stadium in Hull  for another round of speed networking. As I did the rounds I was reminded of a conversation I had with a BforB colleague who said: "These chamber events are all well and good but after a while you meet the same people."

Sure enough, there were a number of familiar faces there but rather than feel frustrated I actually enjoyed today's experience more. Today I was a shifter, moving around the room rather than a sitter so it actually helped when on about 4 occasions I could sit down and say, "nice to see you again", rather than launch into my elevator pitch. The second reason is that it was  a real pleasure to greet people, who I had spoken to for only 3 minutes in the past, and have them greeting me like a trusted colleague, rather than some bloke who once tried to sell them something in two minutes flat. We asked how things had been going what our plans were and what we hoped to achieve, in one instance giving and receiving advice.

Certainly speed networking has a basic purpose, meet a large number of people in a short amount of time. But today's experience reminded me what BforB is really all about. Those Know Like and Trust relationships really can be formed in two minutes flat and rediscovering that today gave me at least as much pleasure as meeting new faces.

If you want to develop longer lasting relationshipss in business, then follow the link for details about business networking now in East Yorkshire

Value Added Networking

I'm going to blow BforB East Yorkshire's own trumpet here. Last Friday we launched a our first open training event for members and other colleagues from the business community. The event ' "Climb the Google Rankings" took place at the ever popular networking venue The Pearson Park Hotel.

This event was free to BforB members and Mike Jones spent two hours showing colleagues and guests how to get their websites as high up the page rankings of Google as possible. Mike, who has been a BforB man for two months is one those rare breed. A IT and internet expert who speaks normal English and can explain things in a way that does not make you feel thick. At the very least anyone who attended this course and who is thinking of asking someone to promote their website , either in a one-off campaign or on a long term contract, will know exactly what questions to ask and how to ascertain that your SEO specialist is giving you value for money.

Real value for money is what you get at BforB, events such as this can only enhance members' networking experience. Let's not forget, in spite of the web, twitter and all the gizmos you can think of, people do business with people. For better business networking now, look us up.

BforB gives value added network membership

I'm going to blow BforB East Yorkshire's own trumpet here. Last Friday we launched a our first open training event for members and other colleagues from the business community. The event ' "Climb the Google Rankings" took place at the ever popular networking venue The Pearson Park Hotel.

This event was free to BforB members and Mike Jones spent two hours showing colleagues and guests how to get their websites as high up the page rankings of Google as possible. Mike, who has been a BforB man for two months is one those rare breed. A IT and internet expert who speaks normal English and can explain things in a way that does not make you feel thick. At the very least anyone who attended this course and who is thinking of asking someone to promote their website , either in a one-off campaign or on a long term contract, will know exactly what questions to ask and how to ascertain that your SEO specialist is giving you value for money.

Real value for money is what you get at BforB, events such as this can only enhance members' networking experience. Let's not forget, in spite of the web, twitter and all the gizmos you can think of, people do business with people. For better business networking now, look us up.

SEO Training at BforB in Hull This Friday Pearson Park Hotel

This is the first such event BforB has launched with our partners in referral networking. More will follow,

Here are the details sent out to 500  members of Hull Chamber of commerce,  contact us or leave a comment if you are interested in future events.

Is your website really working for you? Boost your Google ranking by attending the BforB “Climb the Google Rankings” Training Event.

As part of the BforB ethos of developing our members’ skills and capacity to grow their business, we are holding a training event on Friday 18^th February at the Pearson Park Hotel, 2pm to 4pm.

In this two-hour session we will show you:

1.    How to analyse the competition’s website, see what it is they do that pushes them up the Google rankings. You will get access to a simple plug in application that cracks open the secrets of sites and shows exactly who is looking at them!

2.    A list of High PR sites to submit your site to for free. This will put your content all over the web and bring you customers

3.    The easy steps to take to make Google friendly pages that rank themselves. This is a page structure tactic that SEO agencies are afraid to tell you.

We offer this training to our members as a benefit of their membership and today I’d like to extend this invitation to you for £50.

When you consider that a half-day course can cost up to £250 this represents real value for money.

Why are we offering this?

·      At BforB we are passionate about adding value to our colleagues’ networking experience and business.

·      We want you to enjoy the same opportunities our members get.

·      By meeting our members and other like-minded colleagues you will be able to get a feel for how Business Referral Networking can grow your business.

If you would like to attend the phone me, Mark Luscombe on 07837038157, send me an e-mail at mark.luscombe@bforb.co.uk or send the attached fax back form to the number given. 

Successful Business Networking Now In Hull

I had an interesting meeting in Leonardo's Cafe, Hull yesterday with Tom Salter. Tom runs the Best of in Hull and Beverley providing on line networking and marketing services. Essentially he runs an online business networking site. After discussing how we might help one another we had a general conversation about business networking in Hull and the Humber.

We have a plethora of networking opportunities in Hull and the East Riding, speed networking events organised through the Chamber and referral networking through BforB. There can be no doubt that more and more businesses are realising that social media marketing, Facebook, HTML e-mail shots, cold calling or flyers are all good in themselves, but all they do is compliment the fundamental, people doing business with people. The bottom lie about my meeting with Tom was I wanted to meet him because of hs good personal reputation, he appeared to be a person with whom I could develop a Know Like and Trust relationship and requested an introduction through LinkedIN.

So here is a checklist of things to look out for if you are looking to involve yourself in professional networking:

1. Professionalism. No good getting involved in a networking group that is like some kind of social club. Without a professional structure cliques can form and the opportunities for successful networking can elude new or less assertive members.

2. Access to advice on networking tips and skills to develop best practice.

3. An agenda that is driven by a recognition of the fact that people do business with people. A networking organisation that promotes relationships will ultimately produce better long-term business. This depends on the attitude of members, "What's in it for me now?" attitude will only get short term limited returns. Check out this link on the Ten Commandments of Business networking.

You will find all these 3 key markers at your local BforB group. Check us out at the Pearson park Hotel, 23rd February.