25th Jan 2012 / 9:51am
Your help is needed to support the University of Chichester’s research into enterprise and business start-ups. The project is funded by Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership which is committed to the promotion and stimulation of enterprise within the region. The study will identify the factors which hinder or support sustainable business start-up in your area. The outcome will be a map of business in the whole region, a profile of the type and size of those businesses, and an understanding of ways in which you and other business owners might be encouraged and supported.
They want to hear from you whether you run a business from home, shop, office, or industrial premises. You may be a sole owner or other partners/directors may be involved. All businesses may participate but they particularly want to hear from you if you have been trading for less than 4 years.
If you are willing to take part in this important study, please click here to go to the survey www.survey.bris.ac.uk/chichester/enterprise. Participants will be advised when and where the results of the research project may be viewed.
11th Jan 2012 / 11:01am
In this age of concern with “carbon footprint” and “localism” what better way to find suppliers and clients than attending networking groups locally?
Business networking is not an opportunity to hard sell though; if you approach networking with the intent to do nothing more than sell to the people in the room, you will almost certainly go away disappointed. Networking is about building longterm contacts and friendships. It is said that up to 70 per cent of business is done by word of mouth referral these days – so attend as many network events as you can!
There are many ways to network, from annual membership and lock-outs to free to attend and drop-ins. Many of the groups are run on a franchise basis and if you are the local organiser it can provide you with great opportunities to market your company to a wide network of local businesses.
You will find that most attendees at these events come from SMEs, however, you should never think that you are only promoting yourself to the person in the room. You never know to whom they are connected – it is very often this third party referral that is the most valuable contact.
To get the most out of your networking try to find events where you feel comfortable; you will be more relaxed and more likely to create positive contacts. If you find yourself standing alone, look for a friendly face or a group of people you can join. Everyone is open to be approached at these events so don’t feel shy.
Find a group to suit your personality and your needs try: www.firstfriday-network.co.uk, www.4networking.co.uk, www.bni-festival.co.uk, www.business-scene.com. There are also several networks targeted at women only such as www.scene4women.co.uk, www.mumpreneuruk.com, www.agoodgossip.co.uk, www.theathenanetwork.com.
This article appeared in the Chichester Chamber newsletter.
3rd Jan 2012 / 5:19pm
It's a new year with new opportunities! Are you going to take the initiative and make this a great year for you and your business?
We hope that we can help you achieve your goals in some small way. The First Friday Network has thirteen groups to help you make contacts locally and over 1200 companies registered on the website for you to promote to across the south coast.
Make the most of what is on offer and kick start your networking from this Friday - 6th Jan 2012 - check the website for full details of the meeting closest to you!
15th Dec 2011 / 9:54am
So, it's all go for First Friday Network for the New Year! We have a new group starting in Port Solent and now have new leaders for Brighton, Guildford and Croydon. I hope you will continue to attend the groups and help them grow under their new leadership.
We have new venues for Chichester and Arundel in January and Lewes in February (Check the group page for locations).
The format of our meetings always gets positive praise and hopefully we can expand the network even more next year.
Don't forget that the website now allows you to promote your company and events through the Members blog and gives you the opportunity to enhance your directory page. the site has loads of traffic and does very well in the search engines as it has been established for over 8 years now.
Have a fab Festive Season and look forward to seeing many of you at a networking event in the New Year.
13th Dec 2011 / 9:58am
Someone has come forward to run the Croydon group from January. Full contact details will be on the site shortly.
Whether you are a new or established business the exposure of being the organiser of a busy network event like First Friday is priceless. Your company details appear on all marketing material and it is your name that will be mentioned when people refer new guests to visit. The cost of gaining this level of exposure would normally be prohibitive, especially if you had to buy advertising space, but the network acts as your word-of-mouth sales force! Becoming an organiser boosts your image as a trustworthy individual to do business with.
For more information contact Steve Wilson 01243 787100 or email steve@firstfriday-network.co.uk