Posted by CLIVE GREENAWAY on August 19, 2007, 7:08 pm Clive Greenaway
I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCE OF TRYING DIFFERENT WAYS TO GAIN A WIDER CUSTOMER BASE. AS AN AUTO SPARKS,IT NOT UNUSUAL TO NOT SEE A RETAIL CUSTOMER FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT,WITH THE MAIN PROBLEM BEING THAT POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS HAVE NO IDEA WE EXIST OR WHAT WE DO. SO,GOT A WEB SITE(BRIGHTONAUTOELECTRICAL.COM)WHICH HELPED,NOT FLOODING IN BUT MAKING A DIFFERENCE. EARLY THIS YEAR MY BUSINESS STATIONARY MAN INVITED ME TO A NETWORKING BREAKFAST WITH MY LOCAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. I HAD A BRIEF SHALL I OR NOT AND THOUGHT "NO I WILL TRY IT" AND I HAVE TO SAY I THINK THIS SORT OF MEETING IS SOMETHING TO BE INCLUDED IN OUR WORKING WEEK. DON`T GIVE ME I HAVEN`T GOT TIME COBBLERS! OUR WORLD IS MORE COMPETITIVE THAN EVER AND ALL ANGLES NEED LOOKING AT. SAME AS THE WEB SITE,NOT FLOODS OF WORK BUT IT IS WORKING. THE PEOPLE I HAVE MET AT THESE MEETINGS ARE FROM ACROSS THE WHOLE OF OUR SOCIAL SPECTRUM AND THEY ALL HAVE CARS! I WOULD HAVE CONSIDERED NETWORKING FOR PEOPLE IN HIGHER CIRCLES THAN OURS,NOT SO IT APPEARS. THE WEB SITE MAY BE BETTER FOR AUTO ELECTRICIANS AS WE ARE FEWER BUT THERE IS A LOT MORE WORK FOR TECHS ON THE MECHANICAL SIDE.SO THE NETWORKING ASPECT MAY BE BETTER FOR MECHANICAL TECHS? THE COST OF MY CHAMBER IS £35 A YEAR AND £5 FOR BREAKFAST. SEVERAL PEOPLE I HAVE SPOKEN TO, SAY THAT NETWORKING HAS BECOME THE HUB OF THERE BUSINESS AFTER SOMEWHERE 6 TO 18 MONTHS. SOME NETWORKING PEOPLE ARE READING THIS NOW! PS.ORIM WEB PEOPLE GOOD PRICES.
Re: NETWORKING ETC
Posted by Derek Warwick on August 20, 2007, 10:01 am, in reply to " NETWORKING ETC" Derek Warwick
Hi Clive, I went to one of these Networking breakfasts about a year ago but it was more expensive than you quote and it was EVERY Friday morning, early. After thinking about it for a day or two, I got a phone call from the guy who'd recommended me to say that he wanted me to stand in for him now and then as he'd got fed up with it himself! I decided not to pursue it. Regards, Derek
Re: NETWORKING ETC
Posted by CLIVE GREENAWAY on August 21, 2007, 8:29 pm, in reply to "Re: NETWORKING ETC" Clive Greenaway
HELLO DEREK, YOU CAN ONLY SPEAK AS YOU FIND,WHICH IS FAIR ENOUGH! THERE IS A GROUP CALLED "BNI"WHICH APPARENTLY IS ABOUT £400 A YEAR? WHICH SOUNDS A POSSIBLE CANDIDATE FOR YOUR EXPERIENCE. WITHOUT EXCEPTION,EVERY PERSON THAT I ASKED SAID IT ONLY SEEMED TO WORK AFTER SOME MONTHS. TO QUOTE ONE CHAMBER MEMBER REFERRING TO THE "BNI STARTED WORKING AFTER 12 MONTHS AND NOW I WOULD BE MAD TO LEAVE IT" IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE MORE REGIMENTAL THAN OTHER CHAMBERS BUT LIMITS ARE ONE PERSON OF ANY PROFESSION. I AM QUITE HAPPY WITH MY LOCAL GROUP AT PRESENT BUT WOULD NOT DISMISS JOINING OTHERS IN THE FUTURE. MAYBE OTHER MEMBERS FIND IT WORKS BUT ARE RELUCTANT TO GIVE THIS "SECRET" AWAY? WE MAY NEVER KNOW!
