How To Network Effectively

A whistle blows to mark the end of the four minutes allocated for each introduction and there is a scramble to find a new contact and sell yourself all over again.

It’s a format that will be familiar to anyone who has signed up for speed dating. This, however, is about a different kind of relationship.

With speed dating, the evening guarantees a large of introductions in a short space of time. It is one of the newest ways to meet a partner and has revolutionised the dating game.

However, at an exclusive club in Liverpool, it is not romance that nearly 30 participants are looking for, but developing valuable business contacts. And the organisers believe that speed networking for business will become as big as the speed dating idea that spawned it.

After being invited to see it for myself in the bar of the Racquets Club in Liverpool, beforehand a few people introduced themselves. Some had been before and acknowledged old acquaintances, but for many it was a step into the unknown.

In a large, upstairs room, everyone was seated while the master of ceremonies made the introductions.

Then, with the simple rules clearly outlined – find someone to talk to on the blast of the whistle; four minutes later, when another whistle blows, stop talking and meet someone new – it was off to do a bit of rapid networking.

The idea is not to hard-sell, but that didn’t stop one of my contacts from trying to flog me a deal to cut the price of my phone and utility bills. He was, however, the exception.

Overall, the evening is not about selling, but more about cultivating business contacts, though there are always a few who try.

To be fair, it was not a one-way street. Many were genuinely interested in what I did and were happy to talk about their own business. Four minutes is just enough to make the most cursory summary of each other, but everyone carried business cards to hand out after each session.

It was a fairly intense event, and a good idea in principle, although there were too many ‘suppliers’ eager to sell their products to other networkers who were not ‘buyers’ – an equal mix of buyers to sellers would have been ideal.

This brand of networking came about when Glenn Robertson was talking to a friend who had been on a speed dating evening. They realised the technique could be adapted, and 18 months ago the idea was born.

Unfortunately for them, with any innovative idea, it is not long before others catch on. They hold evenings once a month in both Liverpool and Chester, but similar events are being held nationwide as others follow the lead.

The speed networking is incorporated into a membership package offering online networking lead generation, which lets members know quickly about suitable business opportunities.

If somebody types in their business needs, then they are put in touch with providers via email and text messages. It has cost tens of thousands pounds to get the technology up and running, but it can be seen as a useful way forward for businesses.