How To Find Networking Events In Your Area

When it comes to talking about networking and going to these business networking events – it is clear that the intention is to find new people to connect with to take you and your business to the next level.

Not only that, but you may find friends for life at these events that can serve a massive amount of value and positive energy in your life. Typically, you will find that people can be too shy or closed-minded to meet new people (staying friends with the people they currently or previously worked with).

However, local, national or virtual networking events are designed to create long-lasting and meaningful relationships which shouldn’t scare you away. Although, are they all worth it? How do you find a local networking event to go to? Carry on reading to learn more.

Are Networking Events Worth it?

Whether you’re a small business just starting, a growing company that is starting to reach its potential or a fully established company looking to go global – you may hear networking events being talked about.

Although, if you’ve already generated so much success or believe your product/ service can become successful, why even attend these groups and take a duration out of your working hours to talk to strangers?

Nevertheless, that may be what it sounds like but there are multiple benefits to why you should begin to turn up to your networking events. Here are just a few reasons why you should consider networking for your business’s overall objectives:

Finding Providers or Prospects

Within your area or any other networking events that appeal to you and finding good people is all a part of the process. Jumping straight into the deep end and mixing and matching with other businesses may be the difference between kickstarting your business and not.

For example, if you go to a general networking event within your area, you may find that people there will have problems in their business that you can solve with your product or service.

Or, on the flip side, you may find someone there that is perfect for what you need in your business to enhance your opportunities and or revenue.

In addition, if you were to visit a networking session within your career or niche, you may find that you have all the help from people who have done it all before – right in front of you. Gaining knowledge from people before or learning from their mistakes made will always speed up your journey to success.

Breaking Free From the Comfort Zone

Although messaging through social media is a comfortable place to do all your business or learn more about the career you’re going into – networking is a great way to further strengthen your communication skills and break you from your comfort zone.

As Theodore Roosevelt once said “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain and difficulty” and that is the case with networking.

It may be uncomfortable, to begin with, but the benefits will eventually outweigh them fears and you will become a natural in this high pace and social environment.

Finding Your Purpose and Message

Before you start to delve into these business networking events, you may be confused about your overall message and what you want to put into the world. Conferring with others in your industry or just anyone who has a business will give you insights into their vision and mission – presenting their morals and experiences.

Listening to them all and taking little bundles of knowledge from each person may give you a deeper understanding of what you want your company’s mission statement and morals to be moving forward.

Having a clear message to your customers or clients will help them gather further knowledge of what they’re dealing with and whether they agree with your company’s overall vision and want to work with you (or buy from you).

Our Guide to Finding Networking Events in Your Area

How to find networking events in your area? Well… Although it may be overwhelming to go out and find an event to go to – it can be extremely easy to find the perfect event.

With a plethora of different options at your fingertips, you may try all of these options that we’re going to run through. Here are our tips for the opposing ways you can find networking events in your area, today!

Using Social Media to Your Advantage

As most of you already have the main social media platforms installed on your phone, laptop, etc – you will understand that events will pop up regularly.

Whether this is groups on the platforms or emails from newsletters you’ve subscribed to – there will always be consistent or annual events for anything you’re looking for.

Or, if you go onto social media profiles that you’re interested in that are hosting events, it is possible nowadays to get in touch with them personally via DM (direct message). Whereas, in the past, without social media – you may have had to apply to go to an event.

Either following the business’ social media for the event you want to go to, liking their page or even commenting and engaging with them will add to the possibility of you landing yourself an event.

Use Networking Websites

Thanks to Google and any other forms of a search engine, you can typically search for the events in your area that you’re looking to go to.

Something as simple as typing ‘networking events near me’ into your search engine will be the deciding factor between you and finding a new, exciting event to attend.

A few examples of websites that you can visit to find networking events near you are Meetup and Eventbrite. Using these websites to find the specific niche you want to go into is extremely useful if you give it a look.

Use Your Friends and Colleagues

If you have friends who are also in businesses, whether they’re an employee or a boss themselves – they might be hosting or know someone who is hosting an event. Therefore, just by asking, you might find yourself going to an event that could change your life.

Vice versa with your colleagues in your current or previous job – as they may be attending networking events without you knowing. Or, they could have friends or family members that attend networking events too.

Taking this mild risk and asking them won’t harm you and you could end up finding yourself in a great event to look forward to.