Are you networking or not working?

Face to Face networking can be one of the most powerful tools for any business if used properly but how can you ensure that you are getting the best out of it?

With hundreds of different networking groups in any area, finding your networking home is key.

If early mornings are not when you are at your best and you wake up looking and feeling like a member of Kiss then perhaps try a lunch or evening event. If you are a new start up with time on your hands, then attending daytime events may be the best use of your time.

Ask yourself … do you prefer to simply chat to individuals or do you prefer structured 60 second roundtable presentations, do you want to hear a topical guest speaker?

Sometimes, the fear of walking into a group of unknown people can have you heading straight to the bar, but remember you are representing your business and unless you are selling hangover remedies.. you could be damaging your reputation.

There are events to suit all and below we have listed a few of our favourites in the North West:

www.fbeonline.co.uk – Breakfast Networking events for the property and construction sector

www.gmchamber.co.uk – Chamber of Commerce events attract senior business people and are always well located with good attendance.

www.4networking.biz – 4N breakfast events which allow you freedom to visit different venues.

www.networking4business.com – Also known as Simply Networking, these are informal and well attended daytime networking events held in central Manchester.

www.networkcheshire.co.uk – With events held at places like Panacea in Alderley Edge attracting a high level clientele.. what is not to like!

Remember: If you are networking out of normal working hours in your own time, make it enjoyable, make it worthwhile and set yourself goals for each meeting so that you come out having achieved something.

People buy from people and putting your personality on your brand is key, so as you are reaching for that 5^th glass of Chardonnay… remember why you are there and if you have achieved your goals.. then cheers!

Social Media – Friend or foe?

The recent UK riots have been the cause of much debate… not only about the state of society in general but the part in which social media has played in it all.

The media went crazy.. how was it that so many youths could gather so quickly? The co-ordination must be social media’s fault surely? Should they close down Twitter? Are Blackberries the sole cause of yob culture?

Twitter was a barrage of rumours and incitement and Blackberry’s BBM messaging service was blamed for the fast gathering of looters, but was it all bad news for social media?

Amongst all of the chaos and blame, The Guardian ran an article which was poignant called, ‘Social media can help riot-hit communities recover’

The article pointed out the positive side of social media and the role it can play in rebuilding communities. During the riots, individuals were able to gain reassurance from tweets by official government bodies and police twitter streams and you could quickly follow escalation of violent areas, validated by photography helping people to stay away from riot areas.

Critics are quick to forget that Social Media helped a great deal with the clear up and in bringing communities together to support local business and catch the looters. #riotcleanup and #RiotcleanupManc became UK wide trending topics on Twitter and Facebook and out of this, the humble broom became the new icon for community spirit and the embodiment of all things good.

Catching the looters became society’s way of managing the issue civilly, posting photos and videos and shopping those caught inciting violence as well as sharing success stories of arrests such as the yob who burnt down Miss Selfridge in Manchester.

As a Manchester based business, we saw the effect this had first-hand. Communities such as this pull together even stronger in times of crises and although social media seemed to play a part in the cause… the aftermath is where we should focus. A few hundred looters got together to riot, but to put this in perspective… hundreds of thousands of people came together to support each other in the aftermath and this is exactly what social media was made for.

Manchester - A moving city

Great Ancoats Business Forum and fbe Networking Breakfast events brought to our attention the dynamicity of Manchester.

Road works and cranes seem to be symbols of dynamic development and Manchester's cityscape is dotted with a profusion of them.

A few exciting hubs are re-emerging around Ancoats, Piccadilly and St Peter Square - to focus on the city centre.

Here in Ancoats (top of the Northern Quarter) we are surrounded by potentially fantastic living and working places but they are all empty shells. The economic downturn is here very tangible as most developments have been on stand-by for the past 18 months at least.

But not everything is doom and gloom as Sarah Tower, located between Blossom Street and Jersey Street, and 42nd street are the latest development to be reactivated with work starting this month.



Another interesting project that made the news (again) on Thursday in the MEN was the future of Manchester's London Rd Fire Station.

Owned by Britannia Group, who has been granted various permissions to start work and who has been mentioned over the years (MEN, BBC, Manchester Confidential), the building is at the heart of a polemic between its owner and Manchester City Council.

The CPO (Compulsory purchase order) is still in the news and we will hear a final say in a few months from now.

Argent, responsible for some of the most exciting developments across Manchester city centre (Piccadilly Place, One Piccadilly Garden, The Hive), are striking again in the civic heart of Manchester with Elisabeth House on St Peter's Sq.



St Peter's Square, with the Central Library and the Town Hall extension, is going through a multimillion pound facelift.

Summer 2010 saw 5 projects nominated with inspirational designs for the redevelopment of the square.

Now down to 3 shortlisted (with results in the coming weeks), it seems that September might see the beginning of the Elisabeth House project.

The project is taking shape slowly so watch this space.