Local Networking Events Can Benefit Your Business

Have you had the pleasure of being a guest at a networking breakfast? Or a networking lunch? For someone who has never attended such an event, the names will sound strange, but these are the important situations for making yourself talk with others about your business, how you do it, your products and services.

These networking events may be unique to each area. These may be in the form of business meetings to cover the status of the economy, to discuss new ordinances, or the role of the local administration. In all these events the common factor is people, you get the opportunity to 'network' further. The more people you get to meet and talk, the stronger your network of business contacts and the larger your potential customer base becomes.

Even a thousand mile journey starts with a single step. Therefore the primary thing to do is to start networking locally. You must get out into the community, spend time with other business owners or at least in large groups or gatherings; maybe just social events like a Christmas party, school reunion, whatever. Next you need to decide on an icebreaker question. "What do you do?" has been found to be the most suitable question to start your interaction. Everyone likes to talk about him or herself. And in turn he or she is bound to ask you the same question, which is the basic purpose of your visit!

Conversation is the best way to network when you are among strangers or acquaintances. It is normal for business cards to be passed around and given out to each other. When you are planning to attend a club meeting or a networking business event it is advisable to carry your marketing materials. It could be a brochure or similar printed material that describes your activities and or products. When people take your materials they have some information to refer to, something concrete that they can read later, and remember you and your business.

You must also collect the contact information of people you meet, info such as phone number, email ids and business cards. Back at your office you can go through the details leisurely and get to understand them and their businesses better and identify how you can be of some use to them through your business. You can then make a marketing package for each individual. Remember, people like to be treated special. Once you have this ready, mail out the information with a personal note. Say that it was great talking to that person and that you wanted to share some more information about your business and relate how your product or service can help them. This is perfectly acceptable straight forward marketing, and when done well immediately after the first networking event, works wonders for your business.

Task Force Report (Foreign Relations)

Engage the Region, Don't Ignore it By Charlene Barshefsky , Senior International Partner, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP and James T. Hill, President, The JT Hill Group, Inc.

Dilithium's ViVAS Flash Enables Web to 3G Mobile Calls (Broadcast Newsroom)

PETALUMA, Calif., BUSINESS WIRE -- Dilithium, the global leader in high-quality multimedia delivery over mobile and broadband networks, today announced ViVAS Flash to empower carriers to deliver two-way video calling services between web browsers and 3G mobile devices.

Former UTStarcom Personal Communications Division Renamed Personal Communications Devices, LLC (PCD) (Centre Daily Times)

Personal Communications Devices Holdings, LLC, a newly formed entity controlled by AIG Investments, today announced the completion of its acquisition of the assets of UTStarcom's (NASDAQ: UTSI) Personal Communications Division. As part of the announcement, the former UTStarcom Personal Communications Division was renamed Personal Communications Devices, LLC (PCD), and a new corporate logo was ...

CBS Finishes Acquisition Of CNET; Leslie Moonves, Quincy Smith And Neil Ashe Address The Troops (TechCrunch)

CBS announced the closing of its acquisition of CNET today. The deal, first announced last month, will bring CNET under the control of Quincy Smith’s CBS Interactive division, “the premier online content network for information and entertainment.” An email to all CNET employees from Smith and CNET CEO Neil Ashe (now CBS Interactive President) is below. [...]

AirDefense Adds Realtime Troubleshooting Functionality to its Award-Winning Wireless Intrusion Prevention System (Centre Daily Times)

AirDefense, the innovator and market leader in anywhere, anytime wireless security, today launched Live View, an enhanced feature to AirDefense Enterprise, the company's award-winning wireless intrusion prevention system. Live View gives enterprise IT network administrators a realtime view of all current wireless network activity enabling timely and cost-efficient troubleshooting to a myriad of ...