This month is the ninth anniversary of my return to Manchester, and also the ninth anniversary of my networking activity in this city. This began with an introduction to that best organised of networking events, Helen Bennett’s monthly Business Network North networking lunch. At the time this featured about 40 diners, but has now grown exponentially to the point at which an attendance of 120 to 130 is commonplace. And despite my longevity, Helen still succeeds in placing me at tables with people I have never met. The behind the scenes effort that goes into organising these events is phenomenal, and I am delighted to have chance to publicly acknowledge it.
Although I have attended many events over the years, none comes closer to my heart than Manchester Business Breakfast Club (MBBC). This was the first breakfast networking group in Manchester, for two years operating under the umbrella of an American commercial networking organisation, and since then as a not for profit independent group. To the former we are indebted for our format, unchanged over all those years, but our independent status has seen us grow from 15 to 40 members and have a lot of laughs along the way. To help in creating this group as (now apparently permanent) Treasurer was a privilege and an honour.
It has also provided reliable suppliers and new clients. Among the former I am delighted to number, and to warmly recommend, the following:
Will Kintish – Kintish - networking coach. We attended so many of the same networking events that Will at one point accused me of stalking him! This is the second best backhanded compliment I have ever received. The best was from Salford MP and Labour deputy leadership contender Hazel Blears, who once ‘complimented’ my chairing of a ‘Question Time’-style event by telling me I was “funnier than David Dimbleby”.
David Hudson – Buckland Harvester – insurance broker. Who interrupted a family walking holiday in the Lake District to sort us out following a bizarre incident when our car was hit by another whilst on the drive of my in-laws’ house.
Lynn Wroblewski – Smithfield Wine – wine merchants. Whom I once called from Devon on a Wednesday to ask for a luxury hamper to be left at my house in Hale to deliver to a party in Wigan on the Friday night. Needless to say it was there when I got home, and the recipients still rave about it, just as I rave about the quality of service.
Carl Nicholls – By Request – caterer. Who drove a freshly-prepared buffet from Cheadle to Burnley for my grandfather’s funeral, and you don’t forget service like that.
Nigel Moore – FLAG – branding consultant. Who dispelled weeks of angst dealing with an inferior operation by producing a logo that blew us all away. Like dealing with a Premiership club as opposed a Conference outfit.
Graham Hudson – Exceptional Business Results – exit strategist. Who has held the hand of various clients through the sales of their businesses, and whose negotiating skills and administrative talents have won the admiration of all concerned.
Bernard Garrity – Garrity Vehicle Services – garage. Who saved my wife’s car after the aforementioned freak accident by repairing it at below the write-off value given by the insurance company.
Leila Glancy – SEM Personal Dynamics – speaking coach. Who taught me how to speak in public properly, and to look the part (despite being sad and ugly).
There are others who will hopefully not be (too) offended to be excluded, but the above have all provided outstanding service at times when it was badly needed. Again I am grateful to publicly acknowledge that service.
When I began networking, I expected that my key referrals would come from solicitors, IFAs and banks. In fact the four largest clients I have obtained through my networking activities have been referred by, respectively:
A PR agency
A computer trainer
A toastmaster
A florist.
So do not discount anyone who you meet when you network, and treat them all with consideration and respect. You never know where a contact will lead.
Before I close I will also pay tribute to half a dozen other people who have helped greatly with my networking over the years. I always vowed until last year that I would never join another breakfast networking group, as nothing could possibly equal MBBC. I was wrong, and I am indebted to Joe Duncan of Business for Breakfast for showing me the error of my ways. And from the Bowdon group Nathan Smith of Smith & Smith PR and Helen Terry of Media Space have been invaluable in providing high quality referrals.
Tony Smith of Foster Denovo and Robert Grindrod of Handelsbanken were responsible for introducing me to the Entrepreneurs Club, which we now have the honour of co-hosting, whilst, last but not least, Mark Greenwood’s unending enthusiasm has enlivened many a Simply Networking event around the North West.
I had no idea when I began networking in Manchester where it would lead and how successful it would be, to the point that ordinary advertising has become something of an irrelevance to our marketing strategy. This is now based very much on word of mouth recommendation, and on a strong bank of business contacts developed over the years. This has also enabled us to offer to our clients, as well as to our networking contacts, the benefit of that contact base to help their businesses find customers, introducers and suppliers.
Finally, I owe a vote of thanks to the Manchester business community for being so welcoming. I had done many of the same things in Oxford over the previous 5 years with conspicuous lack of success, which must say something about the openness of Manchester’s people or (less likely) a dramatic improvement in my networking skills. Throughout my temporary exile from my North West roots I retained my belief in the essentially warm-hearted nature of the local population, and it is gratifying to be proved so right.
Mark Simpson
3 July 2007
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