So, it’s personal information time. I met my wife when I was 19 – in 2006. That means I have never experienced speed dating or online dating. No Tinder for me.
Because of the way that Underpin Marketing operates, I have found the best way to get new customers is through meeting people in person – something I cannot do at the moment as this blog post was written in April 2020.
So the alternative, as with everything at the moment, is online. Yesterday, I attended a Business Buzz Speed Networking Event, and although it was quick, and although it was different – I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
An online alternative to face-to-face networking
So how does this work? There are ‘tables’ where 6 people on webcams each enter a GoToMeeting conference for 15 minute sessions. They then listen to 45 second introductions from their other ‘tablemates’ before about five minutes of discussions. You then move to the next ‘table.’ You do this six times over a two hour period and meeting around 36 people.
The positives of this are as follows:
- You get to hear from everyone, without trying to rush round a busy room, like in real-life networking.
- You don’t get stuck with someone for half an hour with no means of escape (we’ve all been there)
- You can easily connect with the people you want a longer conversation as you are sent LinkedIn details after the fact
- No costly travel and no need for business cards
For someone who likes the social aspect of networking, online networking has its limitations, but these are not the fault of the hosts. It’s just a natural consequence of trying to deliver human interaction through a screen.
I always advise my clients to only do the marketing that works for them. Don’t do something just because everybody else is. That being said, I would honestly recommend online speed networking to anyone who usually uses face-to-face or network marketing. And my experience with Business Buzz’s version was a very pleasant one. You can find their information here.
