On Friday April 20th [2007], we're organising a business to business networking event in Melksham on behalf of the Federation of Small Businesses.

This is a golden opportunity for businesses in the West and North Wilts areas (Melksham, Chippenham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Bradford-on-Avon, Corsham, Warminster and Box) and Bath to meet up and establish new links.

I've been to a number of networking events in the past. I've made some very useful contacts. And I've met some charming people with whom I have nothing in common - and sometimes spoken to them for quite a while, perhaps missing out on other good contacts. So we're going for a "Speed networking" approach where every business meets every other business - but just for a few minutes.

Bring along ...
* Plenty of business cards and some of your literature
* Notepad and pen
* A one minute synopsis of who you are, and what's your business

Arrive from 18:30 onwards (snacks, beverages and a tour of Well House Mnaor). We'll be starting SHARP at 19:00 on Friday, 20th April ... please email me - graham@wellho.net if you would like to book a place or would like further information.




* 5 minute presentations - open to FSB members only; we have just one or two openings remaining.

---

The following information goes a little deeper into the arrangement of the meetings and is provided for technical interest only

Speed Networking and Speed Dating

Managing the meetings

We're setting up a speed networking event at Well House Manor in a couple of weeks and it turns out that the published algorithms for speed dating aren't suitable - on speed dating you meet all the players on the other team (and not those on your own), but with speed networking we want to to meet everyone.

How will be do it? Imagine a long table with people seated all up one side and back down the other, meeting across the table:

1 meets 7

2 meets 6

3 meets 5

4 sits out

We've got an odd number of people in this example (7) so one person is unpaired and sits out at each step.

At the end of the first meeting, each person moves 1 seat to his/her right:

7 meets 6

1 meets 5

2 meets 4

3 sits out

and the same action repeats after each meeting

6 meets 5 7 meets 4 1 meets 3 2 sits out

5 meets 4 6 meets 3 7 meets 2 1 sits out

4 meets 3 5 meets 2 6 meets 1 7 sits out

3 meets 2 4 meets 1 5 meets 7 6 sits out

2 meets 1 3 meets 7 4 meets 6 5 sits out

So No. 1 meets, in order, 7, 5, 3, gets a break, 6, 4, 2.

If we had an even number of people in our example, the final person (number 8) would take a seat opposite opposite the person who was sitting out in the previous example, and would remain in that seat throughout.

Suggestions for participants

Bring business cards, notepad and pen, and some introductory literature

Prepare a 1 minute introduction (or sheet with bullet points) to include who you are, and what your company can provide.

Arrive EARLY - once we've started the "Round Robin" sessions, it's not practical for us to break other attendees into the matrix.

Turn your mobile phone OFF.

Enjoy your evening - make some good contacts!

Speed Networking articles

Advertising, setup, planning

The event itself and planning sheets

(written 2007-04-03, updated 2007-04-21)

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