Member Article

A table of opportunity

The prospect of table networking is something even the most seasoned of networkers in the business world can find intimidating. However a recent experience has made me view these events in an entirely new and much more positive light.

Last week I attended a local NECC Exhange Networking event at the Holiday Inn in Darlington, and was initially dubious about the thought of being “pitched at” by a table of business owners; even worse was the thought of me having to do a pitch of my own. I imagined an array of experienced networkers, all delivering scintillating, well-rehearsed and witty pitches resulting in business deals being agreed like there was no tomorrow. Being so new to my role here at the North East Business and Innovation (BIC) I was slightly apprehensive, however I do relish a challenge so I rehearsed my piece and mentally prepared myself for “doing business” with a group of strangers. The business in question is the opening of our new Darlington Business Central, a new office development scheduled to open in April on the Central Park Tees Valley Enterprise Zone. This is an exciting project which will offer office space and a co-networking facility – something which I was extremely eager to promote.

The great thing about the previous NECC events that I have attended are that you are always well-looked after by the NECC staff themselves, who I have found are fantastic at putting people to ease and assisting with introductions. This Exchange event was no different; at every table there was a helpful member of the NECC team overseeing the conversations and ensuring that everybody got to have their say.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to other businesses stories, challenges and triumphs. There wasn’t any “pitching” or “hard sell”; it was informal, chatty and a comfortable way to network overall. I can’t think of another situation where I would be sat drinking tea with seven people from different backgrounds and with different agendas, all finding common ground and having an open discussion. I had carefully written a script for myself to deliver, and found I ended up hiding it in my bag and letting myself chat easily and naturally. The literature that I had taken along to the event, with the intention of handing out individually, became a talking point merely by laying it on the table, with people asking for copies and showing genuine interest in the BIC.

The event was split into networking over coffees, three table moves, then lunch, so everybody got the chance to mix with different attendees. This worked very well, although sometimes the timings went slightly awry (this is more a credit to the NECC, however, as conversations were flowing reflecting well-matched tables) The venue, following a recent restoration, was beautifully and immaculately presented with extremely polite and helpful staff. Having worked in customer services for over 10 years, the personality of the staff at a venue is something I always keep an eagle eye out for as I think it can really make or break an event.

This event definitely changed the way that I view table networking and I am really looking forward to doing it again in the future. If you are dubious about attending a table networking event then I would urge you to attend one. I left this event with a plethora of business cards and some great contacts, as well as a new found confidence that not all networking events are the same, and I am most certainly looking forward to the next one.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Lauren Saul .