Morning: Networking essentials for business survival and growth

"Research has established that 'networks' and 'networking' are important entrepreneurial tools that contribute to the establishing, development and growth of small firms"* .  Don't miss this opportunity to find out how you can make the most of your networking!

The aims of the morning are to enable participants to gain a better understanding of networking as a tool to aid business start-up and development and how to undertake networking effectively.

The session will include an introduction to different types of networks and networking and will highlight potential benefits.  Participants will have the opportunity to analyse their current network and identify gaps and future needs.  There will also be an introduction to the networking toolkit covering how and with whom to network and key networking skills.

Afternoon: Online networking and business promotion – maximising sales through the internet

The afternoon will take the skills learnt in the morning and apply them to the internet – focusing on 'promotion online' – in friendly, non-technological language! Regardless of whether you like or dislike it, it can't be denied that the internet provides a huge arena to promote your business in, with lots of free opportunities to increase your business exposure.   If you think of it as an enormous networking forum – you wouldn’t want to miss out on going to a meeting.

This session will provide loads of useful tips and hands-on advice, suitable for internet novices’ right through to those of you who are more experienced in using the web.  You don’t have to have your own website to take advantage of the fantastic networking and promotion opportunities the internet has to offer – although it certainly helps.  This afternoon will look at ways to use the internet to effectively promote your business for free, including looking at how to maximise the sales potential of your website if you have one.

Interested? Don’t miss out on this valuable opportunity to increase your essential business skills. This is a completely free event for all women in business or women who are thinking of going into business, so do book a place – lunch is included and childcare costs and travel allowances are also available.  Please call 01446 771539 or email admin@vwbn.org.uk to book your free place now.

*Shaw, Eleanor and Conway, Stephen "Networking and the small firm" in Carter, Sara and Jones-Evans, Dylan (2000) "Enterprise and Small Business: principles, practice and policy" Pearson Education Limited p368