When anyone starts a business, the thought of spending money to go to business networking clubs or events can sometimes seem like an unnecessary expenditure. But, once you have actually gone to these events, you will probably wonder why you didn’t join years ago, especially when you land your first referral from the club or your first bit of business.

Most areas have local business clubs where business owners and company directors get together, either in the morning or in the evening to showcase their company, have a general talk about what is happening and then to pass leads between each of the members. This method of networking can be incredibly effective because not only are you meeting local businesses who may require your services but you are also showcasing your company in front of other people who may well go and recommend you to all of their friends or people who might need your services.

As long as the club has enough members from enough different businesses, a networking club can be a fantastic opportunity to pick up new contracts and jobs, and even when you take into account your monthly membership fee, compared to other types of advertising, you will realise how cheap it is.

If you spend £200 a month on newspaper advertising and yet a business club wants to charge you £50 for four meetings a month and you pick up one £500 job from the newspaper and one £500 from the club, you can soon start to see how effective networking can be. Networking is always about getting yourself in front of others who might need your services who know people who possibly might need what you need to offer.

But, you also need to think long term as well. Often these clubs begin to really bond and start to look after their own members, meaning that in the future if someone needed something that you offered, one of the other club members will automatically think of you, which can help lead to generating long term and pipeline business. Although it can be daunting joining an established club, most always welcome new members as this is how the meetings keep going, by the introduction of new members on a regular basis.

If you want to find a club in your local area, you can either look online or speak to business owners in the town or city you are looking to become a member in. There are national groups who spread across the country and just have regional meetings and there are also smaller and more independent groups, which can sometimes offer a little more in terms of rewards because they are totally locally based.

It really is worth going along and trying things out for a couple of months, as you just never know who you might meet and the business you may attract.