I am looking at setting up a regular meeting for local retailers to come up with ideas to drive trade to our areas. What I was thinking is for everyone who wants to take part and to keep costs to a minimum, is to use the local businesses (participants only) premises for the meetings and everyone take their turn in hosting it. I am prepared to chair the meeting and email notes suggestions good and bad to everyone to make it worthwhile coming.

If nothing more we can all meet and network then if it doesn’t work after a couple of months/weeks then we will review and see if its worth continuing. Let me know if you would be interested and are in business I will find somewhere to host the firsts meeting. And start collecting ideas for us to talk about at the meeting.

I really don’t know if people are warm to this kind of thing so this is just a bit of research and then I will do a confirmation email to everyone who replies;

Please PM me the following if you are interested;

Business Name:
Business Type:
Contact Email:
Telephone:
Location:

I think we need as many businesses to contribute as possible to get the most out of this so please, time wasters who just want to help themselves without giving any thought to others need not apply (sorry to be blunt but we really need to make sure that our time is spent passing ideas around the group networking and coming up with ideas to drive each other’s businesses.) No money will be exchanged at these meetings and no charges apart from the cost of the tea and coffee will be asked!! I know a few retailers on Ecclesall Road who might be interested in hosting the first meeting.

Samantha

Sam P you are asking others to contribute, give details about their businesses and contact details but are not saying who you are, the name of your business or why you are interested in helping. If I was just a sceptic Yorkshireman I may just think you are putting together a contact list, your website just adds to this buy being a directory.

Hi Grinderbloke and anyone else with the same thought/concern,

Yes I think you are!! but let me put your concern to rest. My leads are obtained by using other methods and my business will not directly benefit from your meetings. That’s not what its about!

In-directly, sure if small businesses share ideas and remain in force then yes I will have customers to speak to again next year. It will also allow the people im targeting my marketing at to have somewhere other than the large indoor shopping centre to shop or obtain a service.(you know where I mean I dont have to advertise it!)

The directory’s businesses leads are obtained by a much easier method. Let me just say I am part of other local business meetings in Sheffield, meetings where I pay over £500 per year (plus £10 per week for) to be part of a group of well informed business men and women referrals the majority of my leads come to me from this.

I will be honest and blunt if I want your business to join my web directory I will already have your details and will be contacting you during my business hours to have a meeting and come in and see if you can benefit.

I see a potential for these meetings to work but you might be right, people might be put off by my background..

So therefore will not attend!! nor will I use any of the information obtained to promote my own business..

If it makes it any easier if people are interested then just post a reply here (without any details) if their is some interest I will speak with some businesses to see if they will organise and host... (they would collect info to send invites and the likes) and then at each meeting as a group would nominate/request someone to organise the next!!

Anyway Thanks for your concern and if what I do still is a problem then come up with an alternative and I can email you my ideas and maybe you can organise?

I think if you all work together it shouldn’t cost anything more than tea and coffee.. No need to pay for a networking event

The host would just need to wash up after! Or everyone can bring their own cup with coffee/tea ready just for the hot water.. lol cogs are turning.

I can see where you are coming from, and would be interested to see where this goes. Any specific business types you have in mind?

Just out of interest, Sheffield a larger population than London? erm where did you get your facts from? Or is it just re-wording that is needed. How do you give feedback for your website? - all I'm trying to do here is help btw, I'm not being arsey.

Hi Jess22,

With reference to the meetings no real specific types of businesses really. I just wanted to try and get a bit of a gathering together for people in business in Sheffield it would give everyone the opportunity to get to know each other, network and then a general discussion on how everyone can help drive business to their areas.

If you are interested in coming along if this can be organised then all good.


I wanted to really keep my website and what I do off this thread as that’s not what this is about but thanks for the comments and I will review the info tonight (its still under development and changes will be made before the official launch email)

If you want to comment on this good bad and the ugly please send it to info@newtosheffield.com If you think something would look good or be relevant we are still open to suggestions.



Thanks again

Sam, check out my About Us page, might be good for us to have a chat, as I have many contacts for this sort of thing, as well as experience of course.

Indizine, Yes I would like to have a chat with you. Bounce ideas and the likes. I really do think having local meetings with businesses must have some benifit, some more than others. Formal or informal. What ever will work best.

Thanks

If you get chance drop me an email @ info@newtosheffield.com

With regard to networking business.
I am a member of the sheffield based BNI is this along the same lines?
Terry LTA Office furniture

Hi Sam - I will call you this week to discuss.

terry; its not a bni-type meeting that Sam had in mind, just a normal, free or very low cost regular meet up for anyone who wants to attend.

Sam
Are you talking about a meeting in the city centre somewhere

Is there a date for this or has it died a death?