Why is business networking important to us?
We hope that you share our view that business networking can be a powerful and low-cost sales and marketing tool that offers business owners a simple way to connect with other local professionals to build profitable working relationships together. Business networking can make it easier to meet industry experts from a range of different backgrounds to help grow your business.
Business networking can support individuals to increase their profile in the local area, and make new professional contacts and customers. Business networking helps enhance company visibility, and to be part of a successful group of like-minded individuals that are also looking to grow and develop their businesses. Business networking is a simple, affordable and effective sales and marketing tool to promote your business to a local target audience.
about that networking group
that networking group was designed simply to be an affordable business networking group for directors and local business owners in Buckingham. We meet once per month for lunch and get to know one another in a relaxed and friendly environment. We hold closed meetings for members only and open meetings where guests are able to attend. We promote our businesses and where possible look to find ways that we can work together. There is no pressure on providing referrals, as we want people to enjoy attending regularly, building long-term relationships, and growing profitable businesses together in a practical and effective way that fits within your working month.
Meet the team
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Helena Thwaites
Director, that credit control
Helena Thwaites is the Director of that credit control, and helps UK business owners improve their customer late payments, overdue invoices and credit control process to get paid as soon as possible on invoices after sales. Helena is also the Client Services Director of The CPD Certification Service, and with her team, help to look after approx 5000 CPD providers from across the world.
After spending 20+ years working in sales and marketing for both retail banking and business finance companies, Helena wanted to apply this experience further. The opportunity came when making the decision to start work again after having our beautiful two children. Helena brings 15 years of business networking experience to that networking group.
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Adam Thwaites
Head of Marketing, The CPD Certification Service
Adam Thwaites is passionate about professional learning, and is the Head of Marketing at The CPD Certification Service, working there for over 10 years. Established in 1996, The CPD Certification Service is the world's leading and largest CPD accreditation organisation working across all industry sectors, with members in over 100 countries.
Adam is a member of Mensa, who enjoys spending time reading books, and where the opportunities arise, is learning to play golf in his spare time. Together with his team, Adam built myCPD Portal, a free online CPD record tool to help manage, track and log ongoing Continuing Professional Development in one simple place.
Our approach to business networking
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Simple
We meet once a month for lunch together. We get to know each other in a relaxed and friendly environment, promote our businesses, and where possible look to find ways that we can work together. There is no pressure on providing referrals, we want people to enjoy attending on a regular basis and build long term profitable relationships together.
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Affordable
that networking group is an affordable local business network in Buckingham and the surrounding areas. It is a great way to meet like-minded experts from a range of different industries. Our business networking group is a cost-effective sales and marketing tool to promote your company to a local target audience.
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Effective
that networking group aims to provides a professional, passionate and positive environment for local business owners of all different backgrounds to exchange ideas, share experiences, discuss business issues or scenarios, and offer valuable business advice to each other.
Why is business networking important to us?
Why is business networking important to us? We do it for some very simple reasons. Business networking helps us to develop profitable long-term relationships with other local professionals in the area, and bring together a hub of talented business owners in an enjoyable and practical way. We believe business networking is an extremely valuable marketing tool, and a cost-effective way to promote your company to a local target audience. Business networking enables us to meet other business owners in a positive environment to exchange ideas, share experiences, discuss issues, and offer valuable advice to help us grow together.
Buckingham business networking
Our Venue
that networking group is held at Buckingham Golf Club and meets from 12pm-2pm on the third Thursday every month. Buckingham Golf Club is a beautiful parkland 18-Hole Championship Golf Course and Clubhouse with outstanding views over the Buckinghamshire countryside.
Our Members
With a wealth of experience and knowledge from a range of different industry sectors, that networking group members are professional businesses from across Buckingham and the surrounding areas. Find out more about that networking group members
Benefits of business networking
Meet local business owners
Expand your network and build successful relationships with other local businesses to help to grow your own business. Whether collaborating through strategic partnerships or simply sharing tips and advice, meeting with other local business owners can provide significant value.
Promote your company
Business networking is a simple, yet powerful sales and marketing tool. When used effectively, it can help to raise your profile and increase brand awareness in your local business community. Become a trusted company in your area, and find new customer and supplier opportunities.
Access to like-minded experts
Business networking is a great way to access other professionals who are experts in their particular field or industry, ones that you often build synergy with. It is important that the connections you make while networking are nurtured and developed to find like-minded individuals that you could recommend or work with.
Exchange business ideas
Your business network can become a great source of good ideas to consider for your own business. Exchange knowledge to grow, develop and thrive in your local community. Seek business advice and support from your trusted network. Help each other to overcome and solve business challenges.
Develop new skills
Build upon your existing business and networking skills. Learn from others, gain confidence, and improve your own business capabilities to create a positive impact with your staff, colleagues and customers. Business networking is a great way to learn how to communicate effectively.
Share your knowledge
Share your knowledge, offer tips and ideas, industry advice and information with your fellow business networking members. Present yourself as a knowledge expert to raise your profile and generate interest in your services.
Read our business networking tips
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Elevator pitches are a short, simple and direct speech which are often used to provide brief details about yourself, your company, background and experience. They are used regularly in business networking meetings by attendees to describe their organisation through a quick and concise introduction. Elevator pitches are a way for business owners and professionals to market themselves effectively in a short amount of time, and can help sell products or services (read more).
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121 meetings are a key tool of business networking, and offer the opportunity to dedicate specific time to connect and discuss business opportunities, new ideas and to build professional relationships. These meetings often take place after attending a business networking group or event. They are an informal meeting between two people with the aim of exploring synergies, reciprocal business opportunities, getting to know someone better and/or spending quality time together. When done effectively they can be very productive (read more).
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Presentation skills are an important element to have when looking to promote your organisation at business networking events. However the confidence, knowhow, and experience to give good presentations, and to comfortably stand up in front of an audience of potential strangers does not come easily to everyone. Presentation skills can be learnt, and once the basic skills are in place to speak and present confidently, delivery of your presentations at business networking events will become easier each time it is done (read more).
Business networking basics
Definition - what is business networking?
Business networking is a way of building and establishing professional relationships with other business owners, clients and/or customers. The term networking is used to describe the activity of when business people meet at an event, join a professional association, online forum, attend a business networking group, or make recommendations and introductions (read more).
Are there different types of business networking?
There are often a few different types of business networking events that a local businesses can look to attend. Some are focused on one particular area and some business networking groups may aim to create a more blended approach in order to maximise the meeting opportunity (read more).
How do you make the most of business networking?
If you are new to business networking, or have been doing it for decades, it is important to find ways to maximise the meeting opportunity and to make the most of you business networking group. The skills involved in building a strong network are similar to those used by business owners to sell their products or services (read more).
Find out more about that networking group
Find out more about that networking group in Buckingham. Join us and meet other local businesses in the area to build professional and profitable relationships.