A couple of blogs ago, I shared some top-tips for starting out in business networking. To follow on, I thought it would be useful to put together a list of places to put your skills into practice, right here in the North East!
As well as where to find out what events are happening, and which areas of the NE you can find them in, I've also given a bit of guidance as to the style of networking the different organisations offer.
Remember - give as many as you can a go to find out what you enjoy most. When you enjoy networking you're more likely to relax and be yourself and that's the quickest way to build effective corporate relationships.
NetworkersBest for…StyleLocationCost
Sunderland Software City & Digital Catapult NETV Tech, digital, creative, businesses exploring tech. Relaxed, pizza & beer, educational. Across the North East. Free
The Mussel Club SME's, start-ups, blue-chip. Relaxed, informal, open networking. Sunderland, Newcastle, Darlington + other within NE. Free to join and free breakfast event
Digital Union Businesses, digital & creative. Informal, explorational, relaxed, whole North East. Free
North East England Chamber of Commerce Start-up, blue-chip and policy. Mix of informal, educational & structured. Whole North East. Membership and mixed event cost from free-ticket depending on the event
Business Durham Start-up, blue-chip. Mix of informal, educational & structured. County Durham. Mix
BNI SME's, blue-chip. Structured weekly breakfast/lunch; industry exclusivity per chapter. All over the world. Membership plus usually a breakfast/lunch fee
Network B2BSME's, blue-chip. Structured, but little more informal, weekly breakfast/lunch; industry exclusivity. All over NE and further. Membership plus usually food cost
4 Networking Start-up, SME's. Structured but quite relaxed breakfast/lunch weekly meetings; industry exclusivity. All over the UK. Membership plus usually food/drink cost
The Inspire Network Women's events, start-up, self employed, SME's. Supportive, educational and inspirational. All over the UK. Membership
North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC) Start-ups, SME's. Informative, relaxed, helpful. Centre's based in Sunderland & Darlington. Free - event dependant cost
Sunderland Business Network SME's - blue-chip. Mix of styles, relaxed and supportive. Sunderland. Membership + event dependant
Forward Ladies Women's networking. Training/educational, informative, relaxed. Across UK. Membership + event dependant
RTC North Start-ups, SME's, high growth. Mix of educational, training, relax. Across NE. Event dependant
Entrepreneurs Forum Business owners, founders. Knowledge sharing, supportive. Across NE. Membership - criteria to join
IoD Directors, CEO's. Knowledge sharing, educational, policy. Across UK with NE community. Membership + event specific
Curry Club Newcastle Anyone and everyone. Monthly networking over lunch. Newcastle. Cost of lunch
Universities SME's to bluechips, academics and students. Knowledge sharing, educational, engaging. Newcastle, Sunderland, Northumbria, Teeside & Durham Uni's. Usually free - event dependant
Design Network North Digital, creative, tech. Host regular 'Rise & Design' relaxed and educational. Across NE. Members + event dependant
Exclusive Business Business owners and larger organisations. Informative speakers, knowledge sharing. Mostly Newcastle + NE. Event dependant
North East Referral Networking SME's, blue-chip. Structured and regular commitment to events. Across NE. Standing order but not membership
Deliberately Different SME's, blue-chip. Structured, regular mixed with training/education. Across NE. Membership + event dependant
CIPR North East
Choice Networks
Dynamo
SOCITM
The Hub - Washington
Creative Fuse - CAKE
Converge
PR professionals
Start-ups and SME's
Tech, creative, digital
IT practitioners
Start-ups and SME's
Creative, tech, digital
SME's - bluechip
Educational, knowledge share, relaxed networking
Structured but relaxed
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