The networking power of the sandwich

How can a chat over a sandwich (or whatever you prefer to eat for lunch) benefit your Blackpool business? You’d be surprised…

There are lots of benefits to basing your startup business in a hub like the Enterprise Centre or FYCreatives. We explore several of them in this post, and you can find out more about our affordable, flexible office space in Blackpool here.

Perhaps the biggest reason to base yourself in an office is the connections you make. As a startup business, connections are vital. When money’s tight for marketing, you can’t beat the promotional power of a group of people who know you, like you, and will all be able to say to their connections, “I know someone who might be able to help you.”

How do you make those connections? For many, they form naturally and organically. A chat in the lift or stairwell. A quick catch up at the water cooler or when collecting the mail from reception.

What happens, though, if you (or they) are not great at small talk? What about the people you never seem to bump into? What if you hear that the people on floor three could be ideal collaborators, but you feel uncomfortable approaching them?

Blackpool Unlimited’s office spaces overcome these issues by running informal lunchtime networking sessions, and it turns out there’s a lot you can achieve over a sandwich…

What’s the benefit of lunchtime networking at EC²? 

1. Networking without the awkwardness: Some people are brilliant at networking. Lots of people feel that they’re not, and the idea of being stood in a room full of strangers and being expected to strike up a conversation fills them with dread. The beauty of networking in your own office is you’ll already know plenty of people. In time, you may know them all, and you’ll always have something in common, which makes chatting much easier.
   

2. Networking that cuts to the chase: The beauty of being part of a close-knit networking group where everyone already knows lots about you is that you can dispense with the awkward introductions. That makes it a more productive way to spend your lunchtime, with more time to talk about potential opportunities and collaborations.

3. Easy to follow up: “That sounds really interesting – perhaps we can get together and have a chat about it later.” On the bingo card of ‘things you’ll always hear at a networking lunch’, that’s one of the regulars. The problem is, post-lunch, it’s all too easy to forget to follow up. When you network with your own community, following up is much easier.

4. (Really) easy to attend: You get the point of networking. You’d be interested in taking part. Usually, however, there’s travel involved and that takes too big a chunk out of your day. That’s not the case when taking part means walking downstairs. Plus, there’s the reward of free food when you do.

5. Build your confidence in a safe space: This is just the start. It could be brilliantly productive, but even if lunch networking doesn’t brink a stampede of new clients to your door, there’s still value in taking part. There’s value in feeling part of your community. There’s value in sharing what you do, because you never know who your fellow tenants talk to. There’s value in building the confidence and skills required to network effectively, because they’ll serve you well in client pitches and any other networking sessions you attend.

Lunchtime networking sessions are also great for connecting with the wider Blackpool Unlimited team. If you’re thinking of upscaling or downsizing your office, or if you want to explore funding options, recruitment, apprenticeships, exports or more, each session will usually include someone you can discuss those things with.

So when you move into your EC2 office, don’t pass up the opportunity of taking part in lunchtime networking. At the very least, there’s a sandwich in it. There could be a whole lot more.

Find out what’s on offer here, then, to find out how an EC² office could benefit your business, get in touch.