There are so many networking breakfasts, lunches and evening events we could go to, but what value are they to us? Is our time better spent doing something that will achieve tangible results rather than chatting to people who we are unlikely to use us as suppliers or have no interest in our business as potential customers?

To me, two of the biggest benefits of networking are ideas and advice. That’s why I tend to focus my real-world networking time on NDBA events and COMBEbusiness events, which cover my local territory of Ilfracombe, Woolacombe and Combe Martin, because I favour an open approach over a sales-based approach, which I don’t believe is always appropriate.

Last Wednesday, our COMBEbusiness event looked at the business training and development strategy we are developing at our immediate local level. We did something that often gets forgotten: we asked businesses what they need to achieve their development plans?

What was amazing is that instantly we saw people connecting as one business owner expressed a need and another one revealed how they could help with that need. This would not have happened if those people had not attended the event.

This demonstrated to me the power of networking. Yes, we are all looking for new clients and business, but I think that the opportunity to develop my business significantly is more important in the long term than winning one piece of work which won’t necessarily lead to more. In the longer term, being a better business will attract the higher value clients we want to target.

With formal business support from the public sector receding, this is a reminder of what a huge reservoir of experience and expertise exists within businesses in North Devon. I think networking can help the many of the area’s businesses develop and prosper.