Advice from The Athena Network for businesswomen attending events

WE find that new year is a time when we start to see a lot of people try networking for the first time, writes The Athena Network. It can be frightening to start networking, particularly in this Covid-19 world where most meetings have gone online, but, done well, it’s a great way to generate business if you are a business owner or a company employee.

At The Athena Network, we know that many people are not natural networkers and so we work hard to provide a supportive environment for women to network. While we can’t meet in person over lunch, we have created online meetings which remain faithful to our ethos of support, referrals and training.

If you’re attending your first event, here are some things to consider:

• It’s worth attending various groups and try to get along to each more than once to really get a feeling of how the group works and if it is a good fit for you. Of course, these will mostly be online at the moment, so make sure your name, job title and business name are visible on the screen.
• Be sure to prepare in advance and be able to articulate what you do in a short sentence so that people are interested and able to find out more.
• Rather than just selling, try to explain in simple terms, what you do. Try to describe how you help people and the benefits in terms of emotion, money or time. Real-life examples really resonate with people. Remember to talk about the need that you are satisfying and how are you unique in the way you do it. Look at the situation from your customer’s viewpoint. Think about what makes you different.
• Once you’ve found a group you like, make sure you attend and contribute consistently as it takes time to create and nurture relationships.

Above all, make sure you enjoy the experience.

The Athena Network runs meetings for businesswomen. Click on to www.theathenanetwork.com/caroline-snowdon to find out more and to book on to a meeting as a visitor. 

The Athena Network meetings continue online for the moment with another exciting line-up of speakers.

The Newbury West group meets on Thursday, February 11, where Sonya Dibbin, from Adore your Outdoors will talk on the subject of shinrin-yoku, also known as forest bathing. She will describe simple techniques to develop your nature connection and boost mental and physiological health.

The Hungerford group meeting is on Friday, February 12, where business skills trainer Debbie Miles will discuss business plans, what they look like and why a documented business plan is more effective at helping you achieve your business goals.

The Newbury Central meets on Wednesday, February 17, where Holly Wagner from Green Kiwi Productions will show attendees how to get started with video. She will explain how to create an effective and engaging piece of video marketing content that gets results, plus demonstrate the basics of video production. She will then show attendees how to use video and incorporate it into a marketing strategy to attract more ideal clients. 

Athena Network West Berkshire regional director Caroline Snowdon said: “We’ve got a varied range of topics for our members and visitors this month. Whether you’re just starting out in business or you’re experienced in business, it never hurts to refer back to your business plan and to ensure that it’s relevant and helpful to your goals.

“We’ll also be hearing some advice on how video can help your business, plus getting an insight into forest bathing. I know many of us could do with a bit of time in green space and nature to give our mental health a boost. All meetings take place online from noon to 2pm and visitors are welcome.”