Networking events are the biggest blessings to a business, especially small businesses!! You get only as much as you put into them! If you don’t show up, socialize, shake a hand, and pass out a business card you can’t expect any new business!! No matter your schedule or your target audience there is a mixer for you!!

Types of Networking Events:

•Morning Coffee: These are normally smaller and held early in the morning on your way into the office! The ones I’ve attended, you take turns going up one at a time and have 60 seconds to tell us about your business, event, or something interesting! These are held at coffee shops or local bakeries. You will find more of your older demographics at these, your MLM businesses, and local diyers!

•Lunch: These, obviously, are done during your lunch break! These are about the size of morning coffee mixers, with maybe a few more in attendance! Everyone grabs lunch and goes around and says a little of what they do, like at coffee! These are held at fun local restaurants! Here you will find more of your insurance brokers and your suit and tie business colleagues!

•Cocktails: These are held at night at local bars or restaurants and it’s more of a social event. This isn’t a stand up in front of everyone, it’s all on you getting yourself out there! Cocktail Mixers normally have the largest turnouts! Grab a cocktail and mingle. The younger groups will show up to these with a mixture of everyone from above!

**Disclaimer** The demographics are VERY general to get a broad idea of your target audience!!!! A mixer of all show up to every type of mixer! I go to all because I want to reach everyone!

Benefits of Attending Mixers:

•Most mixers are free or have a very little cover! Most covers split the entrance fee with a non profit or you purchase your own drinks and food! You’re lying if you say you don’t like free advertising!!

•You reach an audience you might not with general advertising! These people are actually paying attention to you and not just scrolling past your ad online!

•Personal connections are made! We have made some of our closest friends from these events! We team up with them for projects and these friends can be some of your biggest referrals!!

•Experience new venues and businesses! As mentioned above, these are normally held at local places so you can try new places and get out of your comfort zone some!

•Keeps you motivated and enthusiastic about your business! When you are telling others about your business it helps you realize what your specialty is, what makes you different from all other businesses like you! It also makes you get excited about what you’re doing, if you aren’t excited about it, they won’t be either!

Thinking about hosting a Networking Mixer?

The businesses that host these mixers are bringing in so much business for the mixer itself which in turn could bring returning customers! If you are not a business, just an individual, wanting to start a networking mixer: reach out to some businesses and get a Facebook page started so people know about the time and location!! Make sure to show them the benefits of helping you host!!

Whether you are a Fortune 500 business owner, a small business worker, or even a blogger, all of these events could benefit you! You never know when you may need someone else’s help, and they may need YOU!! But you won’t know unless you show up, socialize, shake a few hands, and pass out your business card!!

Check out www.aafcc.club/bigwigs to Vote for Barbie Baker and Britnee Olivares with JBBM Consulting and Promotions! Voting can be done by anyone from anywhere!!