Networking, Business Contacts
What businesses need most is business contacts, both in terms of suppliers and customers. In diagnostics of local economies, it is frequent to hear a company complain about the absence of certain specialized suppliers, only to encounter precisely this supplier at another point, and listen to the supplier complaining about the lack of customers. Matching suppliers and customers is something which happens fairly automatically in highly specialized industrial clusters, but it is a serious challenge in diversified, complex local economies.
One way of dealing with this challenge is by organizing local fairs. This is described under its own heading.
Another way is a more informal approach: organizing events to create opportunities for business contacts. It is often pursued by local development agencies and SME promotion agencies. There are two different types of events. One type is the organization of seminars where prominent speakers or specialists in a given field are invited to give a presentation, and after the formal question-and-answer part an informal come-together, usually over a cocktail, is arranged.
The other type is an event without any formal structure. In Germany this typically is called something like "Unternehmer-Stammtisch". There, it is a highly informal dinner. Elsewhere it would rather be an informal breakfast or brunch. The idea is to create a comfortable, informal setting where businesspeople can easily get in touch with colleagues. There are ways of enhancing the attractiveness of such events, for instance by organizing them in spaces which are normally not (yet) accessible, for instance a new shopping center or cultural space which is nearing completion. Playing towards the curiosity of people, to be the first to get a peek inside, may mobilize persons who would otherwise decide that they are too busy.
the target group
SME
support
SME promo-
tion
investment
promotion
entrepreneur-
ship
promotion