Napkin Sketches and Networking

Networking in person is all about good conversation but sometimes in that critical moment when we get to say what our business does, we struggle to find a meaningful explanation.

For our February event, in addition to re-running the elevator pitch workshop, we decided to reach for napkins. This time we began to draw out what we do, by sketching. And after that, we used the pictures to get talking - here is Ursula Schweiger at work.

Members' described their understandable fear of drawing " I'm embarrassed to show my results" but this was the only real negative. On the plus side, comments illustrated that informal sketching can help to:

• focus and make you think clearly about your business
• be specific, less general
  
• made talking more relaxed
  
• more fun
• more creative
• more associative (a trigger for new ideas)
• helps simplify technical processes

Memory: perhaps most important of all, when members were asked what they remember about each other, images it seems, are easier to recall than words.

We'll post a gallery of sketches so that you too can see the range of specialist business operating from Sligo in the North West of Ireland - each drawn on one side of a napkin.

Record attendance kick-starts 2010 for network

Enough of hearing from outside speakers! Members of the network made it clear they wanted to hear from each other this month.

19 members with just 90 seconds, a slide and a prop proved that being concise is key to getting your message across. Businesses ranged from the traditional - family locksmiths, Alison Smith to the brand new. Bua Marketing was presented for the first time by the talented Aoife Porter.

Did it work? Feedback was overwhelmingly positive "an excellent format and great way to hear about, as well as to promote business". So we've decided to do a re-run in February, with 20 more women business owners competing to get noticed in 90 seconds (that's not long - it's probably taken you just half that to read this blog)