Networking is a word that conjures misplaced fear. Networking should not be daunting, we do it in our everyday lives but we don’t know we’re doing it. Networking can be easy for some and daunting for others. If you're apprehensive about attending a local group, try networking online first. You can do this by joining one of the many online discussions forums. These are much less formal, and you will have the opportunity to interact with other business owners.

Joining a local business network can be an effective way of finding clients, although it can take time to build up your reputation so you have to be patient and keep at it. Most local towns will have a networking group, and if there isn’t one, you could always think about starting your own!

We have listed below the major business networks you may want to investigate:

Business Network International – www.bni-europe.com/uk 

4 Networking – www.4neworking.biz

Business Referral Exchange – www.brenet.co.uk

Leadfinders - www.leadfinders.org

Ecademy – www.ecademy.com

Women Only Neworks:

• Women in Business - http://www.wibn.co.uk/
  
• Athena - http://theathenanetwork.com/

A useful website you can use to find local networking events is: http://www.findnetworkingevents.com/.

Also, don't forget to check out our own online forum for book-keepers (The Book-keepers Forum). It's a great place to start and learn the ropes.