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Good point, I struggled at some of the breakfast meetings I went to. Everyone seemed more interested in getting some breakfast down them than actual networking, plus I don't feel particularly sociable until I've had a couple of coffees..


Even Indizines running one! Evening or afternoon groups do seem to make more sense. So is this done as a way to gently softsell your web biz, or is the network group a completely independent business? If independent, is it scalable, or would you want to keep it local?

Just curious, because the attraction of some groups seems to be the ability to go to different meetings in different areas, so you will see fresh people.


I guess it's a fine line between having a regular core group that you get to know well, and developing into a click that makes outsiders feel unwelcome. I know a few online forums that have slid into this model, with newbies getting flamed and made to feel like outsiders, and I've seen it myself at a breakfast meeting as well, so never went back

I like the idea of an informal get together, with none of the stricter rules that bigger groups can bring, and I can see the attraction, especially for smaller businesses that it feels like a support network and you have someone to talk to. I suppose a face to face version of forums like this.


Interesting view, and depending where abouts you live, there does seem to be some overhyping and almost surplus of networking groups. Across the Midlands, I've seen groups actively competing and marketing against each other, and I wonder if the networking groups popularity is buoyed up by the steady stream of new businesses, who have that overwhelming desire to get out there and network and join every local association going? I know I was guilty of that, joining different Chambers of Commerce, local networking groups etc.

But then this wore off as I had to start managing and justifying my time a bit better!

Anyone else got any views?

Hmmm stock markets, good one.

Forget all that expensive web development and hassle, just dump a couple of hundred grand into RBS and Lloyds and sit back and wait for it to grow.

Then work out the best way to get round CGT

Once you've done that, if you could contact them all and invoice them for me, be much appreciated.

If you need me, I'll be down the pub

A surefire headline to invite every spammer in town, so if that's you, clear off

I was doing my morning patrol of different forums, and this same question comes up again and again, normally by some lazy pimply youth who needs more beer money.

But joking aside, if you had your time again, and you had a pot of money and time to invest, what would you do you think would give you the best return?

Personally I think the number one has to be adult sites, if the stats are to be believed, apparently 7% of all searches!

But probably wouldn't go down to well (no jokes please) with the married people. So how about a dating site? The spread of these over recent years shows this is a boom industry.

Gambling sites always seem to be popular, or maybe you think you have the next social media explosion on your hands?

So do you have any ideas you care to share in public, or are you keeping quiet as you are sat on a multimillion $ goldmine

Anyone had any experience of running an online competition, as a means of a marketing exercise.

eg, "sign up and have a chance of winning an iPod" etc

Be interested to hear how anyones experiences or pitfalls.

Discussed about offline network events before, and my thoughts on these breakfast clubs etc. I've never really got to grips with them, as I tended to see the same faces at each meeting, and never really thought they were worth the time commitment.

But they are very very popular, and I was at a small tradeshow last week, and there had to be 5 different networking groups there, all vying for attention.

It seems to me that these network groups have become a business model in their own right, with most of them run by other business owners who do it part time in addition to their own business.

Maybe I'm just being cynical. One local group is held at a pub in the town, and yup, the group leader is the landlord Another, on a network stand, advertises her marketing company along with the network she helps run.

Maybe I wouldn't be so cynical if these weren't membership fee based.

What does everyone else think, or what's your personal experience? Are you a member of a networking group, or multiple groups? Do you value the help and support of being part of these offline communities?

Or have you tried different groups and found it hasn't worked for you?

139.9p is our local cheapest one.

Can't believe it wasn't long ago we were facing

Grace you've already told us in your intro that your client is based in Phoenix, and you are based in India. I assume you are doing their marketing/seo so a bit confused by your question? Shouldn't you be trying to get business leads by doing SEO and online marketing for them?? Or do you do other stuff for them?

Traffic is still up for us, so fingers crossed and will look again monday

All depends, the ipads are smart, but everything with the apple badge comes at a premium, including extras, like power leads etc.

Functionality wise, there are linux alternatives, and ipad clones arriving. Depends what you actually want it for.

Traditional laptops are now rock bottom prices. If you have a suite of tools you want to continue to use, or other software, then think hard before jumping into a new O/S and starting from scratch. If its a biz machine and you are looking at code or doing SEO, do you need a high end graphics machine?

If you are looking for design and graphics power in a tablet format, then the ipad is in a class of its own, and Macs have long been the stalwart favourite for web and graphic designers.

Horse for courses, its a tool, get the right tool for the job, don't be swayed by marketing hype. Save that for personal toys