Milton Keynes rocks to the networking beat
Local marketing professionals prove that best things come in small packages, as individuals make the most of business opportunity.
The Slug & Lettuce played host to 100 marketing & media professionals on Wednesday night as digital recruitment advertiser, Only Marketing Jobs, rode into town for the fifth leg of its official regional networking tour. Jobseekers, networkers and employers gathered to share industry thoughts, make important new contacts and learn why meeting people is crucial for personal & business development. And they liked to drink, too!
Whilst for some the the occasion was about finding marketing jobs, others found purpose in imparting knowledge and learning from like-minded industry folk. The diversity of attendees made for interesting conversations too, as revellers were encouraged to engage with students, creative designers, social media enthusiasts and other marketing experts.
Back to basics
The ascent of online networking camouflages the human instinct to socialise, where building trust through face-to-face interaction accentuates an inherent desire to overcome objection. Networking expert, Lloyd Dalton-Brown, treated the audience to a thoroughly enlightening set of interactive tips on how to maximise social events, where a combination of pitch and passion provides altruistic acknowledgement.
Speed networking
With heads full of networking hints the marketers set about making new contacts through seven 6-minute ‘capsules’ of conversation. Speed networking has been likened to speed-dating but this was no place for finding love. Amorous glances 
were reserved for the next new contact; someone who would likely improve social or business attention, post-event.
In what was a vibrant 45 minutes the congregation covered topics from all aspects of marketing: Where is mobile going? What’s the benefit of Facebook for business? Why are creative agencies so popular in Milton Keynes? And how LinkedIn has transformed the way people connect.
Prospect prognosis
Amidst the contact-making, eerily-accurate career clairvoyant, Suzie Sharpe, teased those that dared with tarot card reading; delving into the future to peruse prospects for the remainder 2010. Suzie’s insights proved an enormous hit as even the most ardent sceptic was wowed by the psychic sorcerer.
Champagne
The much-heralded champagne draw capped an inspiring few hours, where strategic marketing graduate, Parikshit Gopalakrishnan, of Cranfield University, was delighted to receive a bottle of Veuve Clicquot from draw sponsors, The Creative Village.
As attendees headed home to digest the evening’s activities (as well as the chicken wings and battered mushrooms!) they did so with lottery ticket-laden goodie bags, complete with relevant educational regalia. As yet nobody has claimed the Wednesday night Lotto windfall…
Small packages
As a self-contained hub of its larger London neighbour Milton Keynes is far from a networking epicentre. But what MK does well is make the most of its smaller lot. Marketers, in particular, are prepared to share ideas and learn, creating a benevolent tail on which it encourages others to tug.
As UK Plc makes moves to recover from economic peril, so the number of marketing jobs in Milton Keynes increases and, in turn, managing to retain some very fine individuals who really know how to network. Online communication is great. But where’s the beer in that?
Only Marketing Jobs would like to thank all attendees of the Milton Keynes Link-up and would invite any local marketing, media or advertising professional to join them in the UK Marketing Lounge, where 15,000 UK LinkedIn users can be found networking, both on and offline.
If you’re intrigued to know more or still on the networking trail, you can view the event information and full attendee list here and read some amazing quotes about networking via the presentation. You may also be interested in viewing pictures of the evening. Perhaps you’re in them??
The Milton Keynes Link-up was sponsored by these local organisations:
Simon Lewis | Editor | Only Marketing Jobs
Related posts:
- The Milton Keynes Link-up | Networking for Marketers | 5th May 2010
- Social networking for UK marketers | the 2010 regional diary
- Leeds a hot-bed for marketing networkers
- The Manchester Link-up: networking your way to a successful career
- The London Link-up II | Networking for Marketers | 1st December 2010
- The Leeds Link-up | Networking for Marketers | 2nd June 2010
- The Birmingham Link-up | Networking for Marketers | 30th June 2010
- Review of the Bristol Link-up networking event
- Review of the Cambridge Link-up 2: networking event for marketers
- King quotes about social networking – made in Manchester
Can’t wait for the next event. There’s still so much to learn, especially from the social media side of things. If you take your marketing career seriously it’s imperative to know how to make the most of sites like Twitter and Linkedin.