We get a lot of questions at Meet 19, mainly we think because people are busy focused on their own stuff and they sometimes forget there's a lot of info already on our business card website.

What we try to do is put people at ease, so what we'll do is occasionally post the answers to questions that keep getting repeated. So here's five of the most popular FAQs we've received via email, in social media messages or at our events.

1. Why is the event free?/Are you not going to charge?
No. We're doing our best to keep things free. The only problem we see with this right now is that people might think there's no value in a FREE ticket, then not turn up (a reason for THEN charging , to obligate people to come). The thing with that is that it's your network and it's what we all make it. And no, we're not upset or going to chase those who don't show, we really are too busy and have no time left at the end of the week. Attendees are telling us they are still leaving with two to three times as many business cards as a normal freeform event, and finding the leads more productive. This is probably because of the Speed Meet and appeal the network makes to the nobler motives of associates. 

2. I didn't know you had to book a ticket. Where's my invite?
Everyone has to book their FREE ticket: so we know for numbers. Spaces are limited because we want to keep it a small event. Your invite will have gone out and may be in your inbox or 'junk' filter. Most local business people get 100s of emails every day so maybe do a search for EventBrite or Meet 19 in the email search box, usually positioned at the top. If not we'll be happy to send out another, just email us at meet19sussex@gmail.com

3. What's your end, how are you making money?
Our interest is about prospecting for clients while giving something back, while also encouraging others to do the same. We make no money from the event; but formulating and monitoring a network reinforces we can do our professions well (digital marketing, online analysis, office efficiency) while building a business network with integrity. Already we've been offered commissions based on our cross-pollinated knowledge of these areas.We also want to show how others are making things work for each other, so please get in touch with your success stories.

4. Do we really have to bring freebies?
No, not at all, it's just a nice option. We find that when you have an exclusive promo for other networkers, it helps to make people remember you. Most businesses usually have some kind of sale/discount/promo/reduced rate thing going on anyway. There's usually a 10-25% take up on offers which means the opportunity of potential networked clients walking through your door looking for a new service experience. For an excellent example of how free stuff can work for you try our article here.

What if you don't any comeback, does it mean you've wasted your time? Not at all. For example, I did an Infinite Bridge web report for Nick Ford Photography (hour consult, and three-page PDF on website, copy, design, UX, social media, presence etc) and he reviewed it as: "Totally blown away by the professionalism, generosity and detail." In other words, you get the chance to get great testimonials and the word spread around that you're good at what you do.

5. How we do use this new blogsite, what's it for?
The site is for the indirect marketing of your enterprises (Meet 19 associates). Notice how in the previous question I managed to mention mine and Nick's business and include links? We can do this all the time. We just need announcements, profiles, interesting angles, expert advice: or basically, good supportive content that makes this site an assist for your one. This way web crawlers working for search engines will see your brand mentioned, searched and clicked and push it up the rankings. Free. Just send it to us here in plain text (it doesn't have to be too long) or at the usual email address above. With lots of pictures in low resolution for web publishing, please.

NEXT EVENT: WEDNESDAY 23rd NOVEMBER 2016, 3-5PM

We're pleased to report that our second Meet 19 network event happened today - October 19th 2016 - with no one hurt from handhugging. Thank you for all those who made the event such a engaging and fun time.
Pictured is our amazing front of house waiter Vashek learning what we mean by professional networking from event co-host Tilo Flache. We can't thank Edendum enough for their wonderful service and hospitality. 

​We also had a wonderful testimonial, where a return Meet19er told us they had some excellent leads from our previous event, which we are extremely grateful for. With fewer attendees and our Speed Meet feature we're finding associates are generally leaving with twice as many business cards. Of course we're just as much about being supportive as well as 'bigging ourselves up' and we were more than glad to point out the benefits of other networks and the resource of networking in general in Brighton and Hove in our event talk: We're Rich with Resources, which will be appearing in blog form complete with links to those networks on our experts in the field page very soon.

Welcome to our new Meet19 BlogSite.
Our mission is to make this a place for all our associates across Brighton and Hove and surrounding Sussex to post news and proofs of expertise to enhance their free membership.
With this in mind we can't stress enough that the content of this network will be curated by expert digital marketing and administered efficiently and effectively to Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn: the network will be exactly what you make it, promoted across the internet at no charge.

We're using the words 'our' and 'your' as interchangeable: so please, treat us as your supporting website and utilise these blogs to introduce yourself, talk about your field of expertise and/or direct people to money and time saving posts, articles or offers, before or after the events you attend. Especially feel free to angle these specifically to networkers across your social media platforms with either tag: #handhug or #Meet19, and we will pick it up and spin it across not just this network, but our business ones as well (estimated reach 10,000+).
​Looking forward to meeting some more new associates this Wednesday 19th October...