Volunteer
Volunteering gives you a chance to mingle with like-minded people in a feel-good environment. Volunteering is also a great opportunity to develop and demonstrate new skills. Plus, there are so many valuable opportunities to choose from, from one-off events to ongoing activities at local organisations.
Diversity Groups
Groups based on diversity, such as gender, race, culture, for example the Business and Professional Women’s Foundation, understand the importance of networking and frequently include this at their events. Also sharing the same background with the people you speak to makes it easier to find similarities and build trust – this is part of ethos, the ethical appeal, where listeners are more likely to be convinced by someone they can relate to.
Religious Groups
Being part of a religious group means that you share similar beliefs with a large community of people. You can engage in casual networking at any of their events as you’re all more likely to share the same opinions, trust each other and want to help one another.
Local Sports Club/Exercise
Exercise is not only beneficial for forming social connections – it can also help with business connections. It doesn’t matter whether you participate in a team sport or an individual sport, there’s always a chance to strike up a conversation with a fellow athlete. Strong rapports can quickly be built by suffering together and comradeship, such as, going on a parkrun.