Most businesses understand the importance of (and potential to be gained from) networking. Many of us devote a not-unsubstantial amount of time to attending events where we can meet and chat to other business owners and stakeholders and spread the word about what we do and the kind of clients we’re looking to do business with.

Sometimes this can happen subtly, for example by mutual membership of an organisation or club, but more often it involves attendance at a formalised networking event which may be a breakfast meeting, working lunch or structured dinner. As well as a time commitment, there are usually also costs involved but, whilst we may all have our favourites and others which we’d rather not attend, the consensus seems to be that they are a valuable way to promote a company’s activities and gain new business.

Not always quite so obvious though is the huge networking potential within the room at an awards dinner or nominations party. At The Awards People we always urge our clients to not only attend these events when they receive an invitation, but also to attend with the objective of utilising the opportunity to the max. After all, what you will enter is a room full of your peers, amongst them no doubt a significant number of businesses you’d consider to be prospects; companies you’d love to speak to about the products and services you can provide.

So, you’ve got a room full of potential – agreed. But you’ve also got a room full of people who will recognise your worthiness simply by the fact that you are there amongst them. You may not be a winner (just yet) but you are there in full contention and have proved your calibre, even by making it to the very first stage of the awards process. If others have already seen something remarkable about what you do, then undoubtably you are a business worth speaking to. With this attitude in mind our clients have told us that the awards dinner can be almost as valuable as the award itself. Just one more great reason to submit your entry – be in the running and be in the room!