Networking contacts in the USA

[warren cass]

This sits along side another thread I have just posted.

I wonder if anyone can help with contacts for keys networkers in the USA for our American launch of Business Scene?

I spent some time over there last year mainly in California starting to grow our network there but am looking to spend the next couple of months growing some critical mass before my next trip.

Drop me a line if you would like to know more before potentially connecting. All help appreciated!

[Cornish Steve]

Hi Warren.

I visited your site and looked under Atlanta (where I live). I can see your dilemma: You need a critical mass of registered users to attract more registered users, and I'm not sure how you're going to achieve critical mass. For example, the Classifieds area is empty and so are most of the other categories. As a site visitor, what incentive is there for me to join? Plus, it's not clear from the home page what business-scene actually offers.

A couple of points come to mind immediately:

- One of the articles listed under Atlanta is about Britain's top 100 entrepreneurs. For an American visitor looking for articles about his region, who cares about British entrepreneurs?

- You use British English spelling rather than American English (e.g., centre and not center). To attract Americans to the American portions of your site, you might want to think again about this.

Good luck.

[warren cass]

Hi Steve

Thank you for taking the time to look and respond.

All of your observations are valid and in hand, we are looking at a March launch for the US. We realise the site will be needing the events, US spellings and US articles before then. We already have the ability to do different language tables.

The most important thing is to have US supporters on the ground, key networkers and maybe even people wanting to lead an area.

Once again I appreciate your feedback!

Warren

[monthlylocal]

Hi Warren,

Whilst I can help on your question I'm afraid, I was just wondering how one would go about approaching the likes of Microsoft and Blackberry for corporate sponsorship. Did you find them quite accomodating or was it a stuggle to get them on board.

Great site by the way. :D

[warren cass]

Hi Monthly local

I would be happy to talk you through how we went about it.

We have worked with over 10 brands in the last year and the lead times are never short.

Gaining sponsorship is more difficult than ever nowadays as every comopany I know has reduced marketing budgets and no-one is happy with just logo placement anymore.

All corporate marketeers want to have an ROI and it probably needs to be measurable.

If you want specific advice I will be free on Monday in the office and could schedule a chat?

Best regards

[monthlylocal]

Hi Warren,

Many thanks, I will pop you a PM over shortly (sorry to hijack your thread)

I think (don't we all) that I have a service that they would be interesting in partnering with - we organise lots of business trade fairs throughout the year. My main concern is other than the initial press we would get from the partnership, do these companies offer anything going forward (like publishing info on their sites of actually subsidising events?. Not 100% sure what I should be looking to get out of the relationship realistically.

Many thanks for your help

Trev

[adventurelife]

Hi Warren

I am currently trying to negotiate a purchase of a business in Colorado. If it goes through I will be spending a lot of each year in Colorado. I will be networking a lot for obvious reasons

Not a direct instant help I know but maybe longer term