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How well do you know your neighbours? In business and in life?

It’s now the middle of barbecue season. If you’re not receiving invitations to get together around a smoking grill then perhaps you should be the one doing the inviting.

As an event in itself, it has many advantages:

• Lower cost than the majority of business events you’ll ever attend / hold.
• A more relaxed environment.
• One month’s notice is usually adequate for invitations.
• Allow 2 days organisation time (food, drink and preparation).
• People like barbecues.
• If doing this at your home or office location is not feasible then many public spaces will allow you to hold a barbecue for a small fee or even without charge. Such an example is Littlehampton beach
• One business owner actually had a barbecue as the kick-off event for a business that has now been going for over 7 years. It became an annual event, but there’s nothing to stop you from holding barbecues more frequently, unless of course you’ve nowhere to hide from the weather should it rain or become too windy.
• Food brings people together. A few drinks (not too many) will bring even more people together. A local pub or hotel may provide an ideal location. The point here is that people are happier and more like themselves when they can relax and not have to live up to any business image or convention they believe they must conform to.
• Perhaps your local chamber of commerce can organise such an event. If they have the facilities but are not taking advantage of them, then talk to the people in charge and see what you need to do to make it a win-win-win situation for you, for them and for the invitees. If they do not have the facilities you’ll soon find out by asking.
• Summer can be a slow time for business in some sectors. What better way to get together, take advantage of the summer and increase your partnering and prospecting opportunities than a good old fashioned barbecue?