Business events have many benefits for new and experienced business owners in South Africa and can help them reach their business goals. Events not only present an opportunity to grow your network, but they are also a great way to meet with industry experts, peers, and potential customers. Additionally, through business events, entrepreneurs can upskill themselves.
Despite the many merits of networking, finding the ideal business event can be time-consuming and frustrating. In this guide, we’ll cover the best ways to find networking business events that are worth attending.
See also: Where Entrepreneurs Find Powerful Business Mentors
Networking Websites
Google is most people’s first port of call when searching for business events in South Africa. However, if you want more specific search results a networking website is a much better option. Networking websites such as Meetup and Eventbrite provide an extensive directory of a wide variety of community and business events in your area.
For best results, you can use the filter functionality to narrow down your options. This function lets you search by event type (in-person or virtual), interests, date and/or location, to start networking with others who have similar interests and professional goals.
Tip: Search by location, and specific search terms to get the best results.
Social Media Groups
All kinds of business groups and organisations are active on social media. From LinkedIn and Facebook to Twitter chats and WhatsApp, these groups are an effective way for entrepreneurs to not only build relationships but also to stay up to date with any upcoming business events.
Online groups have a clear advantage over other platforms because they not only post about events but are a great knowledge resource to build up your business skills. These groups also encourage small businesses to buy from each other, which means you could find new clients by attending.
Tip: On Instagram follow hashtags to find events that are relevant for you. Don’t neglect TikTok which can be great for live training and workshops on business topics.
Google Alerts
An often-forgotten way to find business events is Google Alerts which is a web content monitoring tool. Google Alerts allows you to set up a word or phrase for the type of events you want to attend. Some examples of phrases you can use are ‘markets in Johannesburg’ or ‘business seminars in Cape Town’. Once your alerts are set up you will receive emails when new results for your pre-selected topic show up in Google Search. You can also choose how often you get notifications, the types of sites you’ll see and the location.
Tip: Also include well-known venues in your area that are known for hosting the type of business events that you are interested in.
