[The Carpet Cleaning Pro]

Ring 20 businesses up and invite them to a get together at a pub and all hand out business cards and leaflets to each other. Get the pub to do lunch at a small charge (inform everyone invited of the small charge) and have afew sherberts. Hey... you may even get the carpet clean at the pub. Just an idea.

[robert meldrum]

Think some of them or maybe all of them will have been approached to a similar meeting but at 7-30 am.

However, as the saying goes     " Nothing ventured "

[Adam P]

isn't this called networking?

[Mike Halliday]

if you want to 20 to attend then I think you will need to ring 100 and I can't see anyone ringing 100 people and getting a 5-1 rejection

but that not that I think its a bad idea but I would take a leaf out of the BMI book and rather than 20 aim for a 'powerteam' of 5, try and get 5 people who work for the sort of people who you want to work for EG;...

an ironing company
an oven cleaner
high class dog groomer
high class curtain designer
car valeter

the sort of people who use these types of companies are exactly they sort we should try and find

[robert meldrum]

I suppose you could develop this further by simplifying it and contacting individuals to arrange a meeting with a view to increasing THEIR business " by association " chances are you've been doing this already..............

By chatting to every client you meet
By always having a business card handy when out socialising
When in the hairdresser's
Etc, etc.

My wife is brilliant at this.......................I talk a lot but never have cards in my pocket 

[Ian Gourlay]

I went along to a BMI meeting , I cannot understand why you would pay £760 to join plus vat plus £10 a week for breakfast at an ungodoly hour

The place was full of what I call would be actuals

Agree best way is DIY

We did have someone phone us suggesting a siniliar idea ie just meet up on a regular basis before Christmas

I have heard no more