Do you know how often we are told this when we finally get a chance to speak to people and explain what we offer?
So many people have a preconception of what it is we do and do you know how hard it is to overcome a preconception?
Most people know us for our networking events and we realise that this is probably entirely our fault, as we need to regularly promote them to make sure that we get the bums on seats … especially now they are happening twice a month!
But I think the association to these type of events is due to us having #Network in our name (Even my daughter calls it HD8 Networking Event – but I think she does it to wind me up).
But a Network is exactly what we are.
We are a platform for communication in the HD8 area of Huddersfield.
Other people think that we are just Facebook Groups and many possibly don’t realise that we manage a range of them. We have recently changed our posting policy in the Facebook Groups, so that now only members of the HD8 Network can promote their business in there … but do you know how much confusion that has caused? LOADS!! Especially, we think because you can be a member of a Facebook Group, as well as a member of the HD8 Network. And we often have people tell us they are a member of the HD8 Network when they are not even subscribed to our mailing list – possibly haven’t even visited our website.
One of the things that nearly everyone thinks that we do – which we definitely don’t – is publish and distribute the magazine through your door #DefinitelyNotUs
What most people don’t realise is that we ALSO have an online events calendar, business directory, share content via our news page on our website and on our social media channels, have a mailing list of engaged subscribes, offer a range of membership packages for businesses to promote themselves, as well as provide account management to help our members get the exposure they desire.
We are also developing packages for the larger businesses in the area, to compliment their CSR and employee benefit policies and we go out of our way to help community groups and charities.