A guide, reviewed on 12 November 2026
Choosing a networking group
Try two kinds as a visitor before you pay for either. Here they are side by side: how often each meets, what it asks of you and who goes.
Is it worth it?
It depends on who you sell to and how much time you can give. Networking is worth it when the people in the room could buy from you, or know people who could.
It is rarely quick. Trust comes from seeing the same faces more than once, which is why groups that meet often ask more of you. If after a few visits you have not met anyone you would want to see again, try a different kind rather than giving up.
The kinds of group, compared
Every group is different, so treat this as the usual pattern and ask the group itself.
| Kind of group | How often | Cost to join | Commitment | Who goes | Good if |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly referral chapter | Every week | The organiser sets it. Usually a membership fee plus the meetings. | High: every week, or a substitute | Owners of small firms and sole traders, one per line of work | You sell locally and want a steady group who pass you work. |
| Chamber of commerce | Events through the month | The chamber sets it, often by the size of the business. | Low: go to what suits you | Firms of every size, from sole traders to large employers | You want a mix of events and a say in local business. |
| Breakfast or lunch club | Fortnightly or monthly | The organiser sets it. Often a charge for the food and nothing to join. | Some: regulars get to know you | Local business owners and managers, the same faces most times | You want to get to know a group without a weekly promise. |
| Open meetups and walks | Now and then | The organiser sets any ticket price. Nothing to join. | None: each one stands alone | Anyone; new faces every time | You are new, or want to try networking with nothing to sign. |
| Sector and interest groups | Monthly, often in the evening | The organiser sets it. | Low | People in one field, such as tech, food or charities, or founders | You want to meet people who do what you do, not your customers. |
The small pillars show roughly how many times a month each meets. Explained in more depth: how a networking chapter works, what a chamber of commerce does, what netwalking is.
Try before you join
Three steps, a few weeks apart.
- Go as a visitorMost groups welcome a visitor. The listing says how, or ask the organiser.1
- Go againOne morning tells you little. The second time you see who comes back.2
- Try a different kindThen compare the two and decide, before you pay for either.3
Ask before you pay
- What does it cost in a year, all in: fees, meetings and meals?
- What is expected of me: how often, referrals, a substitute when I cannot come?
- Is there room for my line of work, or is that seat taken?
- If I leave, is any of the fee returned?
- Who are the members, and who are they hoping to meet?
Open to visitors, coming up
Regular groups open to all, the next date of each in the next four weeks. Every group that meets regularly is on Groups to join.
Monday 16 Nov
Tuesday 17 Nov
- 06:45Alton Dragons BNIBreakfast in Alton, 06:45 to 08:30. No ticket price, open to all. Checked 19 Oct
- 08:00Omni Fareham - Business NetworkBreakfast in Fareham, 08:00 to 11:00. No ticket price, open to all. Checked 19 Oct
- 09:15BNI HaslarBreakfast in Gosport, 09:15 to 11:00. No ticket price, open to all. Checked 19 Oct
- 10:00Ladies Who Latte BasingstokeEvent in Basingstoke, 10:00 to 12:00. No ticket price, open to all. Checked 19 Oct
- 16:00New Forest Business Support HourOnline, 16:00 to 17:00. No ticket price, open to all. Checked 19 Oct
- 16:15BNI Holt Pound GU10After work in Farnham, 16:15 to 17:45. No ticket price, open to all. Checked 19 Oct
- 16:30BNI TadleyAfter work in Tadley, 16:30 to 18:00. No ticket price, open to all. Checked 19 Oct
As listed on hampshire.events on 13 November 2026. Organisers set their own dates and prices, so check with them before you go.
People also ask
Which kind suits a sole trader?
Often a weekly group or a breakfast club, where the same people get to know your work. If your week is unpredictable, start with open events.
Do I have to join to go?
No. Open events need no membership, and most groups let you visit before you join. Members-only events say so on the listing.
Can I belong to more than one group?
Yes, unless a group’s rules say otherwise. Weekly groups take a lot of time, so most people keep to one of those.
Why do some groups take only one of each trade?
So members pass work to each other rather than compete for it. Ask whether your line of work is free before you visit.
The week ahead, every Monday.
Every event in the county for the next seven days, posted first thing on Monday on LinkedIn and Facebook.