When running a business on the Costa del Sol, networking should be one of your key marketing tools. This can be a low-cost and highly effective promotional method for small businesses and something we should all be doing regularly.

Here are some of the benefits you will gain from networking:

Raise awareness of your company and make new contacts
Talk with experienced business people to ask advice and get inspiration
Meet like-minded people and build your social and business network
Build trust in you and your business so you are more likely to be recommended

Building trust is very important here on the Costa del Sol and crucial to your long-term business success. Networking is the best way to establish yourself as a trustworthy and reputable business and gain valuable contacts. Relationships like this cannot be built over the internet, so if you want longevity with your company here in Spain, it's essential to network face to face and gain those contacts. If you want to start networking, there are many different groups to choose from so you should find something to suit you.

Here are a few networking groups we recommend:

• Women in Business
• Marbella Business Institute
• Tweet-up
• Costa Women

However, it's not as simple as simply turning up at a networking group and hoping it will be productive for you, you need to make sure you are doing it right. To help, we have compiled a list of tips for making the most out of networking on the Costa del Sol which you can read on our website, view the full article here

Shaw Marketing Services have been working with Global Optical Chain Specsavers since August 2010. We have been very busy this year helping Specsavers launch their two brand new stores in Mallorca and Benidorm and promoting their existing stores on the Costa Blanca and the Costa del Sol.

We are responsible for coordinating Specsavers' PR in the coastal regions of Spain in English and Spanish and have been very successful. We have established very good relationships with Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca and Mallorca press and have achieved a large amount of positive coverage for Specsavers via the distribution of press releases and articles. We have also provided PR training in store.

As a result of our PR work Specsavers Opticas have been featured in many on and offline media, including:

Interviews with Specsavers' optical experts on expat and Spanish radio
Spanish TV feature with Specsavers staff giving advice on choosing the right frames
Featured in major expat publications such as Euro Weekly News, Sur in English, Costa News, Round Town News, Society Marbella and many more
Featured in major Spanish publications such as Partforana, Dossier Empresarial, Ser Padres and 20 Minutos
Over 50 press releases and articles published in the Expat and Spanish press
Hundreds of websites and online media including our press releases and articles

You can view some of the PR clippings we have achieved for Specsavers on our website or visit www.specsavers.es to find your nearest store.

Exciting changes to Women in Business

Traditionally Women in Business networking meetings have taken place during the day but now they are pleased to be able to hold some evening and breakfast meetings as well to widen the appeal of this already popular networking event.

The meetings will now vary between breakfast time, lunch and evening on a rotational basis so that people who have been unable to attend in the past due to other commitments should now find it easier to attend when it suits them. WIB held its first ever evening networking meeting at El Cort Ingles Puerto Banus on the 8th and we are pleased to say the event was a great success.

The next WIB networking meeting will be the Christmas lunch held at Acacia, Puerto Banus on December 2nd. To emphasise the Christmas atmosphere attendees are requested to wear red.

After enjoying a welcome drink and some of the chef's gorgeous hors d'oeuvres, diners will be able to enjoy a starter of Cream of Butternut Soup or Maris Piper Potato Gnocchi and a main course of Monkfish or Seared Chicken Breast. For those who can still find space, there is a limoncello Cheesecake for dessert! A glass of wine, water and a cup of coffee are all included in the price.

Following the warm reception that greeted Masha Malka's wonderful Russian food at the November meeting we are delighted that her company, Moscow Delicatessen, will help to get the event off to a good start by offering members and guests a chance to taste some wonderful caviar.

Members and guests are invited to meet at Acacia, Puerto Banus from 12.30pm. If you would like to attend this event and/or invite guests, please contact the president by emailing enquiries@wibspain.com or to find out more visit the website.