Networking + Lead Generation
Your Network is Your Net Worth.
The Manhattan Chamber of Commerce is your "super-connector," linking you to the people and opportunities that will fuel your business growth. We provide a diverse range of networking events and programs designed to help you forge meaningful relationships with customers, collaborators, and funders. Our offerings include:
The Chamber offers many networking events each year, including:
- Networking Around Town: These in-person networking events are held at different locales throughout the borough to showcase restaurants and other venues. Often co-hosted with different organizations, these events ensure members are always meeting new people.
- Speed Networking: These online sessions allow you to expand your network of contacts by presenting your business to several different groups of like-minded professionals in one short hour and then trading contact information for possible follow-up.
- Industry Mixers: The Chamber brings together professionalS from different industries who can benefit from connecting because of the natural synergies in their work. One of our most exciting is our FLAIR group which brings together professionals from the Finance, Law, Accounting, Insurance and Real Estate industries.
These groups will help you develop a strong network to drive business referrals your way. These are lead generation groups of approximately 15-40 people who get together on a regular basis (usually every other week, either in-person or virtually) and learn one another's business so they can refer you to potential clients and customers.
Currently, the Chamber has four dynamic groups, with more on the way.
Only one person per industry/profession is allowed in each group in order to create a non-competitive environment where business referrals are openly given and received.
The Chamber provides many opportunities to promote your business, your products and services, and your own expertise in order to further your business goals. Partnering with us:
- aligns you with a powerful community of businesses, executives and entrepreneurs;
- expands your brand recognition and influence;
- deepens your connection to the New York City market; and,
- provides a meaningful platform to “give back” and contribute to New York City’s future.
Learn more here.
The Chamber is committed to providing real opportunities for our members to sell, close deals and secure contracts. These opportunities arise on an ongoing basis, but current examples include:
- "Shop Small Biz" Street Fairs: The Chamber runs two of the oldest and longest street fairs in New York City. Both of the fairs run for 20 blocks on the Upper East Side from 66th Street to 86th Street. These events provide a platform to help local businesses sell their products. Large companies may "buy a block" to host an activation or donate booths to small businesses.
- Supplier Diversity Conference & Expo: This annual event is targeted to diverse suppliers (i.e., disabled, minority-owned, woman-owned, veteran-owned and LGBT-owned businesses). The goals are two-fold: (1) To provide meaningful knowledge to diverse businesses about business resources, upcoming procurement opportunities and best practices for securing contracts; and (2) To connect diverse suppliers with actual buyers from both the public and private sectors who are looking for firms that can assist them with meeting their supplier diversity goals.