Networking-focused online trading portal launched

 The portal allows hundreds of thousands of its customers across 95 countries worldwide to buy and sell products and services, and connect with other businesses using the Regus network. BusinessLink comprises a website accessible via Regus global customer portal myregus.com, as well as informal networking events held around the world.
  “The rise and rise of business social media networks mean that today they are as essential a tool to finding new customers as face-to-face interaction," said Andre Sharpe, global director of Product and Business Development at Regus.
 "For many years our customers have told us of the added value of being able to connect and do business with other companies using Regus. We are excited to respond to their needs with the launch of BusinessLink, which will instantly become one of the world’s largest invite-only trading portals. Solely accessible by Regus office and virtual office customers, BusinessLink brings a global market within the reach of any company, no matter how large or small.”
 Rugus recently completed a survey on over 16,000 senior business managers across the world. For the survey in Thailand, it found that while a majority of companies in Thailand (74 per cent) believe face-to-face networking will remain the best way to find new customers over the next two to three years, an increasing proportion also predict the rising importance of business social media in the new business mix (47 per cent, up from 35 per cent in the previous three years).
 Globally, while face-to-face networking remains the top new business technique, the increasing importance of professional social networking sites such as BranchOut, Video and Xing stands out in the research, also witnessed by increasing user volumes, with LinkedIn having reached more than 135 million members.
 Key findings from the research are;
 - 56 per cent of Thai respondents also declare online advertising to be one of the top channels to find new customers in the next three years, up from 47 per cent in the previous three.
 - Attending trade exhibitions (50 per cent) and public speaking at key events (44 per cent) are also regarded as significant tools for future customer recruitment.
 - Globally, 71 per cent of small businesses believe that face-to-face networking will be key to recruiting customers over the next three years, compared to only 61 per cent of large businesses.
 Traditional advertising, direct marketing and telemarketing only gain a minority vote, and all are in decline.