Networking provides small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) with an effective way of encouraging growth, according to one expert.

A spokesman for the British Chamber of Commerce said today that business networking offered a number of benefits to SMEs and ensured enterprises remained in-step with their competitors.

"Any business looking to grow should look at networking. It may not be suitable for every business, but it's certainly something that all businesses should be aware of," he said.

He added that interacting with people either online or at events encouraged word of mouth which is the best way of getting people to be aware of your business and keeping up with competitors.

"It's about marketing yourself and networking is another way of marketing your business; getting out there and telling people who you are and what you do."

Recent figures from the Office for National Statistics found that SMEs account for around 58.9 per cent of employment and 51.9 per cent of turnover in the UK.

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