Quick Pitch: GetLunched.com is a new way to make professional connections over lunch.
Genius Idea: Everyone loves lunch, but free lunch is even harder to pass up. The idea behind this new social network is to help people connect with each other by introducing a lunchtime barter system to the mix.
The creators of this London-based startup think elevator business pitches are more likely to be heard over a big plate of linguini alla vongole.
GetLunched.com is social network that lets users extend lunch invitations to people they want to connect with. Individuals extending the offer can propose ?I?m Buying,? ?You?re Buying? or ?50/50.? Users can choose to integrate LinkedIn connections to the system, so rekindling old connections is as easy as making new ones.
?People like to help other people out,? Matt Bandy, co-founder of GetLunched.com told Mashable. ?But, it?s not often easy to. There has to be a reason. To buy someone lunch is a nice value exchange ? it could be as long or short as you like.?
Bandy, who comes from a marketing background, says he learned the power of the lunch hour after years of socializing with clients. These professional relationships have even led to the successful launch of GetLunched.com.
?It?s based around the idea that there are thousands of connections,? he said. ?Get Lunched is about making the most of the connections. Lunch is kind of the old-school way of making that exchange.?
Individuals in a variety of industries may join Get Lunched. Simply create a user profile to specify an industry of interest, headline, location and what you are looking for. Then wait for lunch proposals to roll in. Or, if you are avidly looking for advice, use the website?s search option to seek out relevant industry leaders. Invitations can be made through Linkedin, email or on the phone, says Bandy.
The layout of the website is?comprehensive and easy to use. Users can search profiles by city, postcode, keyword or cuisine. There is also a handy map that tracks where GetLunched.com users are and what people are looking for. As we search within London, across a five-mile radius, there?s someone ?interested in meeting people with retail sales experience? and another looking for ?collaborations in innovation, branding and consumer insight.?
The startup launched its networking site on Feb. 17. The service is currently only available in the U.K. and by invite only. The two founders are working to build up its U.K. network and support for its mobile apps on iPhone, Android and Blackberry. Mashable readers can use invite code GetLunched-Mashable to fully access the site for free. Contact the GetLunched.com team via the website?s comment box when the first 500 invites run out.
Bandy hopes to bring the professional lunch social network to the U.S. and other parts of Europe by the end of the year.
Pricing plans are as follows. There is a free plan that offers search options and access to lunch deals; a business plan that includes access to all network profiles, ability to invite people you are not connected to out to lunch, access to all lunch deals and access to top lunch deals for ?9.50 per month.
?It will be like a dating site,? Bandy said about the pricing plans. ?You can connect with anyone you already have on your Linkedin, connect with emails and other existing networks for free, but if you want to connect with someone new then you?ll have to subscribe to a plan.?
The GetLunched.com creators hope this new product helps individuals connect with the human resources they have around them.
?Find out who is around you and be bold. It?s the one hour of the day when you can focus on yourself, step away from the desk and reach people to share your ideas with.?
Image courtesy of Laissez Fare
Series Supported by Microsoft BizSpark
Source: http://mashable.com/2012/03/05/business-networking-get-lunche/
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