Down4Lunch: online network dedicated to meeting offline

Dedicated social networks

The internet is home to many successful and prominent professional networking sites. There are those sites that have a great mixture of personal and professional interaction, and then there are some that are solely dedicated to professional expansion, development, and networking. One of the most well-known professional networking sites is LinkedIn, which gives users the ability to virtually connect with other like-minded or complementary professionals. However, LinkedIn is limited in the fact that professional interaction doesn’t go beyond the computer screen.

Part of growing any professional network and influence is meeting face-to-face with these other professionals. A web-based program now combines networking online and in person, so all your professional bases are covered.Down4Lunch provides a way to network with other professionals when it’s most convenient for you, during lunch. Down4Lunch actually allows you to schedule lunch meetings with your virtual contacts and connections, all in three easy steps.

Three simple steps:

Step 1 – Create Your Online Profile.
When creating your online professional profile, you’ll be asked to share your chosen industry or field, how much experience you currently have under your belt, and your physical location. We recommend being as specific as possible.

Step 2 – Select Your Professional Preferences.
This step requires you to specify the type of professional with whom you want to connect. You can also choose which times during the day you’re available to meet up and have lunch or a coffee. Be realistic about when you are available and how much time you are willing to spend out.

Step 3 – Set Up a Lunch or Accept an Invitation.
You have two basic options with this step. You can browse the profiles of the other professionals and invite one to meet up for a lunch business meeting or you can wait until an invitation comes your way.

Plans for mobile

While Down4Lunch is only web-based right now, they plan to release an app version in the near future. It’s also completely free to use. Meeting another professional face-to-face during the lulls in your workday or while you’re on a business trip can be a great way to extend your professional reach and make great connections that can benefit you and your business in the future. It’s true – sometimes it’s who you know that can propel and power your professional success. Down4Lunch gives you that opportunity.