Networking Clubs

Networking Clubs

1 September 2008

There are many types of networking groups out there. How do I know which ones to join? In fact there are at least five types of organizations to consider joining in order to develop your business through networking. Depending on your time constraints, select at least two or three groups for participation. However, no matter what groups you end up participating in it’s not called “net-sit” or “net-eat,” it’s called “net-work,” and if you want to build your business through word-of-mouth, you must “work” the networking groups you belong to.

Casual Networks
The first of the five types of networking groups are casual contact networks. These are business groups that allow many people from various overlapping professions. There are no restrictions on the number of people represented in any trade or profession. These groups usually meet monthly and often hold mixers where everyone mingles informally. Casual contact networks may hold other meetings where there are presentations by guest speakers or discussions on specific business issues of concern.

The best examples of these groups are the thousands of Chambers of Commerce and similar groups active worldwide.

Strong Contact Networks
Strong contact networks are groups that meet more frequently, perhaps weekly, for the primary purpose of exchanging referrals. They often restrict membership to only one person per profession or specialty and tend to be more structured in their meeting formats than casual contact networks. Their meetings include open networking; short presentations by everyone; a longer, more detailed presentation by one or two members; and time devoted solely to passing business referrals.

Community Service
Community service clubs give you opportunities to put something back into the community where you do business while making valuable contacts and receiving good PR to boot. Community service clubs can be fairly good sources of word-of-mouth business. Such groups exist primarily to serve the community; however, they can also provide an excellent opportunity for businesspeople to meet regularly and develop relationships. Good examples would be Rotary, or The Lions.

Professional Associations
Professional associations have existed for many years. Association members tend to be from one specific type of industry, and the primary purpose of a professional association is to exchange information and ideas. But which one to join? A simple test is to determine which club or clubs your current customers belong to and seek to join it!

Specialist Business Organizations
There is also an increasing number of specialist business organizations that to which it may be beneficial to join. For example womens’ organizations or gay/lesbian business organizations. These tend to be very focused and professional groups within which the individual can create a network of peers in perhaps a less threatening environment than otherwise.
So, which groups should you join? Pick and choose carefully; make sure you join a group with an appropriate membership. And you don’t have time to join a group? Nonsense! Find an hour a week to network in the right group and the business benefits can be enormous!