10 Ways to Maximize your Investment in Your Formal Networking Group

10 Ways to Maximize your Investment in Your Formal Networking Group

1. Choose the right group.

Considerations in evaluating a group include the following: • Purpose – Does the group’s purpose match up with your networking goals? • Members – Are the members of the group people you need to know and can you build mutually beneficial relationships with many of them? • Logistics – Does the meeting frequency, location, time and length match up with your schedule?

2. Attend with uncommon consistency.

Showing up is critical to getting results in a networking group. You have to attend regularly to stay in touch, stay connected, keep people top of mind, stay visible and to show your commitment. People can pretend to care, but you can’t pretend to be there. Your presence makes a statement of commitment.

3. Set goals for your participation in a group.

You can’t evaluate and improve anything that you don’t set goals for and monitor progress to those goals. Your goals might include the following areas: a. Attendance – What percentage of meetings do you plan to attend? b. One-on-one appointments – how many can you commit to per month or per week? c. Referrals – What is your target for how many referrals you will give?

4. Be an expert.

You must be good at what you do if you expect people to refer you. Demonstrate both competence and character with your stories and examples of problems you have solved for your clients. Always follow up with action what you say you will do.

5. Be generous.

Share generously your knowledge, contacts, resources to build immediate trust. Those who trust you will more readily refer you when they get the chance.

6. Be specific.

Help others help you. Make it easy for people to understand what you do for whom. The more specific you can be with your requests, the easier it is for your networking partners to provide what you need.

7. Be Gracious

Thank people for their time, information, introductions, referrals and any other item of value they have shared. Make sure your communication of thanks is timely, and thank them more than once.

8. Invite others to visit your group.

Contribute to growing the power of your group by inviting other like-minded professionals. The more value you can add to the group, the more valuable it becomes. Inviting someone you know is also a great way to help that person grow his or her business.

9. Be yourself.

Bring your unique gifts and energy to your group. You are the only one with your unique combination of experience, expertise, contacts, and knowledge. Bring it all for the benefit of the group.

10. Have fun and enjoy your community of fellow networkers.

Being self-employed or in outside sales can be isolating. Your networking group is a place where you can plug in, and give and receive energy that keeps you going in any business cycle.

About The Author Brenda Bonin helps business owners and professionals grow their business through relationhips and referrals. Visit www.MasterfulNetworking.com to receive a FREE report on "Why Most People Don't Get the Results They Want From Their Networking Activity".