Examination of Discovery - Finding the Right Networking Group

Why would I pick this group over another group?

How many business leads groups have you heard about? I have heard of dozens and each has a group of 20 or more people. The problem is that they often have restrictions on the number of people in a particular category. Fortunately or unfortunately, this limits the number of groups that you can choose from. Sometimes a group will have several Chapters, especially when one group gets too large and people in the same category want to join. These splinter groups are often small to start with and then find themselves on the same treadmill. So how do you find the right group for your business? I suggest that you get invited to several groups and test the waters.

Even if you have the same category as someone else, you should find a way to be invited. You will not find out about how the meetings are conducted and how leads are handled unless you become a participant at one or two of their meetings. Let the group know that you are looking for the perfect group to join and are researching how business is handled. You can also find out a lot about a group by contacting current and past members.

It is best to take a survey of those members that are advocates, those that have left the group for various reasons and those that are only half-heartedly a member. It pays to research. Let me say it again, it pays to research!

Once you have conducted your research, you will need to make a decision on which group is best for you. You will need to take that research one step further and compare your ideal customer with what each group has to offer. For example, a group that is composed of dentists, doctors, and other health professionals will not be ideal for a company selling beauty product. On the other hand, the group would be ideal for cleaning supplies and computer technology. Depending on your business you will have to define the best group for you.

Bette Daoust, Ph.D. has been networking with others since leaving high school years ago. Realizing that no one really cared about what she did in life unless she had someone to tell and excite. She decided to find the best ways to get people's attention, be creative in how she presented herself and products, getting people to know who she was, and being visible all the time. Her friends and colleagues have often dubbed her the "Networking Queen". Blueprint for Networking Success: 150 ways to promote yourself is the first in this series. Blueprint for Branding Yourself: Another 150 ways to promote yourself is planned for release in 2005. For more information visit http://BlueprintBooks.com/