Why is it Important to Attend Networking Group Meetings?
Are you a member of a face-to-face networking group? Does your group meet regularly on a weekly basis? Do you understand why regular attendance is important in a networking group? Yes, I understand – client work is also important – it pays the bills and keeps you moving, but sooner or later, what happens when there are no longer clients demanding your attention? Where are the new clients going to come from? Isn’t that the primary reason you joined a networking group? To be able to build some new relationships and generate some new business?
Many people question why it is important to regularly attend the weekly Referral Unlimited Network (RUN) meetings. I get questioned often by the statement if they are paying their dues, why does it matter if they are not attending regularly? Paying their dues as a group member is just one small part of the commitment they made when applying for membership.
Members join the group because they WANT to get to know more people. When you are absent from the meetings on a regular basis, it’s tough to develop new relationships. Seeing one another weekly at the meetings, sets a certain level of trust and dependability. Based on that trust you then decide how far you want the relationship to grow. Deciding to “hit and miss” when you attend meetings, limits both your interaction with the group as well as their interaction with you. Wasn’t the intent of joining to meet new people, to develop business relationships?
When a prospective member visits a weekly group meeting, it is highly unusual that they already know everyone that is a member of the group. During the time of their visit, the prospective member is evaluating the group – the people who make up the group. Possibly this is the prospective guest’s first time meeting you. As in most networking situations, when you first make a contact with someone, your thoughts are:
• Do I like them?
• Do I find them interesting?
• What are their points of contact (business or personal)?
• How large is their sphere of influence? What type(s) of people do they know?
• Do I want to take this further? Is this person someone that I feel is important to include in my network?
The above are just some of the thoughts more than likely crossing your mind before you determine whether or not you would like to form some type of relationship with them. This connection may not happen the first time you meet someone. It may take time attending regular meetings to get to liking someone, finding them interesting or establishing points of contact. One of the great things about interacting with people in a regular group is that you get the time to make connections with people that you might have dismissed on the basis of a single brief meeting.
The presence (or the absence of) regular members may be the determining factor as to whether or not a guest decides to join the group. You can learn a lot about another person by simply observing their actions and interactions with other members – how they speak to and about each other, how comfortable are they with one another, how professional are they?
In addition, by not attending, you missed an opportunity to make a new contact. Suppose this guest does visit one or two regular meetings, and for whatever reason, decides NOT to join, you may indeed be the one person he/she is looking to connect with. Since you were not there, you may miss the opportunity of a lifetime!
Even though we interact regularly during our weekly meetings, it is important to have conversations with each other outside of the meetings. You need to learn enough about the person to decide if a relationship can be developed between you and on what level that relationship will work. This means having a real conversation, rather than a superficial one where you just exchange business cards and move on. When the time is right and you both decide that further exploration is worthwhile then you can move to the next stage of the process which is keeping in touch and helping one another.
I would love to hear your thoughts and comments on this subject. Please share them with us in the comment section below. If you are interested in helping, please share this article with your connections on Twitter, FaceBook and LinkedIn.
To Your Networking Success!
Carol
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