Networking

[sotc]

Does anyone belong to any networking groups? What are they and how well do you think they do for your business?

 

[MasterBlaster]

Just this place.

 

[bonner1040]

http://www.toastmasters.org/

I know some people that do this for networking. They like it.

 

[thattreeguy]

fake book

some of my clients hit me up on it periodically..........

i think ive met a lot of climbers thru the tree climbers group on there.....a few of us housers lurk in there

 

[sotc]

I ask because I just joined this group. Last month they passed over $50k in refferals among themselves and over $500k in the last year. Might be something to think about if any of you want another marketing avenue.

 

[thattreeguy]

there was something similar here, but you had to go to a meeting every week, and take/ pass on a certain number of refs a week, it was a time consumer for us, besides paying for breakfast as well.

 

[vharrison]

That group looks a little like our Chamber of Commerce which we belong to.

 

[woodworkingboy]

I got hooked into making a speech in front of the Matsumoto Lion's club. Is that a networking group? About half way through my allotted time I ran out of things to say. It was at a big fancy hotel. I was so happy to get out of there.

 

[sotc]

there was something similar here, but you had to go to a meeting every week, and take/ pass on a certain number of refs a week, it was a time consumer for us, besides paying for breakfast as well.

That sounds like it though I think each group is a little different. No breakfast here, no minimum referrals that I heard of. The every week thing is what held me off for years.

 

[Old Monkey]

I've been invited to one but I'm too busy to attend really. It's a group that my accountant is in. I'd prefer to be referred by people who know the quality of my work and prefer to refer people whose work I know is good. I couldn't tell, having breakfast with a roofer if his crews did a good job.

 

[sotc]

That was a hesitation of mine also. One thing they do for that is to encourage 1 to 1 meetings where members spend an hour together, get to know each other, sometimes even have time with them while they interact. The application process will weed out the culls, if not the group can get rid of members if they do not work to industry standards.