Notes

Low Cost Networking The Old Fashioned Way (In Person)
One morning, fifteen years back, I sat in my car feeling anxious about walking into a chamber of commerce breakfast for the very first time. Although not an introvert, I was unaccustomed to entering an area full of strangers, a lot of whom knew each other. I thought of networking as selling and thought individuals who 'worked a room' were nothing like me. get more info that day was to survive and at the very least talk to someone at my table. I've come a long way baby.

Although it's still not in my top ten fun things you can do, I no more feel uncomfortable at business networking events. I now enter a room full of strangers pumped up about meeting some new people. I attend with an objective...to grow my contact base and tell folks about the online marketing services that Virtual Fundamentals provides.

In the fifteen years since my first Chamber breakfast meeting, life experience has taught me how valuable my contact database is. I understand and embrace the web based networking opportunities via Facebook, Twitter, this blog, etc. But I consider my electronic friends, followers and subscribers being an addition to my in-person relationships.

In the past, there were just a few types of networking events.

Joining a Chamber, a Rotary, or other membership type group whose monthly meetings were attended by small enterprises in your same geographic area and where you met others by walking up and introducing yourself or sitting at exactly the same breakfast table.

Joining a networking group that met regularly where you're expected to provide referrals for the others in attendance, as they would for you personally. Often, membership was excluded to any other business person in the same industry (i.e. only one accountant, real estate agent, attorney, etc.)

Today, online networking software offers a tremendous number of networking opportunities on a professional and/or social level. Some groups derive from an easy shared interest such as for example 'business' or 'marketing' while some tend to be more narrowly targeted such as 'entrepreneurs wearing size 8 shoes', well not necessarily that specific, more likely social media or SEO professionals or professional photographers, etc. Meetups are often free or very affordable.

This networking channel is wonderful for anyone who feels awkward approaching a group of strangers. Everyone there recognizes that the goal of the get together is to meet new people. Unless you feel comfortable joining a small business networking group, consider joining a book club meetup group, an art group, kayaking group etc. It is still an opportunity to extend your contact list with new people.

You can find no expensive membership fees for meetup groups and you could decide as time passes whether you intend to continue participating or not.

If so inclined, you can start a meetup group yourself and become the group leader. Your group could target other business owners in the same industry as you or target potential customers for your business and provide them informative sessions. As a word of caution, usually do not jump too quickly on this opportunity to develop a meetup in case you are already time challenged, don't enjoy planning events or get disappointed when people RSVP but don't arrive. Many groups are left without a leader after the person who established the group can no longer handle the work involved.

Whatever avenue you choose to use for networking face to face (via Chambers, networking groups or meetup groups) make yourself get out of any office, smile, shake hands and have a break from the computer.

What experiences perhaps you have had with networking via meetup.com or other venues? Looking forward to your comments!

To Your Success,

Nancy
Homepage: https://www.articlesubmited.com/choosing-the-best-brand-microwave-in-2022/