Business groups provide excellent marketing and networking opportunities. There are many different ones to join. What you need to do is make sure you join the right business group for you and your needs, and then you need to be an active member of the business group.
There is usually more than one business group in your area. You don't want to spend all your time going to different business group meetings so you need to choose carefully. When you are looking for a group to join one rule is almost always universal:
The bigger they are the better they are. Big business groups will pull more active members out to networking events. Generally the more people that are in the room, the better the odds are that you are going to connect with the right kind of person who could be a future sweet spot client.
Regardless of the exact business group you join you have to actually attend the meetings. You won't make contacts through osmosis. When I hear someone say that they tried a business group and it didn't work for them 9 times out of 10 they went to one meeting; for whatever reason they didn't like the meeting and never went back.
Business group marketing is no different than any other type. If you are going to do a cold call campaign and the first person is rude and hangs up on you, do you retreat to the woods never to be heard from again? No. Here are some tips to help you find, persist with, and make the most of your business group membership.
Don't go into a meeting with a negative, intimidated or apprehensive attitude. This will show through to the business group members.
Check out all the business groups within a one-hour radius. Don't settle on the first one you come across.
Go to at least two business group meetings before you decide it is right for you.
Be patient. Don't go in expecting to meet your magic client within an hour.
Force yourself to move out of your comfort zone and mingle and schmooze with the best of them. Seek out other people who look awkward and start by talking to them.
Find the accountants, engineers, controllers, operations managers; all those analytical types who aren't tremendously gregarious or who aren't born talkers. All these people make fantastic contacts for future referrals and business because a lot of them are the IT decision makers in small companies.
The Bottom Line on Business Groups
Business group membership gives you access to the decision makers in the companies your business is targeting. The most important thing to remember is that you will get out of your business group experience what you put in. Don't give up at the first sign of disillusionment. Find the right business group to join and make the most of every meeting.
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Business Groups - Make the Most of Your Membership
Business Mastermind Groups, the Forgotten powerful Business Strategy
Have you ever wonder what a mastermind group is and what makes it hold so much appeal for successful people? Dr. Napoleon Hill, most renowned for his classic "Think and Grow Rich", defines a mastermind group as "an alliance of two or more minds blended in a spirit of perfect harmony and co-operating for the attainment of a definite purpose".
In Dr Hill's book, he came to the conclusion that a group of like-minded, achievement-oriented individuals dramatically leveraging upon one another's strength provided the crucial platform for their collective success. This finding is based upon the research and analysis behind the achievements of no less than 500 of the most successful people in America, in a glittering list that includes Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford.
This is due to the fact that having a mastermind group allows one to tap into the power and wisdom of many, and put in place a support group to assist all in attaining personal and professional goals. This is in stark contrast with the individual who cuts a lonely figure struggling to build and shape an entire business by himself.
How can business Mastermind groups benefit you?
“Me” no longer exists in a Mastermind group, it's harnessing the power of “We” that is intriguing. Imagine have a Mastermind group of people that are fighting with you in the same trenches or people who have been that, done that! And you given access by them to this unique brain trust, so as to speak, to generate support and understanding and ultimately solutions from these people, allowing you to dismiss that temporary setback as an insignificant blot on your otherwise impressive CV in future...
How does that sound? A mastermind group does exactly that for you! You are able to leverage upon the skills, knowledge, experiences, ideas and abilities of others as though they were your own and in the process, create a synergy within your group and a precious compilation of thoughts which would otherwise possibly never be generated.
The benefits of being in a mastermind group are bountiful. It provides you with marketing contacts, sales referrals, and information about new business opportunities, as well as advice on how to improve the way your business is run. However, it's important that you realized that referrals and leads exchange is just a small part of what a Mastermind group does.
Being involved in a mastermind group also calls for accountability. There can be no excuses not to get things done as you are not only answerable to yourself, but to your other group members as well.
Once you have accrued the long-term benefits such as being able to sustain your business and being able to build lasting and deep friendships with the other members of your mastermind group, you can expect unbiased and non-judgmental advice from them, and over time, they will grow to become your most trusted business associates upon whose shoulders could be relied on should you run into any sort of trouble in future.
To be able to reach that stage though, you have to first learn to give and share, objectively. Sharing allows you to process things better in your brain as you are talking to a group of people who genuinely care and this allows you clarity of thought so as to be able to set more definite and realistic goals. To benefit the most from a Mastermind group, follow the credo- Givers Gain!
Finally, should you reach this stage, you can even rely on members of your mastermind group, people whom you trust, to help regulate your business and serve as a layer of protection against external threats.
About the Author
Alex Cheong is an expert author in the topic Mastermind groups.
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Alex Cheong @ http://www.mastermind-your-way-to-success.com
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Business Groups - Market For Maximum Effectiveness
Business groups like the Chamber of Commerce provide many excellent marketing opportunities. The members of these types of business groups are all business owners and many of them will fit into your sweet-spot profile. What better way to get to know the decision makers in these businesses?
Maximize Your Exposure in Business Groups
Don't simply join a business group and remain a passive bystander. To get the most out of your business group experience you need to get involved. Here are some tips:
When you join one of these business groups immediately make yourself known to the Executive Director, the office staff and the officers, as well as the people on the board.
Volunteer for a committee. This is an excellent way to meet and really get to know some of the local small business owners.
Speak at the meetings and events.
Exhibit and take out a little table at the next expo or event held by the business group. These are usually inexpensive and are a low risk proposition.
Send a direct mail to the business group members on the master list introducing them to your company and your services.
Invite the whole business group membership to seminars or events you are holding.
Attend and network at the business group meetings regularly; 8 or 10 a year is a good number.
There are no sure things but the active members of a business group, the board, and the committee chairs tend to be loyal to the inner circle of their fellow business group supporters. It’s almost like a fraternity or sorority.
The Bottom Line on Business Groups
The key to getting the most out of a business group is to be an active member. Keep your name in front of the membership. Remember to do your follow up. You want the business group members to know your name and think of you first when they have a computer issue. If you are patient and persistent your business group membership will pay off.
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