I’ve been attending networking groups for 11 years on a weekly basis and it has definitely kept me in business and made business fun, too. Some weeks I do two meetings, but usually it’s one. All this networking translates into attending many different groups and meeting hundreds of people. I’ve been to different types of group meetings including long ones, ones with many announcements, ones with guest speakers, and ones with door prizes. Most of the groups I have attended were open to everyone and we could have multiple people within the same category at the same meeting. Other groups were category limited which limits one member per business category. Some were free to attend and others charged. Most had no attendance requirements and some expected regular attendance.
Last year I began running the New Haven(IN) Chamber weekly networking group with the help of Monica Lepper of the chamber and businessman Vic Sockrider. Our group is open to everyone, free and you don’t have to be a chamber member. We meet for just an hour at noon and my goal is to get the people talking with each other after everyone gives their commercials. We don’t require an RSVP, you be a chamber member, or attend every meeting. I want to make it easy to attend the meeting no matter what your circumstances are. You can come every week, once a month, or when you have time. You can even go once and never come back. (I hope you don’t!). The network meetings are held upstairs at Rack and Helen’s Bar and Grill in New Haven, IN. We have a room to our selves and you don’t have to eat lunch if you don’t want to but it is available. So if you don’t want to attend a long networking meeting or one with a lot of requirements, come join us on Tuesdays at Noon and bring your business cards!