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This
article is based on Southern Nevada, not networking
groups that are out of state or national.
The
only time you should join an out of state Networking
Group is if you do business out of state or online.
Everyone is turning to Network Groups, Why?
What
is Networking?
What
Type of Networking Groups is there in Southern Nevada?
How
many are there & are they profit or non-profit?
What
is the Mission of these Networking Groups?
Who is
running them & are they qualified?
What
do they do & why are they so expensive?
Do
they offer benefits? If so what?
Why so
many & how do we choose?
Networking Groups vs. Chambers, should we join both?
Let’s get started:
I was
asked to do a very in-depth article “The Good, The Bad,
The Ugly” on the massive growth of network groups ONLY
(not chambers) in Southern Nevada and the impact it has
on our community for print, radio and TV media. Now
remember, this article is on Networking Groups not
Professional Career Organizations who network with each
other.
I spent two months researching
them closely; interviewing over 110 people (some members
and former members) so here we go.
Everyone is turning to Network Groups,
Why?
Trend,
just like fashions, they come and go. Today, we all
understand the way the economy is on a down-word spiral,
it’s election year and yes, recession on our trail, so
businesses, independents and executives are trying to
reach as many business clients as possible in a very
short time, while on a minimal budget and trying to
increase their bottom line (not the correct way to do
it). What about long term? Building relationships?
Keeping the money and business flowing all the time? Do
you want to do business short term and be here today or
long term and be here forever? The choice is up to you.
Don’t ever discard belonging to a chamber of commerce;
they should be your first choice not your second.
Networking should be second, because chambers are here
forever.
What is Networking?
The
sole purpose of networking is to use it as a vital tool
for your business; this has been going on for years. The
key to true business networking is the establishment of
a mutually beneficial relationship, and to increase
business revenue. This is an incredibly rare event at
the standard shake-hands-and-exchange-your-business-card
events that are touted as business networking
"opportunities" here in Southern Nevada. The best
business networking groups operate as the developing
of contacts or exchanging of information to further a
career or business, ideas, and support.
What Type of Networking Groups are in
Southern Nevada?
(Professional Association Groups/Careers are excluded)
I have
researched five different non-career groups
Regular Network Groups:
The
best business networking groups operate as exchanges of
business information, ideas, and support. They find
venues to hold their events to help members meet each
other. It’s important to remember
when picking a Network Group,
they are not there to run all kinds of events and
give educational classes, keynote speakers, nor tell you
how to run your business, their purpose is to help you
gain contacts, and
meet each other and help new members to start building
relationships. They should charge a small membership fee
if they have no overhead.
Referral Groups:
Another networking group that acts as a Referral Network
(referring people to others) with only one of a kind
business and holds meeting with chapters all over town,
just like a Leads group, fees too high.
Leads Groups:
To
provide a networking forum, exchange of leads between
success-oriented business people, and to increase
their visibility, within their circle of influence.
Again on the premise of a Referral group. Their fees are
also too high.
NEW
Networking Advertising Groups:
Today we now have online business websites that now have
FREE networking calendars with network groups,
non-profits or anyone having an event. The idea is to
promote that event, and
if you want more exposure you can always pay to
advertise with them. The problem with this idea
is, that you already pay you’re
networking group to help you promote your
business, and now you have pay to advertise with someone
else. Don’t get me wrong you need to advertise, but at
what price? This is the “New Wave” for the 21st
century. Who are their viewers? How many are there? Ask!
NEW
Business Owners Networking Group:
New era of individual businesses holding their own
network mixers. A New Sign of the Times? Yes.
Will this hurt Networking Groups? Absolutely.
More and more business owners that have the space or can
afford to pay for a venue to hold a mixer to promote
their business are using this concept.
It’s a great idea and the wave of the future. It
will never take away from the Top Professional Network
Groups or the importance of a chamber. Why are they
doing this? It’s just another way to promote their
business and it’s FREE to you. Unfortunately, these
private businesses start their own Network Group within
their business, they lose the concept of what they where
trying to accomplish. They are promoting their own
business first to obtain their own contacts.
How many are there & are they profit or
non profit?
How
many are there?
Today there are over 107 network groups and growing
every week, plus adding the chapters probably over 200.
Networking groups are popping up every where; I see them
every day. When will it stop? When people stop giving
them top money? Until such time
they will continue to
pop up everywhere. Are they qualified leaders?
Ask yourself that? Question that? And you will get your
answer. It’s a huge
money maker. They started years ago when they saw a
need, and wanted to help promote businesses in the
community. Unfortunately
now it has gotten out of control…..now it’s all
about money, and for some it’s just another multiple
stream of income for some. A lot of the groups
like networking, referral and leads groups have
developed chapters within their networking groups.
For instance, BNI has 19 chapters, BizPac has 7
chapters, Hot Pink Mama’s has 22 chapters, CityCare
Business Network has 6 chapters, Lipstick Society 4
chapters, Women and Network has several chapters and
building. The list keeps getting bigger and bigger. When
does it stop? It’s up to you. Are they profit or
non-profit? Almost all of the network groups are
profit, very few are non-profit.
They use an event to raise money for a charity
occasionally, but it’s about their bottom line profit.
Don’t misunderstand me there are
“some” great networking groups and at the end
this article I will let you know who they are.
What is the Mission of these network
groups?
I have
researched a lot of the Networking Groups and have
come up with the same type of mission statement
for them. Just worded
differently-meanings the same and it definitely
does not live up to the meaning of “Networking”.
Networking is; the developing of contacts, and or
exchanging of information to further a career or
business and “Group” a number of people gathering, to
form a group.
Who is running them & are they qualified?
Most
networking groups I have researched are people who want
to help other people succeed. That’s great, but are they
qualified to guide people (Leaders)? Some yes, and some
no. How many total in each group? How many chapters? Who
runs those chapters? How many in each chapter? Is the
volume there or are there just 5 to 10 people? Where are
the locations around town? As you can see there is a lot
more to Network Groups then you might think. It’s hard
with networking groups to find out their personal
qualifications. If
they are running a business, so what are their
qualifications, education and business experience? Are
they leader material? You need to research today just
who you are dealing with. Ask questions and get answers.
Remember we are not including professional career
networking organizations,
they have their own membership.
What do they do & why are they so
expensive?
What do they do?
Usually, Networking Groups put on mixers and get people
together to obtain new contacts and change venues every
month. Today, some groups get carried away and try and
operate like a chamber. There is (no comparison)!
They are losing the
definition of “Networking.” They put on events,
educational classes and awards, which are not what
networking groups are
all about. If you find one that is a networking group
and also plans
events, what are they? Are they a Networking Group or an
Event Planner? Why so expensive? Well
again they are structuring like a chamber not a
networking group; they are losing the reasons why they
started a networking group to begin with. Networking
groups do not have the responsibility and expenditures a
chamber has. The
rates for a
networking group should only be $100 to $125 tops per
year and one level. They need to get back to the
regularity of a Networking Group by not making tiers of
membership levels. After interviewing some of the
members of networking groups, I found out the price
range from $299 to $2,700, “that is outrageous! I have
never heard of that since going to networking groups for
the past 35 years. Plus, you are charged for the mixers
anywhere from $15 to $25. In today’s difficult times
they are really getting too carried away.
Do they offer benefits?
If so what?
What I
found out through my research is; most of them are
giving a list of benefits, but they are not coming
directly from the network group itself, they are coming
from other members and outside resources. Remember
networking groups (all but one) are not run from an
office and most have websites, but can only offer
minimal marketing to you. If they are offering you
advertising and marketing as a package, that’s when you
start asking question, are you joining a networking
group or hiring and adv or marketing firm. Networking
groups are not in the advertising and marketing business
nor are they suppose to be an event planner. I can’t
stress enough, if a networking group is asking a lot of
money and promising you adv, marketing and so on, why
are they a networking Group? Ask what background is of
the person leading you in this network group? People, in
these trying times need to be careful, it’s hard to
check out a networking Group unless they are a National
Affiliate.
How do we choose?
By
researching Networking Groups, the leaders, the prices
and evaluate them so you will know where to diversify
your money. How much are you willing pay to join a
Networking group? Well that’s totally up to you.
Remember, your bottom line will not be there, if you’re
out of business or your career in six months to a year
because you joined the wrong group. At these networking
group mixers, are you really meeting qualified leads?
How much is it costing you to do that? Remember to add
your time away from your business and home, which cost
you money as well. Now gas prices!
After
a while it gets very consuming. What do you do? Who do
you join? You know your time is valuable, and you have a
small amount of money and very little time, after all
you need to run your business. So when does it stop?
When you take the time and look at the city, and the
amount of people. Do we really need so many
networking groups in one town? Ask yourself that, and
you will see that we need to decrease and have more
productive groups doing what a network group is suppose
to do for its members
instead of charging exorbitant fees, especially in
election year and with a recession upon us.
Also, a networking group does not put on all
kinds of events, socials, education etc. They are in the
business to get people together and build relationships.
Networking Groups vs. Chambers, should we
join both?
Yes,
as a business owner for 35 years you need both.
You
cannot compare a network group to a chamber; they are
(two different entities). Chambers are community driven
for businesses, economic growth, taxes, diversity,
government affairs and more (read the definition below).
Networking groups do not have the power that a chamber
has or the resources. Networking Groups are great for
networking avenue with other professionals. The very
first thing you need to do is join a chamber, whether
rather it’s a city chamber or if your a business/career
women join the state women’s chamber. Chambers are a
vital tool for every business including all the
networking groups. Networking Groups themselves need to
belong to a chamber to grow their business, because
that’s what they are, but most do not see that. Women
in Nevada have their own state chamber now where you can
make a difference and accomplished your business goals
and get the entire local, state and government contacts
you need to grow your business or career. Chambers are
your community lifeline, don’t discard them, they can be
very helpful to you.
You found out what a networking Group is,
now find out what a chamber is:
So
many people I interviewed asked this question so here is
the answer.
Basically, it is the business community at work as the
central agency for community development for business,
industry, the professions, and all civic interests -
doing jobs that no individual can do alone - rendering
many services that benefit all citizens.
The Chamber of Commerce, as a wholly voluntary
institution in the United States, is eight years older
than the Declaration of Independence. The New York State
Chamber, first in America, was organized in 1768, and
five years later the first local Chamber was formed in
Charleston, South Carolina. Today, there are more than
4,000 Chamber of Commerce in the United States. In these
nearly 240 years, Chambers of Commerce have steadily
developed to a high point of efficiency and have proved
to be vitally important in business and civic
development throughout the nation. There are only two
stand alone Women’s State Chambers in the United State
and abroad. Colorado Women’s Chamber started nearly 18
years ago and the second state Women’s Chamber is the
Women’s Chamber of Commerce of Nevada which was
established in 2002. We have come a long way but still
have along way to go. Look into your state women’s
chamber if you are a women, you owe it to yourself, your
business and family.
Well the time has come to list the Good,
bad and Ugly of Networking Groups;
After
interview so many people and actual members and former
members of different network groups here it is: Note:
If you do not see your group listed, it’s probably
because they fall under the last category.
People
of Southern Nevada have spoken.
Good
AWAA
Centennial Chapter
All
Professional Career Group Organizations
All
Toastmasters groups
Las
Vegas Largest Mixer (Annual)
Lipstick Society
Mom’s
In Business-Local only
NAWBO-Las
Vegas Affiliate
NAFE-Las
Vegas Affiliate
Rotary
Clubs
Woman
and Network
People of Southern Nevada have spoken.
Bad
Diamond Star Networking and Events (some chapters not
all)
Hot
Pink Mamas (some chapters) not all
LeTip
(some chapters) not all
Women
In Business
Women
In Networking
People of Southern Nevada have spoken.
Ugly
If you
do not see a group listed, that means they fall under
this category and there are too many to list. People
express concern with outrageous rates and too many
networking groups in Southern Nevada.
Foot note:
People want to see a big change in the
way that Networking Groups are run, they want more
qualified groups, less of them, more business
networking, qualified people within the group, less
social networking, and lower their rates; prices for
networking groups are out of sight. People I have
interviewed said, for the next two years they will be
very select as to which Networking Group they give their
financial support. The 110 people I interviewed said
they will research and interview the next Networking
Group they want to see about joining.
This
article was written for the business community/consumer
and not for the networking Group Leaders. For questions
on this article, business community/consumers you can
sent an email to
jlb2005@cox.net. You will get a response within a 24
hour timeline.
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