Creating the (Almost) Perfect Marriage

One of the first things that business owners do (or consign one of their partners or employees to do) is to join a business networking group.  These groups can take the form of chambers of commerce, community organizations, formal networking groups and other groups that involve networking but exist for other purposes.

Determining which networking groups to become involved with can make the difference between being a drain on your time, resources and energy and being one of the most rewarding experiences in your career as an entrepreneur. Today we will take a look at the various options available to you and look at the considerations to take into account to help you affiliate with the best mix of groups that will provide the best match for your business needs.

The first consideration is geographic…how big is the footprint of your business’ service area?  If it’s on the smaller side (your location town and the immediate surrounding area) you might want to consider joining a community group (Rotary Club or Lion’s Club) or a formal networking group (LeTip or BNI/Business Networking International.)

 What’s the difference between the two types of these groups?  The community groups will combine neighborly good works (scholarships, road cleanups, used eyeglasses for recycling…for example) with the opportunity to network with fellow business owners.  The agenda for a meeting of this type would include housekeeping matters for the group, a program by a local community organization or representative and a meal. On the other hand, formal networking groups are all business.  They generally charge a stiff initiation fee, then a weekly amount due to cover the cost of the meal.  The program is the same as the community group agenda, but the program is given by a member of the group. 

The one thing that these groups have in common is that the meeting happens over breakfast, lunch or dinner.  One difference is that the business networking group will allow only one member in any given business category….so if there’s already a financial planner in the group and that is your business category, you will need to look for another group or another geographic area to join. 

Another difference is that, depending on how well-functioning the group is (and how long you have been a part of it,) the better the chances are that the other members of the group will function as an outside sales force for your business.  Once they get to know you and your competencies, they will begin to refer business to you and you will do the same for them.  Both types of groups require weekly attendance designed to insure that the members get to know each other.  With the formal networking groups, if your attendance drops below a certain level…you’re out (and that stiff initiation fee is gone,) so you’re really out. 

An important additional consideration in joining a group of this type is the mix of businesses in the group.  As an example, you can Google “BNI Fort Washington” and take a look at the membership of that group.  Once evaluating whether that membership mix would be a good match for the type of audience your business is trying to reach, you will know whether that particular chapter would be good for business or perhaps another chapter might be worth taking a more serous look.  This aspect-- which I did not weigh soberly enough until AFTER joining one group-- is a critical one, so consider it carefully.

In the chamber of commerce category, the Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce (EMCCC) covers our area of Upper Dublin Township in addition to the rest of Eastern Montgomery County.  The EMCCC does not charge an initiation fee, is not category exclusive, and charges an annual fee on a sliding scale based on the number of people employed by your business. 

EMCCC does an excellent job of programming including a monthly new member orientation breakfast, quarterly “meet your elected official” breakfasts, monthly card exchanges and regular seminars designed to add value to your business.  As with anything,the more time and effort you invest in attending EMCCC events; the better your return on investment.  There is no attendance requirement for the Eastern Montgomery Chamber of Commerce.

Community organizations serving our area include the Fort Washington Business Alliance (FWBA) and the Maple Glen Community Association (MGCA).  Both organizations offer monthly lunch programs, membership on a non-category exclusive basis, other networking events and a very affordable annual membership with no initiation fee. 

The FWBA and MGCA offer a terrific combination of community improvement initiatives as well as effective business networking opportunities.  The FWBA partners with the EMCCC on an annual basis for a St. Patrick’s Party which attracts several hundred attendees armed with ample business cards.  The MGCA hosted a card exchange earlier this month which attracted a record crowd.  Each of these two events is offered free to the community at large.  There is no minimum attendance requirement for either organization.

When it comes to networking opportunities that have the potential to advance your business, our community offers an embarrassment of riches.  Understanding the unique advantages of each group and leveraging those to generate maximum return on your investment of time and treasure will help to assure that you make the correct choices in selecting which groups to be part of your relationship mix.

Bill Lipp, of Norton, Lipp, and Associates, is an Advertising and Marketing professional. He contributes "Tough Market" articles as a service to the Upper Dublin Patch readership.