10 Ways to Waste Your Time in a Networking Group

Referral business from networking groups can pay off handsomely, so make the most of every meeting. Word-of-mouth marketing is a sure-fire way to generate new business. A single referral can start a chain reaction of new business as positive word spreads. It's no wonder networking groups pay off handsomely in referral business and that membership in a good networking group can be worth a considerable amount of money; especially if you calculate the time you spend each month and the value of that time.

So make your time and efforts worthwhile. Don't squander your opportunity by doing the wrong things in those meetings.
Success in a networking group comes when the rest of the group members trust you enough to open up their best referrals to you. Unless they've seen your work, you have to earn that trust by demonstrating your professionalism to them. Since founding BNI almost 25 years ago, I've seen how people truly succeeded in networks and I've seen how people totally waste their time in them.

Here are 10 mistakes to avoid if you don't want to waste your time in a networking group:

1. Go ahead, air your grievances among your fellow networkers and guests; after all, they really want to hear about your complaints.
2. Wing it in your regular presentations to fellow members--don't worry, you have a mulligan.
3. Use one-on-one meetings to talk about your networking groups' issues instead of learning more about each other.
4. Focus your efforts primarily on selling your services to members of the group.
5. Don't rush to follow up on a referral when someone gives you one. Hey, they know where to find you if they really need you.
6. While other people are doing their introductions, that's the perfect time to think about what referrals you can give that week.
7. Never invite your own guests, just focus on those who show up.
8. Don't worry if you get to the meeting late. No one will notice.
9. Absenteeism, it's no big deal. You can just call in your referrals ... right?
10. Take that phone call and check your messages during a meeting. No, no, it doesn't bother anyone; actually it's a sign of real professionalism that everyone admires.