I've been in networking groups and it's always seemed like a group of folks that don't know how to get business organically.  I prefer joining groups of like-minded people - I've gotten more business from meeting people in Rotary and meetup.com than I did from networking groups.

No.

I always do!

I joined and stayed with a few groups. I spent years with them with nothing to show until one day I challenged everyone in the group to gather the biz cards and distribute them that day. I challenged them to pin them to boards, hand them out, even mail them out with their bills. It worked! My card ended up in every resturant, tire store and community board in town. Hey! At least my cards were no longer gathering dust on the back seats of the group members!

I have attended a couple and then seemed to produce results. But in the end nothing worked out. I need to give it another try. I am also going to join Toastmasters. Thuogh not a networking group they do network and speak in the community.

I find networking is better in organic situations that are part of my daily life. Like John Meussner I'm more drawn to groups of like-minded people.

Ive joined and quit networking groups.  It can be difficult finding one thats "legit".  By that i mean actual business owners who have a service you can use.

Oftentimes these "networking" groups are plagued by folks selling things they think you absolutely have to have or something bad will happen to you. Whether its some health product, or legal aid, etc, etc. 

My answer disappeared so I'll try again.  I started a networking group 8 or so years ago. My dentist, insurance agent, chiropractor, builder -- we were the core that stayed together. In addition to being a referral group, we discussed different marketing techniques, hiring and staffing, cool techie tools, etc. We still touch base today.

BNI isn't my style, but I started a group that lasted nicely for a number of years. My dentist still refers people to me (and me to him); a chiropractor, insurance agent, builder --we were the core that stayed together for those years, and still touch in with each other.

I belong to a Women's Executive networking group and meet every other month, with about 40-50 in attendance.   Have received one referral, but had to pass it on, as it was out of my area.

Yes I have.

However never one that was a generic business network group like BNI.

Instead I use my non-real estate marketing to create opportunities for other business to pursue. Nothing makes these folks more willing to share with you better that bringing something to them FIRST. 

How many times does a past client call you for a recommendation for a handyman, or plumber, roofer, printer, painter, attorney, accountant, dentist and the list goes on. Rather than pull the top rated from Angie's List, make it work for you.

Evelyn -- I got talked into BNI once and then they "fired me." I was just too independent for their taste and I thought they were one step from being a cult!

I joined couple of them and still involved after two years.  Its a great soure of getting to know other business people and see if I can help them with my coneections first before I expect them to shoots leads my way.  It works if its done by "Get by Giving" Philosophy

I have been part of several, including BNI.  I have found that they have worked but there do seem to be diminishing returns over time.  BNI was great when I first started out, and the structure is great.  But, it is very time consuming going each week.  The ROI on dollars was well worth it, but over time, the ROI on time was not.  I found that there were other activities that could generate a higher return for my time.

Now, my networking is much more targeted - doing networking specific w/ realtors and business partner that can yield good long term relationships (e.g. carpet cleaner, GC, painter)

I have been part of several networking groups. I think you would get better response from the Chamber.  Some people in the networking groups don't give referrals, they just want to get them.

I joined this one and severaal on FB.

Evelyn, I have visited few as a guest but never felt connected. It is a cult with rules and regulation. BNI was very demanding with mandatory referral to their network.

I've tried chambers and other networking groups but it felt like every other person was selling Avon or a Realtor.....  

Evelyn, the problem is that many of them are very structured; and the question is if you personally structured your own time to target more specifically your market, couldn't you get the same business or more? I found that I was doing all the referring - we Realtors engage an average of 16 vendors with every transaction - and wasn't getting anything. It's always about building know, like, and trust - so however you can do that the best way, that's the way for you to do it.

The Realtor is the leader....we have more to refer to in the group...lucky

to get one sale...but that pays for the effort

It's tough to find a good fit with networking groups. Many retail operations are there and if they don't get referrals immediately, they just quit showing for meetings.

I think it's important to establish relationships with good referral partners. Real Estate attorneys, lenders, etc.  It's *very* important to set the ground rules.  That is, I'll send people to you but you must reciprocate.  How many lenders have you referred people towards but got nothing in return?  And I know they are compensated differently than us, so maybe a 3:1 ratio is more appropriate than 1:1. 

Some years ago I joined Le Tip but it was not for me. Still don't like organized networking groups that are so intent on selling to each other. I'm better out there on my own one-on-one.

Meetup.com has some great groups, I Go to a few meetups for investors and have found them very helpful. You name it they got it. 

Evelyn Johnston - I have been to 3-4 as a visitor, but did not stay very long.  It appeared to me that those that were involved in those groups were very specialized and that I just would not have had much of an opportunity to refer business to them.  As an owner of a home inspection business, our marketing is very focused.

Evelyn Johnston never tried, attended one as substitute but have heard some of the success stories from a few.

I plan to have my own small networking group, though.

Good question Evelyn. I have a hard time paying attention for long periods of time so I avoid this sort of thing but know people that swear by networking groups.

I have not joined any group.

I'm not right now in any of network groups. But I know a realtor who is visiting min 5 groups every week and gets a lot of business. I guess, you just need to choose those you like and stick to them for years.

I am neutral on the subject.  It really depends on who is in the group...as some have said, many want to take more than give...LOL A

Evelyn, I joined several networking groups, overall I did not receive referrals.