Business to business networking puts more money in your pocket
by helping you overcome the number one biggest problem facing
new business owners. Prospecting for new customers. Business
networking events can go a long way towards making the whole
prospecting problem go away. There are two main kinds of
networking opportunities available to the average entrepreneur.
Passive networking and strong networking. Both have unique
benefits and drawbacks.

The most well known example of passive networking is your local
chamber of commerce. You can find a chamber of commerce chapter
in almost every major city worldwide. Your local chamber of
commerce gives you the opportunity to meet with many of the
movers and shakers in your local business community. Through the
many events they plan on a monthly and yearly basis, they offer
you a chance to connect with a number of potential prospects for
your products and services.

Weekly networking groups or clubs are an example of strong
networking opportunities. These kinds of business networking
events can be found in many major cities worldwide. A strong
networking group will meet on a weekly basis for the sole
purpose of exchanging business leads with one another and
learning better ways of networking to grow their business. The
most successful networking groups require your weekly attendance
and insist that their members provide fellow members with
referrals throughout the year. They also allow only one person
from each profession or industry to belong to the group. This
keeps the quality of the referrals high. One such group is
Business Network International (BNI).

So what are the advantages and disadvantages of each kind of
networking? They both have their place but strong networking
groups represent a bigger commitment than passive networking
groups. By belonging to a strong networking group, you are
committed to be on the lookout for referrals for group members.
Strong networking groups also usually meet on a weekly basis
whereas passive networking groups usually meet monthly.

Passive networks can have multiple people from one profession or
industry as members. They also have no requirements for passing
on referrals to other members. Referrals do occur in a passive
networking event but it is not facilitated by the meeting and is
totally up to the business owner to initiate. You can belong to
multiple passive networking groups. Any business you get from
passive networking will most likely be a result of the amount of
effort you put in.

Strong networks on the other hand restrict membership to only
one person per industry or profession. This greatly increases
the likelihood that you will receive referrals from
participating members. Meetings are structured in a way to
encourage referrals and there is a formal referral exchange that
happens every week. It is strongly recommended that you only
belong to one strong networking group in order to keep the
quality of your referrals high.

In either case, it is important for members of these groups to
see you as professional and competent. Referrals will go to
people the referrer knows, likes and trusts.

Want more business? Start attending business to business
networking events in your area.

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