As an organization that supports small business owners and hosts networking events, we’ve written a lot about networking in the past. We’ve covered How to Work the Room, Toxic People to Avoid, and How to Follow-Up. In this article, we’ll talk about how to find networking events that work for you and what to consider before joining a networking group.
Finding Networking Events
There are lots of ways to find networking events. There are lots of sites that list networking events, such as Eventbrite, where you can find networking events in your area. For example, here’s their list of upcoming networking events in Indianapolis. You can change your location if you’re not located in Indianapolis. You can also use a search engine to find networking events, just be sure to add your location to the search. You can also ask your business friends where they network and go with them to an upcoming event.
Each event is different and has a different audience and vibe. Many networking events have specific industries that they cater to, while other networking events are ‘industry exclusive’, meaning that they only allow for 1 person from each industry to attend. Depending on your industry, you might find that ‘industry exclusive’ events have already booked someone for your industry, just keep looking, there are plenty of events that will welcome you.
Networking Vibes
Before you join any networking group, make sure you’ve had a chance to visit. Most groups allow you to visit at least once or twice before you have to join and this can give you a good idea if the group will work for you. If you don’t like the networking group when you visit, it’s unlikely to be a good fit, and you can save your money for a better opportunity.
Other Considerations Before Joining
There are lots of reasons to consider before joining.
- Time Commitment: When do they meet? Are you required to be at all the meetings? How well does it fit into your schedule? These are all questions you want answered before you pay to join any group.
- Referrals: Are you required to supply referrals to other members of the group? Of course, people want to give referrals, and you want to receive referrals, but you want to know how pressured you’ll be to supply referrals.
- Reviews: What do other people say about this networking event? Does it have positive or negative word-of-mouth? Ask the people you know if they have experience with this event and what they think about it.
- Cost: How much does it cost to join? How does that compare to other events and groups? Even if the event is free, you may still be committed to paying for parking or buying your own lunch.
Once you’ve weighed all the options, you’ll have a good idea if the networking event or group will work for you!
Conclusion
There are lots of networking events out there and they are waiting for you to come and network and meet their other members. It is important to find a group that welcomes you and helps you to build your professional career. So, don’t settle for an event that feels like a bad fit.
We have lots of networking events posted in our calendar, and we hope you’ll check them out!
