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Do you look forward to your regular network meeting? Or do you consider networking a “necessary evil” in growing your business? Selecting a networking group — the right networking group — makes all the difference in how satisfied you are, and how effectively the group will meet your needs.

Various ways of selecting a networking group

Selecting a networking group

RGA After Hours Mixer are great ways to begin selecting a networking group.

There’s no single approach to networking that works for everyone, all the time. That’s because Introverts and extroverts have very different ways of making new connections, and every networking group has a “personality,” usually following the lead of the person directing the meeting.

RGA has more than 24 chapters throughout Florida, and we’re also in Missouri, Tennessee, Alabama, and California. More are on the way, and each one offers something different. Visit our website to learn more about us, and about the chapters near you!

The key to success is to try a meeting on for size. Visit a meeting near your home or business and get acquainted. Give the group a chance! Don’t decide whether it’s right for you or not after just one meeting. Take time to meet the members, learn about their businesses, and tell them about yours. After four or five meetings, you’ll know your way around the group and know if you should keep looking.

Participate in the group you’re trying on for size! Many groups ask everyone for a brief introductory statement: name, business name, your product or service, and the best possible referral for you. That helps others know how they can help you. Listen to others’ introductions so you can help them, too!

Getting comfortable at a meeting

Interact with the members! Most groups have a member who looks for new faces and greets the newcomers, then makes sure you’ll meet several members. If that doesn’t happen, try walking up to someone and simply saying, “Hi! I’m new here. My name is ….” By taking the lead, you’ll feel more confident and, maybe, make someone else feel more at ease.

Not your style? If you’re uncomfortable breaking the ice, then keep a welcoming smile on your face and simply make eye contact with one or two others at the meeting. Trust me: someone will come over and say “hello.” That’s what we’re in networking for!

Follow up with the group leader. Sending an email to the group director saying “thank you” for an interesting meeting will make you stand out, and might result in an exchange that tells you even more about the group you visited.

Reach out to a member you want to get to know better. A one-on-one meeting with someone interesting is less stressful than taking on a whole roomful of people with a structured agenda.

Call a member with a complementary business and see if there’s a way you can partner to share referrals. A contractor and an interior designer might be a good match, or a writer and a graphic designer could collaborate.

Use social media in selecting a networking group

If the group is active with social media, visit and follow the group’s page. RGA is active on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Google+. Our individual chapters have social media pages, too. We use them to keep everyone, not just members, aware of our meetings and outside activities. {Note: These pages might be a good way to find a group to visit!)

We hope to see you at one of our meetings soon! We’d love to help build your success in our community!