As gas, food, and travel prices toggle between high costs and slight decreases, perhaps this is a good time to give local groups and events you’ve not met or attended a second look.
Meetings organized by groups in my area are posted in the local newspaper twice weekly, and perhaps the same meeting news is found in your paper.
This overview, usually listed in the business section, provides a roster of when and where groups meet, the evening’s speaker, and the cost to attend, which is usually free or nominal in price.
Learning what’s on the minds of local businesspeople may have a positive impact on your business, even if you exit with just one new contact or idea.
Isn’t that worth your time rather than spending hours on the road or in the air traveling to far-away events?
This summer I’ve attended three meetings that broadened my knowledge of state business requirements and also expanded partnership opportunities.
Which in-town meetings have positively changed your thinking about local networking?
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I’ve found local groups on social networking, blogging and moviemaking through http://www.meetup.com to be helpful. You can find groups of common interest and professional interest on just about any subject and get a feel for what their focus is while deciding if you want to sign up and get involved in their meetups.
I agree with you, Marty.
Along with attending local business groups in my area, I’ve also attended MeetUp events, specifically the ones in New York City.
At those events, I’m treated to an introduction to technological tools that are just launching. The trek into the city can be a bit overwhelming, especially in the winter (bus/train/walk and back again), but the interaction with new people is worth it.
Great idea. I was worried I’d run out of networking resources, but this goes to show I just have to keep my eyes open.
It’s amazing, Darlene, how we realize these networking functions exist but simply need a small push in the right direction to make sure we remember to look for them.
I just reviewed the local newspaper and saw information on one group I didn’t know existed that’s meeting later this week. I bet you’ll find something new in August that’s right for you.