The Importance Of An Online Networking Group
October 28, 2008
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What Is An Online Networking Group?
An online networking group is where you are joined with success-minded people as well as coaches who provide resources and directly answer your questions.
In a good networking group, people take their business seriously. Think about it. If the members are willing to invest money to be there, you know they want to learn. They don’t treat their business as a hobby. They are dedicated to their businesses and work hard to achieve success.
How can an online Networking group benefit you?
In sports, it takes a team to win a game.
If your team is full of mediocre players and they rarely show up to practice, your game will likely never improve. However, when your team has better players who take the game seriously and practice regularly AND the team has an inspiring coach that has the information and tools to help you win THEN you have a winning team.
How do you choose a quality networking group?
There are several key factors to deciding if a networking group is worth your time and effort. I’ll use Shelancers as an example since I’m a member. The tools, information and well, networking opportunities are a great deal for any service provider.
- The Leaders - Do they know what they’re talking about? What are their qualifications? A good group will be led by experts in their field, by leaders who have experience in the topic and know how to share that information in a clear, concise manner. They are not afraid to share their success and are confident in themselves to be able to lead others to succeed as well.
- The Resources - Most networking groups offer resources that are only available to their members. These may be interviews with experts, eBooks, audio and video tele-seminars, and software. Take a good look at the resources available. Oftentimes the resources alone are worth many times the price of the membership. Shelancers offers step-by-step resources that are focused on their members’ needs, not just general marketing material.
- The Forum - A good networking group will include a forum where you can brainstorm and build
relationships with other members. This is where you’ll get specific and applied help. The coaches or leaders should also have a very visible presence on the board, personally answering questions and giving guidance.
- Additional bonuses - If the group offers additional bonuses, it’s worth checking out. For instance, Shelancers includes free advertising in the members’ directory.
- Affordable Price - You’re on a budget. (Aren’t we all?) So, spend your money wisely and find a group that is affordable.
Where do you go from here?
It’s simple. Enroll and decide for yourself whether a membership in the group will boost your business. It’s the best way to find out what goes on behind closed doors.
If you think you can’t afford to join a networking group, I would ask you to think hard about where you want your business to be 6 months to a year from now. Do you think you can achieve your goals more quickly with or without a networking group? Is it worth the cost? Absolutely!
Yes, there are great free forums online and valuable free resources. But, if you want to improve your game, then find the best coaches and jump into the game with a team who can take you to to the top.
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Written by Tracy · Filed Under Moms in Business
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Excellent Article! I have a member of MomMasterminds for years and it has made a tremendous difference in business. I wrote this about the group a whle ago, but I still mean every word:
“When I joined the forum,I was not certain if it would work…(I wondered, “Could I really get good support & solutions online?) But…I figured I could always drop out if I didn’t use it…and I would get the cool downloads anyway…But from the moment the members greeted me electronically, I knew this was no ordinary forum…
It’s just been unbelievable.
I’ve gotten my questions answered, my website reviewed (many times!), ideas panned and applauded (where appropriate) and most importantly - my butt kicked.
I just love MomMasterminds.
I love that I can run there with any question I think of, or any idea that pops into my head - and I’ll get great answers (even if it’s not always what I WANT to hear — it’s usually what I NEED to hear!)
I love that we all have to pay to be there, because I am convinced that it truly does ensure our commitment to this forum, to our own success, and supporting each other.
It’s great that I don’t feel alone in building my business anymore…and I don’t have to bug my husband with all of the nitty gritty details either…
I trust the members - which leads to me trusting myself…I know that if my ideas totally stink — you’ll tell me — therefore I can move forward with confidence.
I want to succeed with them…therefore, I am motivated to keep taking action for my own success…
I want to achieve the goals I’ve posted there…so I continue to take action. (I often find myself saying “I told the girls I would do it…so I have to do it!”)
And I love the Joint Ventures that naturally come out of the relationships that I have formed in the group. I mean, I would NEVER have the amount of subscribers that I have to my newsletter without Mom Masterminds (Now Up To 3000+ busy moms. This fall I look forward to creating many more win-win Joint Ventures with “my MM girls.”
And now…you can get a free seven day, no obligation (no credit card necessary) “sneek peek” at http://www.solutionsforbusymoms.com/mommasterminds
Sarah, you are so right. I’m a member at Mom Masterminds, too and I have to say that I’ve gone farther in the last 8 months since I’ve joined MM and Shelancers than I have in my past 6 years online.
I’m convinced it’s definitely WHO you know since the help of others is so valuable and like Sarah, I can’t say enough about the joint venture opportunities.
If you decided to join either of these great groups please let me know so I can say hello on the “inside”.
[...] A huge mistake that VA’s & other service-based providers make is to hang out on forums where there are other people struggling to make money.Instead, join a membership site for your target market and you’ll find yourself in the “inner circle”. If you haven’t read why I think joining an online networking group is important read this. [...]
In total agreement with you ladies here. Mom Masterminds has changed my life. I wouldn’t be AS successful of a WAHM today without it.
[...] Link Love for November 18, 2008 Do you know why it’s important to be involved in an online networking group? Maybe you are already a part of one. Chances are you probably are involved in some sort of online [...]