Advice for Small Businesses

Networking: What's the Difference?

Tom Ossa, Rockland Web Design

By Thomas Ossa, Rockland Web Design

When I first got into the web design business, I had the incorrect notion that the moment I set up shop, the world would flock to my doorstep (or website) as if I built the better mousetrap. 9 years later, as I am older and wiser (a robust 32 year old), I look back and realize how silly I was, and how I wish I discovered the art of Networking at an earlier age, such as twenty-three. But hey, we all have to learn the hard way to gain experience, right?

But i am grateful that it happened. And one of the ways I was able to get my web design business off the ground was to attend many, many, many networking meetings. Obviously, ProMetroNet is my favorite, because of its philosophy of making business networking fun. But I thought it might be conducive to discuss the different types of Networking organizations for a moment, to give our readers (hi Mom) the knowledge necessary to choose the best type of group for themselves...

Chambers of Commerce: There's one in almost every town. Usually a not-for-profit organization, these groups operate in conjunction with the U.S., state and local governments with the purpose of generating more foot traffic for local businesses, as well as setting forth policies that collectively aid businesses in furthering their interests, and avoiding pitfalls. This type of group is excellent for retail establishments that get most of their business from local residents, and would benefit from greater frequency of visitors to the town.
Socio-Political Action Committees (SPACs): These groups organize events for members to gather and discuss policies that would aid them on a larger scale than town-level situations. The collective bargaining power of these groups is quite influential in steering regional and state government entities to increase funding for projects that the SPACs are interested in spearheading. These types of groups are excellent for larger, well established corporations that have withstood the test of time and have a highly organized business structure.
Referral-based organizations: These groups have a very strict and organized structure, which necessitates that members meet once a week, pass referrals to other members and only discuss their primary business with other members, leaving much of the friendly and relationship-building discussion out of the agenda of items. Initial investment in such groups is quite expensive (sometimes up to $500 / year initially), but such a commitment is good for professional firms that are focused on efficiency and timeliness, and do most of their networking with a select number of individuals.
Networking Clubs: These groups focus on taking the useful aspects of each of the above types of groups, and incorporate them into their own unique system. Members have time to talk freely with other business owners, plan for mixer events that gather other business owners in central locations, and also pass valid referrals to each other during meeting time. Membership is usually along the lines of cost that a Chamber of Commerce would charge, but is not restricted to one particular location. The trade-off is that each member volunteers to help with administrative or organizational duties for a small amount of time each week. Workshops, breakfast meetings and other events are common in this type of group. A good choice for small business owners that are looking to get their name out to many people in an efficient manner, while containing costs and labor.

ProMetroNet is one such organization that operates as a networking club. Another is a group called the BST directory.

In conclusion, it is essential for people that plan to use networking as part of their business model to choose the right type of networking organization. The right one could make the difference between your continued success or your seclusion from the business community. As a famous commercial once stated, "choose wisely".

Thomas Ossa
Rockland Web Design
(845) 271 - 4488