I attended a NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners) event again last week. I had so much fun! It’s great to gather with so many successful women and have the opportunity to learn and share with them. This will be my second time attending this group’s event so I will need to join if I plan on continuing the relationship. It will be an investment on my part and I plan to join by Mid-March.
Making the decision to join a networking group is not an easy task. It’s important to be sure they are worth the time and money. As a small business owner, and a fairly new one, I don’t have “extra” funds and have to ration out where every dollar goes. The conclusion I keep returning to though is that I need to meet other small business owners and I need to get my name out there. There really is no better way than face-to-face.
What I have decided is to join NAWBO now and choose another group in September; maybe BNI. One tip I can offer is to research, research, research any group before you decide to invest in it. Visit a meeting and see how many people attend and how active they are within the group.
At NAWBO, becoming a member doesn’t mean only investing money and attending the networking events, it means being active in the various committees and offering up my services. The other businesses will begin to see what it is I do and how I can assist them in their businesses. I think I can call it an act of “goodwill” and that can go a long way towards building my contact list and my credibility within the small business community in Western New York.
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