It will be short, so have an espresso this time rather than a big cuppa. Enjoy reading!

Are you member of a networking group? For what reason did you join? What was in your head when you clicked ‘apply’? Is this a free group or do you pay a yearly or monthly fee? If yes, how much? A few hundreds per month or per year? Or just a few pounds per month?

Do you spend much time there? Do you use that group? What do you get for your time and for your money?

Lots of questions, I know.

So here is a list of ideas what your networking group can do FOR YOU!

• meeting like-minded people – great to have a tea with someone who understands what I am talking about.
• getting discounts from members – wonderful, do Christmas shopping without problem.
• promoting each other’s business pages – spreading the word, their friends might be your ideal client.

These are great but is this enough? There must be more in this!

And then you can do all these for them, right? Because the golden rule of networking is: Give five times, ask once! Share, comment, like, recommend, promote and invite. You do it first, then expect it back.

What else can a networking group do for you? (and you for them?)

T.E.A.M.

• skill-swap – you can get your eyebrow waxed in return for a few cards. Connect with those who offer services that you would use anyway.
• team-up – have a shared giveaway! You sell deli, she sells boxes, promote your products together!
• link your services or products – do you offer training, invite a 20 minutes office massage in the lunch break so you add fantastic value to your product. Or if you run a place for kids then team up with a nanny or crafter to do extra classes together.
• delegate the job – you take beautiful photographs, others have fantastic copy writing skills, so combine them, work on each other’s website or blog weekly. Add value, add extra content to the pages.
• post on Facebook for each other – some  people have more time to do social media and are more skilled. Others cannot really get there to post weekly. So offer something for each other! You can find the businesses around you who are linked to yours and you can have a common social media campaign or you can just run your platforms together by adding each other as admin.

Being in a networking group means that you are not alone to do the job. You have lots of people around you to share with. You all save time, you all save money. You inspire each other and you will feel so much more creative and open.

Connect, share and enjoy! This is networking. And this is just the basic level.

See you soon for a cuppa,

Mariann