Surf the net… search Facebook and Google… networking groups of every size meet weekly in towns and cities across the country. Most of them start out with good attendance numbers. The members are filled with excitement as they share a table and a cup of coffee with other people seeking recognition for themselves and their businesses. While they wait to make their 45 second promotional pitch, they scan the room to see if “competition” lurks nearby.

If thought bubbles floating above heads were visible to the naked eye, you would see that each person is thinking the same hopeful thoughts… “If even half these people support my business, my company will be able to grow and prosper.”

The anticipation of possibilities continues for a few weeks – maybe, a few months – as people get to know each other. In conversation, you express interest in each other’s goals. You like these people because, well, like you, they are nice. You understand that they want to succeed and, also like you, they believe they have a beneficial product or service to offer. AND, they do! But…

After a while, you realize that no one is really listening to your pitch. Their interest is mandatory… a part of the dues they pay to pitch themselves. Standing at the microphone, you, the speaker, can see the eyes focused on you. You hear the applause when you finish speaking. People reach out and shake your hand as you return to your seat. YOU DID A GREAT JOB!

The problem is that the people listening to your sales pitch have heard you say the same words week after week. They really are not interested, and so, they have become tone deaf. Their vision is blurred when they look at you. Once the meeting is over and the coffee cups have been deposited in the trash cans, no one remembers your name let alone what you said. They are only focused on themselves.

Networking groups fail because the moderators do not understand… they do not explain to the members… that the most effective networking is based on the barter system. “You scratch my back, I scratch yours” should be the motto of every business person who recognizes that success depends on both what you can do for me and what I can do for you.

Instead of making “I” the center of your sales pitch, change your mindset to “You.”  Rather than, “I can give you…” think in terms of “You will benefit because…” When your audience feels there is something for them in an association with you, they will take their fingers out of their ears.

How simple that sounds, but in reality, the fingers in the ears issue is quite real. To be successful, you must offer “something” that will benefit listeners without costing them money. That is where the barter system comes into play.

In recent months, attendance at my theater has grown. Why? I have reestablished a number of policies that withered during covid. Example: buying tickets to some of our productions includes receiving a complimentary glass of wine when you arrive. The cast often mingles with the audience pre-show, which gives those audience members a feeling of inclusion. For some shows, we offer a dinner and a show package with the wonderful restaurant located just 10 steps from our front door.

We also offer an opportunity to market your business by placing an ad (business card) in our show programs. There is no charge for this service. All we ask in return is that you place one of our flyers in your store window, on a counter near the register or on a coffee table in your waiting room. This affords you the opportunity to reach as many as 300 people without spending a penny. Not even the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz would need to scratch his head to see the merit in this method of marketing.

Joining a networking group is not free. Annual memberships vary from $20 to over $100. The weekly meeting cost can be as little as $5.00. Monthly luncheons cost $35.00 and up. Evening socials can be gratis to exorbitant. If money is not an issue and you just want to “be friends,” a networking group could be a step to enlarging your data base. If you are a serious business person… look before you leap.

Feasibility of success from joining: No brainer… if the group understands how the barter system works. If not, the coffee will be good but it will not be worth your time or the cost.

Donna Carbone is the Executive Director/Playwright in Residence at the Palm Beach Institute for the Entertainment Arts. Please visit PBIEA at: pbinstituteforentertainmentarts.com

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