For enterprising attorneys, business networking groups have presented two main problems.
Lots of lawyers don’t like the pressure of being asked to bring hot leads to meetings; and, those groups were kind of limited, in terms of the people you could meet – which is kind of the whole point of a networking group.
In a world in which you can connect with anyone else in the world with an internet connection, instantaneously, it was always a little crazy that business networking groups were so clipped, in terms of the reach they offered. I mean, how many times can you show up at the same coffee shop every morning, to talk with the same people, over the white noise of the same old business pitches.
Gag me with a spoon, seriously.
So, what’s cool is that, over the last couple of years, having been forced to go online, and to provide more benefits to members used to a certain protocol that had disappeared, networking groups have massively expanded their reach.
Now, join any business networking group, and you can connect with group cohorts across the world, and across the country. This ability to pop into and out of local groups changes the game, and expands your reach exponentially.
It seems like something that should have happened before – and could have easily happened before – but, now that business networking groups have expended your opportunities, maybe it’s time to take a fresh look.
Plus, with more connections being made, and the value of the groups being more closely associated with expanding your network than satiating your current network with new leads, the pressure to generate referrals has been reduced somewhat. The sharks-to-chum energy that had prevailed in a lot of these groups has definitely been tamped down.
And, with in-person networking now making a triumphant return, this is another tactic to exploit via your marketing plan.