Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Joining a Professional Association

I'll be the first to admit that I went a little nuts when I moved I moved recently in terms of going all-out to participate in a variety of professional associations. I had some experience with most of the groups that I visited in other places I had lived, or had clients who had positive experiences with certain groups. I was so eager to become involved again in professional associations that instead of really paying attention to a group as it exists locally, I made decisions to join groups based on my past experiences and experiences of clients.

After a few months (and about $1500 in dues paid), I realized I had made a grave mistake. I knew I had failed to keep in mind a few essential thoughts as I evaluated the appropriateness of renewing membership dues to various groups as a way to build my business. Here's what I've learned:

1. Determine your professional association dues budget for the year before joining anything. I foolishly just kept paying membership dues, without giving consideration as to the total picture of what I'd spent in dues for the year. Set your spending limits and stick to those and in a year evaluate if it's worth your time and money to continue participating in the group.

2. Assess the true amount of time you have to fully participate in a group. As I was thinking about going to group meetings, I only factored in the actual monthly meeting--not the networking time, not the committee time, not the special event time. You may determine that you have much less time than you think.

3. Make sure the target market of your business is represented in the group. I joined one group thinking that it would be full of women business owners, as that had been my experience elsewhere. The Little Rock chapter was filled with women who were happily employed for someone else--not a good match for my needs in terms of building my business.

4. Visit the group the maximum number of times you are permitted to do so as a guest. Instead of doing this, I based my joining decision on one visit and impressions of the group I had gleaned from other areas of the country. You really need to assess whether this group in this location will meet your needs, as each chapter within an association can be dramatically different. The local members really do make or break a group.

5. Set your intention of your outcome before you decide to join the group. Are you joining to socialize, to find a date, get industry-specific education, meet other business people, or to build business relationships and make sales? Having a clear goal and focus and evaluating those goals in terms of realistically achieving those in the group should factor into your decision-making process.

6. Acknowledge that it might take you a year or more -- in the right group -- to build the trust others need to have in order to do business with you. Don't expect to walk into a group of people who do not know you and expect them to buy what you're selling or to enter into a joint venture with you. They have to get to know, like, and respect you before they're interested in doing business with you.

7. If you decide to join a group, you need to join a committee or two to get to know the membership. Simply showing up once or twice a month to a meeting will not help you get to know the other members of the group. It is at the committee level where the real networking occurs and where you will develop deeper relationships with other members of your association.

8. Ensure that the groups you join don't have essentially the same membership. If you're attending various group meetings and you see the same faces again and again, your time and money would probably be better spent diversifying your professional association memberships.

9. Is your industry over-represented in the group? I've attended some meetings of groups that were full of real estate agents or financial planners, and the group wasn't a professional association of either industry. Make sure your group is well-balanced in terms of member industries and that there is room within the group for someone from your industry to join without stepping on toes.

10. Only participate in groups that meet at a time of day when you're at your best. If you're not an early morning person, those "rise and shine" breakfast meetings probably won't work for you. Several groups I joined in Little Rock meet during lunch, and I've discovered that the middle of the day is the most difficult time for me to get away. Consequently, I've reduced the number of groups to which I belong who have lunchtime meetings, as that's just not convenient for me.

Joining professional associations can be a very powerful tool for growing your business--if approached with forethought and planning. Take some time this week to determine how this strategy fits into your overall business marketing strategy.

Copyright 2005 by Donna Gunter.

You may reprint in its entirety as along as the following attribution is made:

Donna Gunter is a Self-Employment Expert and Small Business Coach. She helps overwhelmed self-employed professionals become masterful managers of their businesses by coaching, training, and consulting with them on 8 key strategies proven to help them work smarter and make more.

Visit her website at http://www.self-employment-success.com and subscribe to her newsletter - Work Smarter Make More.

Alexis limo rentals ..
In The News:

A Google DeepMind team has developed an artificial intelligence system that can play video games like a human and take native language commands from players.
Four of the largest school boards in Ontario, Canada have launched lawsuits against TikTok, Meta, and Snapchat, claiming that they have impacted students' thinking and behavior.
Finalists for the inaugural Women’s Prize for Nonfiction, aimed at addressing the gender imbalance in nonfiction publishing, were unveiled on Wednesday.
Tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson breaks down whether the government is watching citizens and what they can do to protect online privacy.
A benchmarking group for artificial intelligence has released new results evaluating the speed of hardware in running AI applications and responding to users.
Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spaceplane provides a glimpse into the future of space travel. Traveling to space may become a part of everyday life.
The new European Hyperloop Center in the Netherlands aims bring in a new era of transportation. The center will use a steel tube as a proving ground for testing the new vehicle.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
While it may be incredibly tempting to have a “go with the flow" mindset like the rest of your vacation, your technology definitely should not be compromised while traveling.
Have you ever accidentally deleted an app from your iPhone that you’ve already paid for? Don't worry. We’ve got a trick that will help you get it back without having to buy it again.
Apple's new Journal app has raised privacy concerns among Apple's userbase. Tech expert Kim Komando examines social media rumors and explains what steps to take to protect yourself.
Although Facebook has denied that our phones listen to us, they do have other ways of finding out what we are talking about, listening to and searching for.
With the integration of OpenAI technology, Figure 01 has taken a significant leap forward, showcasing the potential of robots to understand and interact with us on a personal level.
Port Ellen, newly reopened whisky distillery in Scotland, is using SmokeDNAi technology to understand mouth-feel and flavors during the whisky maturation process.
Telly, a smart TV firm, is promising to give out their 4K 55-inch TV for free. What must you give in return? The innovative, yet potentially unsettling, answer might shock you.
The moment a spam invite hits your calendar, it’s like an uninvited guest at a party. So, what do you do? Show it the door.
Identity thieves are now targeting children and are making large sums of money by exploiting children's identities, possibly hurting their financial future.
There's a clever way to change the notification sounds on your Android without having to look at your screen. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains.
If your bank accounted has been hacked, there are a number of steps you can take to prevent it from happening again. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
The Wave House, a data center in Heidelberg, Germany, is the the largest 3D-printed building in Europe. Its walls were built in about 140 hours.
Some government agencies around the world are struggling to meet their staffing goals when it comes to hiring artificial intelligence experts.
Google Maps' recent upgrades have introduced real-time ETA and turn-by-turn directions to your phone's lock screen while you are traveling.
Kat Cammack says AI could disrupt the 2024 election. A report says shared AI image tools generate election disinformation in 41% of cases and voting disinformation in 59% of cases.
Deepfakes have become commonplace, and the technology is only getting better, but there are certain elements that might give away the fact that an image is AI-generated.

How to Use Graphs and Charts in Your Business Plan

Many people ask how many graphs or charts they should... Read More

Increase Your Profits with a Point of Sale (POS) System

Whether you operate a chain of restaurants, a mom-and-pop convenience... Read More

The Franchisors Heavy Load

Why are we over regulation the franchising industry, what purpose... Read More

Using Business Broker In the Franchising Industry for Franchise Sales

Franchising companies often use Business Broker to help attain sales... Read More

Earn More Money in Your Small Business by Creating a PIG

If you really want to earn more money with your... Read More

Q and A: Personalized Birthday Cards from Paul Leonard

Paul Leonard's BirthdayCards2Go.com paid greeting card service offers convenience when... Read More

WARNING to Home Based and Small Business Who Want to Buy Television Cable Advertising

Most small businesses will not even try to advertise on... Read More

Look Out for that Great Accountant

There are many factors to be considered when you are... Read More

A Portable Trade Show Exhibit Makes for an Easier Show

You can make your trade show experience much easier by... Read More

Small Business Marketing - Clarify Success

When you hear the word "success" does it bring on... Read More

There Are No Dumb Business Questions, Not!

Q: I'm curious. What is the dumbest business question you've... Read More

Avoiding the Small Business Cash Flow Roller Coaster

A solopreneur I know disappears from my radar screen for... Read More

From Birth to Death

Your product is dying. With the same inevitability that we... Read More

How to Start a Pet Transportation Business

Pet Transportation Services are needed as the number of pets... Read More

Looking for a Business to Run in the New Revitalized Downtown Area?

Looking for a place to add a Quick Lube away... Read More

Secrets to Washing Fleets of Trucks from a Nationwide Fleet Washing Service

Washing the exterior of a truck. Sounds easy right? Well,... Read More

Postcard Marketing ? Low Cost Visibility

You need to be visible to attract customers, right? But... Read More

Marketing Your Small Business - The Top 10 Brilliant Ideas

A Brilliant Marketing Idea... sounds great but what is it?... Read More

Pressure Washing Heavy Equipment

One of the best ways to make money in the... Read More

Never Burn a Bridge

Why should you always maintain a good report with a... Read More

Lawyers Everywhere Telling Regulators What Laws to Make

The Federal Trade Commission decided to sit down and revamp... Read More

Small Business Secrets: Self-Confidence Can Be Arranged

At first blush this idea might be difficult to wrap... Read More

Top Ten Blunders Business Owners Make

In today's marketplace the words 'job security' have become an... Read More

What Happened to the Money and Freedom?

Ask anyone trapped in a cubical about their entrepreneurial dream... Read More

Reverse Merger: Have They Taken the Reverse out of Reverse Merger?

Are the promoters and consultants destroying the market for Reverse... Read More

car service from Midway Alsip ..