What Is An Online Networking Group?

An online networking group is where you are joined with success-minded people as well as coaches who provide resources and directly answer your questions.

In a good networking group, people take their business seriously. Think about it. If the members are willing to invest money to be there, you know they want to learn. They don't treat their business as a hobby. They are dedicated to their businesses and work hard to achieve success.

How can an online Networking group benefit you?

In sports, it takes a team to win a game.

If your team is full of mediocre players and they rarely show up to practice, your game will likely never improve.  However, when your team has better players who take the game seriously and practice regularly AND the team has an inspiring coach that has the information and tools to help you win THEN you have a winning team.

How do you choose a quality networking group?

There are several key factors to deciding if a networking group is worth your time and effort. I'll use Shelancers as an example since I'm a member.  The tools, information and well, networking opportunities are a great deal for any service provider.

• The Leaders – Do they know what they're talking about?  What are their qualifications?  A good group will be led by experts in their field, by leaders who have experience in the topic and know how to share that information in a clear, concise manner. They are not afraid to share their success and are confident in themselves to be able to lead others to succeed as well.

• The Resources – Most networking groups offer resources that are only available to their members. These may be interviews with experts, eBooks, audio and video tele-seminars, and software. Take a good look at the resources available. Oftentimes the resources alone are worth many times the price of the membership.  Shelancers offers step-by-step resources that are focused on their members' needs, not just general marketing material.

• The Forum – A good networking group will include a forum where you can brainstorm and build
  relationships with other members. This is where you'll get specific and applied help. The coaches or leaders should also have a very visible presence on the board, personally answering questions and giving guidance.

• Additional bonuses – If the group offers additional bonuses, it's worth checking out. For instance, Shelancers includes free advertising in the members' directory.

• Affordable Price – You're on a budget. (Aren't we all?) So, spend your money wisely and find a group that is affordable.

Where do you go from here?

It's simple. Enroll and decide for yourself whether a membership in the group will boost your business. It's the best way to find out what goes on behind closed doors.

If you think you can't afford to join a networking group, I would ask you to think hard about where you want your business to be 6 months to a year from now.  Do you think you can achieve your goals more quickly with or without a networking group?  Is it worth the cost?  Absolutely!

Yes, there are great free forums online and valuable free resources. But, if you want to improve your game, then find the best coaches and jump into the game with a team who can take you to to the top.