So I ask them:

• Do you regularly attend the meetings?
• Do you get out of your comfort zone and network with people you don’t know?
• Do you go home once the formal program ends?
• Are you actively involved in the association?
• Are you bringing business cards to the meeting, and are you giving them out?

Many times, the common answer to the questions is “No.”

And they wonder why they didn’t get any business from the association!

Mike Rabe, NACE Hawaii member and owner of Creations in Catering, a Hawaii-based full-service catering company, once said,

"If you don’t NETWORK, you will NOT WORK."

Many people join associations with the mistaken notion that they will automatically get on other people’s referral lists and instantly get business. The truth is:

• REFERRALS arise from RELATIONSHIPS.
• RELATIONSHIPS need TRUST.
• TRUST takes TIME.

Therefore, the TIME you put into networking ultimately affects the REFERRALS you get out of association membership. In other words, if you put in the time to network at the meetings & parties, you will get the referrals. But if you don’t really “work” your network, then you might as well spend your membership dues on something else because, in the end, it will be waste of your time and money.

Here are few tips to maximize your marketing potential in this association, and any other associations you may belong to:

ATTEND EVERY MEETING. This is one of the most critical and important tips for being a member…yet I know many members that take it for granted. Wedding Professionals cannot and will not refer you IF THEY DON’T KNOW YOU. And they will not know you unless you are physically there, at the meetings, making the right contacts. The four hours of networking you spend one night a month will pay off handsomely when the business begins to roll in…but it won’t happen if you are never there to make yourself known.

GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE. At the meetings, it is really easy to hang out the whole night with people you are comfortable with. While it’s great to talk story and catch up, you can do that at other times. The whole point in being there is to make yourself known and to gain the trust of as many referrers as possible. The people currently in your “comfort zone” already love you and are probably referring you. So go meet new people you don’t really know well, strike up a conversation, and get to know them. They in turn will get to know you, and soon, after building up a rapport, they will trust you enough to add you to their referral list. But getting referrals won’t happen if you stay in your comfort zone the whole night.

STAY LATER…AFTER THE “FORMAL DINNER” ENDS. A lot of friendships are made and contacts are created later in the evening, when a majority of the guests have left. With only a handful of people remaining, it allows for very intimate small-group conversations…and an even better opportunity for other wedding professionals to get to know you on a more personal level. But getting to know other wedding professionals more personally won’t happen if you leave early.

BECOME INVOLVED. Don’t just come for the dinner. Get involved! Join a committee! Attend the open board meetings (which generally happen the week before the general meeting) even if you aren’t a board member and offer your ideas! By showing your commitment to help the group, it creates more exposure and a positive image among other members. Consider what’s in everyone’s head as you get more involved in the organization: “Wow, if he can step up to take care of us, imagine how he will take care of our customers!” Now imagine them sending you these customers…and watch your bottom line grow. But it won’t happen if you are not involved.

BRING BUSINESS CARDS. You are meeting new people, some of them for the first time. After having a conversation, give them your card so they’ll remember you. You’ll be surprised how many people DON’T offer their business cards, and two days later, they’re forgotten. But if someone has your card and likes you, they’re definitely going to remember you when their client asks for a referral. So make sure you have business cards with you at the meetings! I always bring a full card wallet to the meetings…and I have a BOX waiting in the car, just in case…because you never know who and how many people are going to ask you for your business card.

Remember, these are simply tips to help you maximize your networking and marketing potential in this association. I hope it helps you make new friends, grow your network, and build your bottom line!

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