Finding the Right People

Once you’ve overcome the time and/or confidence concerns that may hold you back from connecting with others, the next step is to determine who you’ll meet and how you’ll do so.

Figuring out which networking events to attend

There are dozens of online and offline networking events, so we need to be selective about where to invest our time, energy, and money. Here are some questions to ask yourself to evaluate whether a networking event is likely to be worthwhile.

 

• Is it convenient? If it requires an hour of driving each way, four hours of a babysitter, and less time spent with clients or developing your business, it definitely needs to meet the other criteria.

• Is it expensive? If you need to join an expensive association to attend, be sure that you speak with a member relations professional about a free trial where you can attend at least one event at no charge to see if it is a good fit for you.