These networks you build over time and it’s because of what you do,
not what club you are in or how expensive your membership is that
counts. I have been a member of many networking clubs and organisations
and have found myself in a position of contributing heavily, while
listening to others complain about what’s wrong with this and why that
would be better like that, but do little to change it.

As Batman (in Batman Begins) said “it is not our words that define
us, but our actions�. Here though, are a just few pitfalls or even
downfalls of club based or structured networking that you might like to
consider.

1) Firstly, everybody pays to be in the club so they are obliged to
help each other out, that’s the deal. Many organisations have levels of
club status that demand large membership fees which are for those that
can afford it, a bit like peerages. Now all this can work for you or
against you, but it is no measure of the quality nor value that these
club members can provide to you or your contacts. Neil Diamon said
when he sang "Money talks, it don’t sing and dance and it won’t talk".

2) Some people join these clubs because they fear being on their own
or isolated, which can be a dangerous herd mentality, followers,
following followers…… however they can be useful door openers but a
strong differentiator and good sales and marketing will always do
better. I don’t remember Sir Alan Sugar building his business at a
networking club, do you ?

3) Only 5-10% of companies actually network at these clubs so these
“networkers� probably spend 80% of their time on the 20% of business
that probably won’t do business with them or are not in a position to
introduce you to the real business. And who says that this 5-10% know
any better than the rest, history says they don’t!

4) After a while you will find that most of your competition will be
there also, so what makes you any different, (and by the way if you
are, it will probably scare the hell out of everybody else). They can
expect things in a certain (institutional mindset) way and probably
know the same people you do. Just think about it.

5) Look at the history, any individual or business of any
significance didn’t do it by joining a networking club, they understood
that a powerful differentiator was key, they built a system for
attracting customers, staff and opportunity, they created an
organisation that solved a problem in a market that was desperate for a
solution - either an evolutionary or revolutionary solution. You can
attract networks without actually paying to be in one, and those are
usually the people that you really should be spending your time with.
The sames goes for customers, suppliers and probably most other things.

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