5 Non-Negotiables When Choosing A Networking Group For Your Construction Business.
To grow your Trade and Construction business, you need to make more people aware that you exist, right?
It’s an important starting point.
A great way to do that?
Networking.
It's such an important part of your Trade and Construction brand and marketing.
And in the right group, it can absolutely transform your business.
We’ve seen it happen!
Start up, one-man bands grow to 18 strong, full time team members because of successful Networking in a matter of a few years.
But this takes investment.
Not only of your hard-earned cash but of your time too.
So, choosing the right Networking Group can be a deal breaker.
After attending hundreds of Networking meetings over the last decade (as well as running them and being on a management team that took one group to the second largest and most successful group in the UK) here are the 5 biggest non-negotiables we feel you need to look out for when choosing a Networking Group for your Trade and Construction business.
So, let’s start with one of the most important…
1. Look For a Strong Trade and Construction ‘Power Team’ within the Networking Group.
First up.
What is a Power Team?
Power Team: A group of professionals who work in non-competing, related fields.
Example.
You’re a domestic Shutters, Curtains and Blinds company.
A complimentary, non-competing business that works in a related field and could be a member of your Power Team could be a domestic Flooring company.
They do not compete with your business.
But, they do serve the same clients as you – homeowners, for example.
So are much more likely to be having conversations with their clients in their homes about home renovations – which could also include Shutters, Curtains and Blinds.
Meaning this Flooring Company could potentially and easily introduce you to lots of opportunities for Shutters, Curtains and blind work.
Make sense?
So if the entire Networking Group was divided up into ‘Power Teams’ you’d likely both be on the same ‘PT’.
The ’PT’ might be called PROPERTY or TRADES
Most Networking groups are not ‘industry’ specific.
You’ll have Florists, Accountants, Personal Trainers, Carpenters, (the list goes on) all in the same group.
Some of these groups will only allow one company per industry – like the above.
And this is not to say that as a Trade and Construction business, networking with Florists, Accountants and Personal Trainers is not great.
Because it is.
Someone’s wife or husband may run a construction business that could refer you lots of work.
But the people more likely to be able to refer you work are other members who would essentially be in your ‘Power Team’.
Because on the daily, these people are having conversations with your Ideal Clients and are more likely and more frequently able to refer your construction business.
These members don’t necessarily need to be Trade and Construction businesses themselves.
Letting Agents.
Estate Agents.
Utility Companies.
Familiar businesses you will often find at Networking Groups.
Who could also sit in the same “Power Team’ as you as they are serving the same Ideal Client.
Homeowners.
Or in the Property industry.
So before you sign on the dotted line, take a good look around at the members in the group you are considering.
If it’s a room full of Wedding and Marketing Professionals, with only 1 or 2 people that would fit into your ‘Power Team,’ is this going to be the place for you?
Or are you better off continuing your search to find a group that has 10, 20 or even 50 other professionals that would fall into the same ‘Power Team’ and increase the opportunities they can give to your Trade and Construction business by 10, 20 or 50 times?
Food for thought.
2. Take note of the level of contributions made at the Networking Group.
Meeting up for a regular breakfast, lunch, dinner or coffee with a group of people is all very nice.
But Networking is merely a vehicle to move your business forward.
To meet people that you can refer and who, in turn, can refer you.
So you can both build your businesses.
You’re not going to commit weekly or monthly to something that isn’t going to warrant a return on your investment.
That would be ludicrous.
And I’m not just talking about the £££’s coming out of your wallet for the coffees and food.
No siree.
Your time is the biggest investment you will make.
And time is money. 💰
Most (good) Networking Groups tend to have a part of the meeting where they share some form of positive contribution.
What have the members been up to since the last meeting to help other members.
This might be some confirmed business that has been passed.
A referral opportunity for another member.
A testimonial presented.
A visitor has been invited to the group.
A fruitful 121 meeting that has been had.
No serious business owner goes to a Networking Meeting because they like the coffee.
You want to see real results, right?
This is the part of the meeting I’d HIGHLY advise you to pay particular attention to.
What you are looking for is that EVERYONE (or at least 95% of the room) has something positive to add.
Why?
Because it shows you the kind of group you are potentially committing to.
Is everyone in this group going out of their way for each other to try and help a fellow member at every meet?
I have been to nearly 1000 Networking meetings over a decade.
(And yet I still know a lot of people who have been to even more that!).
Many of which were excellent.
When I visited a group where 75% of the members stood up every week and announced they had NO positive contribution – in essence, they had done nothing for their fellow members since the last meet – these groups stood out like a sore thumb to me.
And many of them closed within a matter of months.
Listen to…
a) What percentage of the members have a positive contribution
b) How valuable are those contributions?
Don’t get me wrong.
Every contribution has a place.
But the GOLD MINE Networking Groups are those where 90% of the members are passing referrals to each other at every meet and you are hearing stories of business that has been closed.
You can then feel confident that you are joining a Networking Group where there is a strong culture, high standards and ‘doing’ attitude.
But don’t forget.
If you choose this as your future Networking Group, you are going to have meet that high standard yourself.
3. Understand the full commitments required of you and your Trade and Construction business.
Every Networking Group is different.
And each one comes with their own rulebook and expectations of what they want and require from their members.
It is SO important you understand what the group you are looking to commit to expects of you.
This may (or may not) include some of the following:
🟡 Attendance every week/month.
🟡 Sending someone in your place if you are unable to attend.
🟡 Brining a positive contribution every week.
🟡 Attending 1 evening Power Team Meeting a month.
🟡 Attending socials once a month.
🟡 Taking on a role (such as a meeting host or events co-ordinator).
And so on and so forth.
Don’t go in blind.
Sign up, hand your hard earned money over and then find in a month’s time that what is expected of you, you cannot commit to.
I’ll guarantee you that if you decide to join the more successful, more infamous Networking Groups out there, even when you ask what are the full commitments to joining, you will find there to be a few more surprises down the line.
It’s the nature of it.
Plus, as the members come and go and the group changes it’s dynamic – new people bring new ideas etc. – the expectations may even rise (or lower) over the time you are there.
I was a member of a globally established Networking Group for 10 years.
When I joined (as a youthful chipper) the group was 25 members turning over about £1million between them.
At the group’s peak - 7 years later – we were 84 members targeting a £7million turnover.
And with all the great stuff that came with being a member, boy did the expectations of us and what we needed to contribute go up too.
We had to…
➡️ Commit to a training event every 2 months.
➡️ Bring 1 visitor every 6 months
➡️ Bring at least 6 referrals a month
➡️ Have a 75% Power Team attendance over 6 months
And this was on TOP of the already standard Networking Group rules.
If we didn’t achieve these goals?
We risked losing our seat in the group.
So be prepared.
Always better to know what you’re letting yourself in for, to make an informed decision from the start, right?
4. What feeling do you get from the Networking Group leaders?
This isn’t a fluffy question I assure you.
Much of the culture and standards of the Networking Group come from the folk running the show.
This could be the people sitting at the front of the room presenting the agenda or/and it could be directors and business owners (as Networking Groups all have an owner) behind the scenes.
Try and speak to both.
For the directors behind the scenes (who you may not even meet at the meeting itself) give them a call and do some digging…
🔷 What are their goals for the Networking Group?
🔷 How long have they been involved with the group?
🔷 What’s their experience of networking?
🔷 What are their expectations of a great member?
🔷 How are they personally recommending and helping members?
And for the folk running the meeting (they may well be members themselves of the group, not directors), then what do you make of the following…
✅ Are they running the meeting with confidence?
✅ Are they organised?
✅ Are they motivational?
✅ Do they bring plenty of positive contributions for their members?
✅ Are they talking about future goals and opportunities for the group?
This is not about becoming best buds.
Though that could be beneficial.
But is the Networking Group you are thinking about investing in credible, motivated and go getting?
And much of that can be deciphered by looking at the team running the show.
They are often the highest achieving members that have been asked to take on these roles.
If this is these are the best members in the group, are you impressed and what does this say about the level of all the other members?
5. How accountable does this Networking Group hold their members?
This will help you understand whether this group has a future or not.
And whether you are wasting your time.
Does the Networking Group hold their members accountable?
For example.
🔴 ABSENCES.
Is there an absence policy in place?
You do not want to be parting with your hard earned cash (or bank transfer) to join a group of what appears to be 30 members…
… but you turn up each week to say, the same 10 members with 20 Missing In Action.
2/3 of the group rocking up once every few months to show their faces.
You sign up for a group of 30 but in fact, many of the members are slacking and don’t put in the effort.
Because there is no absence policy in place i.e. 3 consecutive strikes and you’re out.
You want to be sure that when you turn up each week/month it’s worth your while, right?
And that means members being present.
To some, an absence policy may sound ‘school like.’
But I recommend avoiding investing in any Networking Group that does not have some kind of absence policy.
No presence? No relationship building.
No relationship building? No referrals passed.
No referrals passed? No money being made.
Simple as that.
♦️ CONTRIBUTIONS.
Imagine you turn up to your Networking Group every week/month.
And you have worked your socks off to get another member an opportunity for work.
Each and every day when you are out on site, in the back of your mind you’re thinking about who you can recommend to a client you are already helping.
It becomes a second nature, finding referrals for others.
And you do this week/month in, week/month out.
Now imagine every time you turn up to your Networking Group and it’s the contribution part of the meeting, as you go around, you hear member after member say those 4 little words…
‘No contribution this week.’ ❌
Week/month in, week/month out.
You rock up every meeting contributing and yet 90% of the room are happy to rock up having done nothing for anyone else but happily accept all the introductions and referral opportunities you have worked your construction buns off for.
How would that make you feel?
Pretty pissed I’m guessing.
And that this is an unfruitful waste of your time where you are not surrounded by like-minded folk?
So, chances are, a few months of this and you’ll leave.
Or, if you’re not the first to make the exit, others who start feeling the way you do will start leaving.
The group will get smaller and smaller.
Domino effect.
Until they decide to close the group because it’s too small.
Now imagine you only joined a few months ago and paid up for a whole year?
No refunds.
It’ll likely be in the small print of the terms.
Exactly.
Not happy.
You’re going to start wishing you paid a lot more attention to this blog.
So if you are on the hunt to join a Networking group, use these five steps as a guide to help you make the right decision.
⬇️ 5 NON-NEGOTIABLES WHEN CHOOSING A NETWORKING GROUP FOR YOUR TRADE & CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS RUNDOWN:
1. Look For a Strong Trade and Construction ‘Power Team.’
2. Take note of the amount and level of contributions made.
3. Understand the full commitments required of.
4. Feeling of the Networking Group leaders.
5. How accountable the Networking Group hold their members.
Need a little more help nailing your Trades Brand?
Course you do.
First. Let’s work out where you are with your Trades brand.
Got 3 minutes?
Take our Trades Quiz to discover how you score with all things ‘Off The Tools’.
We have heaps of tips, tricks and hacks for your Trades business in our cheat sheets, videos and ideas waiting for you on the other side… i.e., your results page.
So, you can improve your score. And NAIL your Trades business.