The power of networking cannot be underestimated, but there is a difference between investing your time and energy and spending them. Today we're looking at the 3 types of networking meetings that are unlikely to generate income for you.

The free meeting
This networking session attracts people who either can't spend on attendance fees, or don't want to spend on attendance fees. Either way, you are unlikely to find life-long clients because these attendees like the "free" feature. Unless you are willing to give away something at no cost, move on.

The members-only meeting
This meeting is usually comprised of people who all know each other very well. The intention for the group might be networking and referral, but that may just be an excuse for the members to get together once or twice per month to socialize. You and your business will likely be seen as an outsider, so if you have to attend, take all connections with a proverbial grain of salt. They probably won't lead to too much.

The sellers-only meeting
This is the meeting with a room full of salesmen. Everyone in the room is selling, but is anyone really buying? If you've been in the room for only ten minutes and you already have fifty business cards but no idea why, you're in a room full of sellers. Nobody is there to build a relationship with you, so your best move would be to identify the cards you can, and chalk up the rest to experience.

Remember that networking and building relationships takes focus and intention. Your networking commitments will return your investment faster if you target the right groups with the right members.