Threw $300 at an Atlanta networking group membership and met zero real clients

So a few months back I joined some premium networking group here in Atlanta. Paid $300 for the annual fee thinking id make connections that actually lead to work. Instead I just sat through weekly meetings where people pitched their own stuff and nobody really listened. Its like a club where everyone wants to sell but nobody wants to buy. Did I just pick the wrong group or is this all networking events? Anyone else feel like they wasted cash on one of these things?

3 comments

3 Comments

park.aaron8d ago

Wait, I gotta jump in here. $300 for an annual fee isn't a lottery ticket situation. That's more like buying a gym membership and then getting mad you didn't get ripped from just walking in the door. The money isn't the real issue, its the time you spent sitting through meetings without actually working the room. The key with these groups is you have to talk to people one on one after the main event. Most folks just pitch from the podium and hope for magic. You gotta actually listen to what someone needs and then see if you can help them. Nobody buys from a stranger who just talks at them for 30 seconds. Bet you could still get your money's worth if you went back and just focused on having real conversations with two or three people each time. Ask them about their biggest headache, don't just talk about what you do. That changed everything for me when I started doing it.

finley_smith13d ago

Oh man, that stinks. I hate when you shell out money for something and get nothing back.

shane_wilson13d ago

Exactly what happened when I bought a lottery ticket and "won" 2 bucks lol @finley_smith