Do you attend networking events for groups that are free or those you must pay a fee to join? And, do you think those paid member networking groups are taken more seriously than free?

I have attended both and I believe that there is a feeling on paid to get more bang for your buck so therefore you have more incentive to go to events.

I also belong to some meet-up groups where the cost is the price of lunch. I have found some great connections and while I have not gotten and direct work I have gotten tons of referrals based on information that I have shared.

I think that a fee based networking event would have more value for most people as long as the fee was reasonable. I think when something is free most people tend to think there isn't much to it. That goes with anything that is free IMHO. This is not 100% true though so still something to be considered.

I belong to a LinkedIn group at the Jersey shore and the charge is $5, which is hard to beat! The meetings are monthly and at nice places. They are sponsored which accounts for the low fee and the sponsor does speak at these meetings. Unfortunately I haven't gone yet, it just started, but I do plan on going soon.

Networking groups are great ways to meet people (paid or not) as long as there is value and not just a social event. I was going to one womens' group for a while then stopped since it was more social and not too much business going on. Food was great (we paid for our dinners) but it was the same people all the time.

I am going to open up a Meetup group in my town in the next few weeks for a F2F VA group. Currently there is no VA group here but a lot of business groups. There is a VA telephone meetup group a few counties away, which is nice, but no F2F group.

So I'm surprised, but I'm seriously considering joining the fee based referral networking group. I went to their visitor's meeting & I like the people in the group. Lots of humor & high energy & I was told this was one of their more subdued meetings!

What's swaying me is that I spoke to three women, separately, who each told me that membership in this group has been instrumental in their growing their business. One woman told me that when her membership came up for renewal a week ago, she renewed for two years. Another told me she was in business for over a year & only had two clients. After joining, her client base grew to over 10 in the first year & now over 25.

JoCarole, I also went to a couple of events that were more socializing than networking. I realize there's a fine line, but the women at the one group were definitely in party mode, not business mode!

I am trying to find a local networking group. No meetups around this area. I did find where a new BNI group is starting in my area. Don't know what the membership fee will be but I'm looking into it.

I've been in the BNI group for about 2 weeks & I already have two possible clients. One will probably sign a contract & I'm just starting to talk to the other.