Building credibility through member organizations
By Denis A. Baldwin

Pair bonding and group bonding are traits found in many animals, but highly developed in human beings. The idea of bonding between groups of people is that a group will benefit from the assets of the individual and strengthen the whole.

In the simplest terms, belonging to a group of like minded business people is a great opportunity to network and learn. The networking can be as simple as sharing your skills with others in a way that may land you a client or two or as complex as forming business partnerships to improve both partner's products or services. The group dynamic is a powerful "word of mouth" engine, as the cost is minimal (usually just your time and a yearly group membership fee) and the returns are exceptional.

Belonging to groups isn't difficult and is only as time consuming as you allow it to be. For every industry, there is a group or association that will put you in touch with people either by geography or by interest.

For instance, I belong to a number of professional organizations. When I was in high school, I belonged to DECA, which is an organization for business students to discuss their interest in business and make contacts. When I was in college, I joined several Computer Users Groups to find others interested in computers who produced technical leads for each other when their customers needed help outside of their immediate services. As I grew older, I joined other groups like Freecycle and Mensa and a number of local activist groups. All of these groups provided not just tangible friendships and business leads, but also made me credible as a member.

Grouchy Marx once said, "I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member". Not only is this a detriment to your success in networking, but consider the lack of credibility you have if no one can vouche for your services or products. When you network in a member organization, you obtain the votes of your colleagues to your character and how you handle situations. As you interact with them and their customers, you grow a reputation for your quality of work and you build credibility. This credibility is better than any paid advertisement, as it comes from your peers and their experiences.

The next time you get a chance to join a member organization, do so. Get involved. Go to meetings. The marketing and networking opportunities are worth your time.