Solo Professional Marketing - 3 Simple Ways to Raise Your Profile in Membership Organizations

Membership organizations were a well-kept secret for me until about 3 years ago. And what I mean by that is I never belonged to one until I went solo!

I'm not sure why. Maybe I was comfy in my corporate selling role and it didn't occur to me to look outside for support or resources, or those in my network weren't on the membership organization bandwagon either.

But my eyes were opened wide to how choosing the right organizations could make a huge difference in expanding my network, reaching my target market, and raising my profile. And it can do the same for you!

3 simple ways you can raise your profile by joining an organization:

Choose the right organizations. This seems a little obvious, but it's important. Because you're a business owner, you wear many hats. Do some research into the organizations that serve the needs involved in running your business, and the ones that serve your target market.

For example, let's say your business is HR consulting. First research the groups that can support your role as a woman business owner (a group like eWomen Network fits this need). Then research the groups where those companies looking for HR consultants hang out (a group like Society for Human Resource Management fits this need). See the difference? Make sure to test the groups before you join; many organizations will allow you to attend as a guest first to see if it's a good fit for you.

Introduce yourself to the board, and stay in touch. I've grown so many business relationships and friendships just by getting to know the board members of an organization I join. And guess what? You stand out for making the effort, especially when you keep in touch, offer ideas, or provide valuable feedback to make their lives easier and the organization better. Those board members will think of you first when opportunities arise - it could be a speaking engagement, a new client opportunity, or a key introduction.

Join a committee or chair a board position. I can personally attest to the power of volunteering in a board position. First, when you raise your hand to lead, people take notice. And as an entrepreneuse, you WANT your clients and potential clients to view you as a leader. Second, you're now in a position to interact with influencers in your industry, especially if you're responsible for arranging speakers and programming for the organization. Both raise your profile, and build your trust and credibility.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amy_Franko