Have you even attended a networking event?
Did you get anything from attending or was it a waist of time?
What could be done to make it better?

I host a networking meeting in western Washington and feel things are going very well for our group. I would like to know what’s wrong with other meetings so we can improve ours.



Questions:
•    What are you doing to network?
•    What is the best networking tool you know of?
•    What do you offer to others when networking?


Answers:
•    I host a photographer/model/makeup artist/stylist meet and greet once a month.
•    Publishing any industry information we get to the group(s).
•    I own and operate a few special interest groups on Yahoo which gives the members a place to voice opinions and suggestions about past and future meetings. Strong communication is paramount to the success of anything.

They have been working great for me. I'm mostly networking with other photographers, and I've recently made a few really good photographer friends to exchange model referals and warnings. We are basically doing this as a coalition with the following objectives:

1) As mentioned, to exchange information about models we have shot with.. recommendations/warnings, etc.

2) We can fly models to Phoenix and save a lot of money by splitting the cost.

3) Sharing location ideas, splitting the cost to rent certain areas, and working on renting a permanent studio space and sharing the rent.

4) Assisting each other on shoots when needed.

5) Drinking a lot of beer.

We just started this at the beginning of the year, so this is a fairly new approach for all of us and so far it's working great! There are currently 4 of us in the group and we're bringing in one more. If you decide to take this approach, I would suggest keeping the group fairly small (5-7 people) to lessen the chance of someone having a conflict of interest. (hording models, talking shit, etc).

swgpa.org is coming soon! (Southwest Glamour Photographer's Association)

swgpa will be simply a private forum where we can exchange information and propose models to fly in without having to e-mail each member individually.

All of the key points above that John pointed out are exactly the reasons I am so excited that two of my really good girlfriends who also happen to be female photogs are both moving here in the next month or two.  We can go in on everything together, learn morefromeachother, experiment, and help eachother with things, etc...

I have never been to a networking "meet-n-greet" so I don't know really what to say about that, but I have been very lucky to meet lots of awesome people through friend-of-a-friend situations... LOVE meeting happy people. 

I have attended Craig's last two gatherings and was quite impressed with the turnout and quality of people.  On both occasions, I stayed until nearly midnight meeting photogs, other models, stylists, and designers.  They had two separate shooting areas set up that were being used the entire time. It is a very efficient way to network and learn.  Great job craig!

It would be great if there were more meeting like this around the country so that MM members could personally "cross pollinate" ideas and relationships

In 3 weeks, I'm going to host our 2nd annual artists & models party, for local folk who participate in the creation of fine art nude photography.  Last year, 50 folks showed up, and this year we expect more.  We swap business cards, view each other's portfolios, and pretty much have a good time.

As a result of last year's get together, several collaborations were born.  Several photographers liked my house so much that they hosted sittings on location here.  There were a couple of sessions where a couple of photographers shared a model.  We swapped location ideas.  We created a distribution list, that was used throughout the year (to warn of a questionable visiting photographer, to hook up legitimate visiting photographers with models, locations, and other resources, to find visiting models work, etc.)  We had discussions about what were reasonable "market rates" for modeling fees.  I helped out some models by cobbling together some business cards for them on my computer (using images for which they had permission).  We educated the less experienced folks on the meanings of copyrights.  A few photographers put together a gallery show.  And so forth.

In all, it was a terrifically positive experience -- I'm looking forward to next month's get together.