Forums or Networks and how many should I join?

This is a question I see asked on many VA forums.  The reality is that it’s important for you to share and learn from your peers, but also make sure you’re getting exposure for your business too.

I belong to several forums and participate at each one from time to time, but not every day for all. However, I do believe it’s important to belong to VA Networks as well as forums and I am a member of 4 currently.  These have both forums and job postings from clients so I get both sides covered there and make sure I’m actively involved in their forums regularly. It makes sense to join a network that is in your own country but then look to join others that are well positioned and have been around for quite sometime. Remember that our industry is global so there’s no reason you can’t gain client work by belonging to a network from another country.  Joining their forums first is probably a good way to get a taste for what the network is like, the culture of the network and the leaders of that network.  Generally the networks have free forums but their paid memberships include many other benefits, including receiving requests from clients for work to be done.

Forums are for learning about your industry and sharing with your peers, networks are for growing your business and gaining client contacts.

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