Women in Networking recruiting members

Generating leads and referrals, building healthy relationships, and delivering value over the long-term are vital to any successful networking group.

Kriss Mitchell said her new networking group, Post Falls Women in Networking, provides all of this and more. Mitchell, who owns Living Well Counseling and Consulting, and Cindy Spence, a business developer, held their first group meeting in July.

“If you are looking to connect with other successful-minded women for networking opportunities, then this is the group for you,” Mitchell said.

Women in Networking meets at 11:30 a.m. for a luncheon on the second Wednesday of each month at Garden Plaza, 545 N. Garden Plaza, in Post Falls. The group is recruiting new members, and allows only one member in each service area. Dues are $85 per year.

According to Mitchell, the role of Women in Networking is “to support and enhance our members’ ability to grow their businesses, provide relationship opportunities, and become known in the community as women of character, integrity and goodwill.”

In this craze of social networking on the Internet, Mitchell emphasizes that face-to-face relationships have an authenticity that is hard to duplicate in an online environment.

“Bottom line: Successful, lasting relationships are created face-to-face; it’s just the way we are made as human beings,” Mitchell said.

Kootenai County has several networking groups that focus on building personal relationships including chambers of commerce in Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, Rathdrum and Hayden.

“Mastermind and power groups are what distinguishes our group from other groups,” according to Mitchell.

The mastermind group works on the premise that each member’s participation and support is key to the success of the group. Each quarter a member is chosen and the group brainstorms about how that member can best promote and sell their services to the community.

“Mastermind groups challenge members to establish goals and brainstorm ideas,” Mitchell said. “A strong community of support with honesty and respect is formed.”

A power group is a smaller group within the larger group, generally comprised of related services that plan an event whose purpose is to give back to the community.

A Healing Day is planned for Sept. 23 from noon to 6 p.m. at the Post Falls Police Department resource room.

“The purpose of Healing Day is to help the public deal more effectively with stress in these tough, economic times,” Mitchell said.