Anyone belong to Marketing groups?

I am trying to really market myself this year and want to get on it first thing in January. I have a LOT of marketing groups in my area and I am trying to find the best match for our business and also something we can afford. Does anyone belong to a marketing group - big, small - how much do you have to pay - is it beneficial for you? I found one locally that is called MPI which is for the entertainment industry, venues and contractors alike and I think this would be a really great fit but it is $500.00 a year! Not as high as some others but I also have to pay for each meeting, $10.00 each. I am planning on going to their next meeting for free but wasn't sure if anyone else has some advice. I was also thinking about the local chamber of commerce (we have lots of small towns in very close distance and they each have their own chamber) but that is about $600.00 a year but has been highly recommended by locals (not entertainment people). Also a women's marketing group or some free groups. Any thoughts or advice from anyone is appreciated. Or, if you have other suggestions for networking with locals and really spreading word fast about our business. Thanks!

I'm not really sure about PAYING to join something like that. Are you able to talk to someone who is a member of the groups you are considering that is in a similar industry? Does it benefit them enough to cover the costs?

I chose not to join our local chamber. I didn't see any correlation between my services and networking of they type they offered. Besides - I already had connections with a lot of the members! This is not a big city!

What I do instead of joining and smoozing is, get a copy of their directory (or other local business/resource directories which are available to purchase!) and go through them, pick out the potential customers or types of customers I want, and directly target them with postcard mailings. It works for me.

There are so many mamrketing groups here, the only ones that really work do cost money. There are a lot of free ones or really low cost ones but they seem to have very lazy members who don't really do referrals or the meet-ups like others do. I found one woman who belongs to this group and she finds it very beneficial, along with another group out of Orlando she has belonged to for 10 years, but that is an hour away. I have sent marketing emails to every member of these two groups but that is a great idea for all of the other groups. Many people I talk to find marketing groups extremely beneficial and really find they work well, especially in such a large city. I guess I'm a little torn, I am sending out emails all the time and getting some response but I want everything to be instand and I know it will take time. I just want to make sure I am doing everything I can to make it work.

Are you a smoozer? A natural salesperson/talker? If you are you probably would be good at making the most of the networking these type of "meet & greet" groups offer.

I'm good on stage with an audience but not good working a room, IYKWIM? I find cocktail parties, receptions, network luncheons painful.