Trying Something Different for My Consulting Work

In an effort to try and jump start my consulting work, I joined a national "professional" business association for women.  This is not an inexpensive association and they did a good job in keeping my interest by bringing down the price but my main goal is to network with other professionals looking for my skills.  Additionally, they provide free webinars and podcasts directed at women-owned business.  My experience with associations have been fairly negative (they really don't have your interests in mind) and are geared toward making money for the administrators not the members.  So, I have traded out one association for another to see if they can convince me they are worth it.