Networking and Community Values Advertising

In the year 2002, the month of June, I started my Community Values Advertising Magazine. The same month I also joined my first networking group.

According to Wiki: Business networking is a socioeconomic activity by which groups of like-minded business people recognize, create, or act upon business opportunities. 

What this means to me is I meet up with a group of people that I have come to know and trust as friends and we help each other grow our business by asking for the type of client we would like to have. I can ask for specifics. The person in charge of adverting at a particular restaurant or gym. The person I ask might have the opportunity to contact this person and let them know that I will be contacting them. When I make the call to set an appointment the contact person knows that I will be calling and accepts my call. My closing rate on these referrals is very high. In return when someone in the group asks for a referral I do my best to return the favor to a friend.

This week I attended a Friends Of Kevin breakfast meeting and my daughter in law came along. One of my accounts was also present and introduced me to someone she feels would benefit from advertising in my magazine. My daughter in law was so impressed with the group and Kevin that she is going to join.

Here is a quick rundown of what happened. I show up with my daughter in law. We have coffee and pastries. We talk a little bit with other members who I know fairly well at this point. I have a great opportunity for a new client thanks to a current client. Kevin gets a new member and my daughter in law see’s a great opportunity to kick off for her “ Dream of a life time, business that she has wanted to do for a long time.

Ok. What is wrong with this picture? Absolutely nothing. Come and check out the next Friends Of Kevin event and see how it works for you.

A little about Community Values. My wife has been a publisher for 17 years and myself for 10.  We publish 5 times a year and are delivered by the Post Office so it is free to the resident. What is most important to our clients, in most categories, we offer exclusive advertising so your business is the only business of its type in the  magazine. You have no compition. We put your ad on our www.commuityvalues.org and .mobi sites so people can print your ad for redemption or redeem it on their smart phone. Also a link to your website. If you are interested it advertising in our magazine contact Kevin Willett and get a firsthand look on how networking works.

Kevin & Evie O’Rourke

Publisher’s

Community Values Advertising Magazine

COMPUTER SKILLS

• Microsoft Windows XP, Word, Excel (Pivot Tables), Power Point, Outlook, Outlook Express
• Internet Recruiting, Monster, Career Builder, Craig’s List, Jobs in NH and more

ADP, Paychex Preview, Ultra Staff, Skill Match, Send Outs Pro, Rumba/AS4

I have operated my business for over 20 years and the one major regret I have is that I didn’t grasp the importance of networking a lot sooner than I did.  Networking can not only help you get more business.  It can help you find a job, find the best doctor in town, get tickets to a sold out show or maybe head off a major problem before it becomes a problem.  Networking can open doors that otherwise would be completely closed to you.  Ever hear of the saying it’s not what you know, it’s who you know?  Obviously if you plan on being successful you have to know your profession, but I don’t think you can succeed in business without having a strong network of friends, clients, prospects, family, vendors, acquaintances, etc.  Look at any field.  Your most successful people have the strongest personal networks.

Of course, in my case, the light didn’t go on immediately. I initially built a fairly strong business just by sheer hustle and ‘making the calls’.  But it wasn’t easy and it took longer than I wanted it to.  And then the economic collapse of 2008 happened and I was faced with having to do a major rebuild of my customer base if I planned on continuing in the promotional products business going forward.  Believe it or not, it was a book by Harvey McKay – Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty: The Only Networking Book You'll Ever Need that made me realize I was missing the boat on this little secret that top producers in any field know is one of the fundamentals of success.  I would strongly recommend this book to anyone in business.  It’ll be the best $12 you’ll ever spend.

Ever since the day I first opened that book, I’ve dedicated myself to growing my own personal network.  When you buy into this, not only do you meet lots of cool and interesting people – you find out that it’s fun.  And yes it opens doors.  However a key point to keep in mind is that to really grow a network you have to give before you can receive.  None of us can do business with everyone we meet.  But maybe we can offer a lead or give a referral.  Or maybe mention a tool that helped improve our own business, give a tip on a great restaurant or just be friendly at a networking event with lots of strangers present.  I love when Kevin Willett does one of his How Can I Help You Today? posts on Facebook.  To me, that’s what networking is about in a nutshell.   Of course when I meet you I also want you to know that I’m in the business of ‘Branding via Promotional Products’.  I want you to remember me when  that guy you met at the golf tournament says he wants to get some embroidered shirts like the cool one they handed out to everyone.

Networking certainly isn’t easy.  You have to commit to it, keep at it and resist the temptation to stay home instead of heading out for a 6:00 PM networking event on a cold night in January.  But what I can tell you is it works…and has been a key ingredient in the business success I’ve had the past few years. 

Working with Friends of Kevin has been a very successful experience. I don't have a lot of experience with networking, as I recently moved my business from Lexington, Massachusetts up to Dracut, and need to start meeting local contacts. Kevin goes out of his way to make each person at his networking events feel comfortable and engaged. He makes an effort to communicate with everyone about what their goals are in networking and reaches out to connect people he thinks should work together.

My business is Boston Tutoring Services, an in-home tutoring company that offers one-on-one tutoring throughout Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. When I network, I am looking for referrals for both tutors to join my team, and for parents who are looking for tutors for their children. Networking allows me to meet a wide range of contacts who can connect me with people looking for tutoring work or for tutoring services for children that they know. I have also been able to connect with some local organizations that offer educational services, and am always surprised by the new connections I'm able to make to expand my business.

Networking has given me more confidence in group settings in which I know no one, and must reach out to make connections. I have gained a lot of practice in making introductions to strangers, trying to find a common ground, and sharing contact information. It is very important to come into these settings with an open mind, rather than just a sales pitch. I never want to go up to someone and try to tell them why my service should be used by them. I want to will learn about what they do and have them learn about what I do, so if we each happen to know someone who could help each other, we can each benefit each other. I have learned a lot about how to go about this intricate social exchange. I've also learned more about how to make the 'elevator pitch,' to promote my business in a short amount of time. These networking events that allow us to speak for a minute or two are a great opportunity to refine our elevator speech and direct attention from the group in a positive way. I've appreciated all of the opportunities to learn more about appropriate means of networking, social interaction, and public speaking. These are all highly important skills for a business owner to cultivate, and networking is a very positive experience that can promote these vital business skills.