The power of networking
When I was the executive director for our area chamber of commerce, one of the things I learned was the power of networking and how one company can make a difference in the ability of another company to succeed.
One of those ways was a connection that was made between the city, social services, a sign company and the chamber. We worked together to create and use a digital billboard that would be able to advertise not only for the chamber business members but also for the community as a whole.
It took being out there, posting what the chamber was doing, making connections with people both on social media and in person, but we were able to bring these four entities together and put up a sign that has been in place and used daily since 2014.
The best part, because of the connections that were made, the $20,000 sign came at absolutely no cost to the chamber. Because of the connection made with the social services employee who I worked with on other projects for reducing drug and alcohol use by minors in my community, we got to talking about what I hoped for the chamber which was this sign.
My friend was like, "Hey, if you will advertise drug and alcohol prevention messages for us, I can use my grant dollars to pay for the sign."
The city agreed to pay the electricity for the sign if they could post some of their events and meetings.
I knew a guy who worked at the electronic sign company and he got us the best sign possible for our money. They also came out and taught us how to use it.
The current director has taken the sign's use far beyond what I ever did. She is also a good friend of mine.
But none of this would have happened had I not shared the desire to have this sign, to connect to the right people at the right time through various social media and personal channels and to be willing to stand up and take the steps to see it through.
The four entities involved all got something out of the connection.
- The chamber of commerce got their sign
- The city got virtually free advertising for a few dollars of electricity a month
- The social services team had all of their events posted
- The sign company made a large sale and my buddy Todd got a really good commission!
Even deeper than the outward things, we developed relationships that go far beyond the surface level of the sign. I can now call on any of those people for a favor at almost any time and they step up and help!
Networking is more about the depth of relationships that can be built than just the immediate results that are seen.
Build those relationships! It is more important than you might think.
Hoping you all have a great rest of the week!
Karin
Recent Comments
29
Awesome message! I wish the world at large had the same mentality as you and your friends at the chamber of commerce. Can you imagine what the people of the world could and would accomplish if we all worked together?
To quote John Lennon, "You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one"
Bob
So often things like this can be done. It takes work and some compromise, but it can make a huge difference.
I love that John Lennon quote!
Karin
As an adult education (AE) teacher, I am part of two advocacy organizations that advocate for AE: The California Council for Adult Education (CCAE) and The Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE).
In many states, including CA, where I live, AE faces massive budget cuts, even total elimination of its existence at times.
AE is sometimes, if not often seen as a worthless expense by those in government who don't understand.
The truth is AE serves a valuable service that is not an expense but an investment in the societies we serve. As advocates, it's our job to make that clear.
We have a saying in CCAE: "If you're not at the table, you're probably on the menu."
As a result of our collective thought process and unity, we are thriving in CA and changing the public view of ourselves worldwide, particularly in the USA because of COABE, which is somewhat of a spinoff of CCAE.
Yes, networking works.
Bob
I agree with the importance of the network power. Great example that you have shared.
Sami
Thank you. It's about working together to accomplish a greater good. And always building those relationships.
Karin
Great educational post about the importance of networking. I still network on a continuous basis. Thank you.
Awesome! I think sometimes people forget that we are building relationships even if those are online only. If we don't create those connections, how do we hope to build a network? A relationship? A business?
Keep on networking!
Best to you!
Karin
Thanks for reading and commenting, Myra. It is nice to know when someone has connected to what I have shared.
Hope you have a great day!
Karin
For some reason, your post has me thinking about those old school rolodexes, Karin.
Folks used to exchange business cards with each other to stay connected back in the day.
Isaiah 😁
LOL, Isaiah! Yep, back in 2014 we threw business cards in a jar and had a drawing. Then I would take those cards and put them in something very similar to a Rolodex!
Thanks for the stroll down the memory lane!
Karin
Stories are the backbone of our existence. We are all storytellers at some point whether we are even aware of it. I didn't even think about this being a story until I completed it. LOL. It's just natural. 2 x 4 Therapy Hope you have a great day, Frank!
Karin
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Wow, you've done something wonderful. It's beautiful to see what people can achieve when they work together. It requires skill to create and foster such cooperation.
Thanks. It wasn't without effort, but it did come together very well.
Karin