"Release Your Inner Extrovert"

Networking: The value proposition, a plan and some useful tips Mark Chernisky Business Development Mgr Fairfax County EDA MChernisky@fceda.org "Release Your Inner Extrovert"

Overview • Why Everyone Needs A Network • Techniques To Break The Ice • Build Your Network With A Plan • Resources And How To Use Them • Discussion

Everyone Needs A Network We are what we repeatedly do. - Aristotle

Why Everyone Needs A Network • MySpace - “Everyone Is Famous to 15 People” You Already Have One (boss, customers, colleagues, partners … pets?) • Real-time external professional support network • You Need To NetworkBEFORE You Need A Network • “Cross Training” vs. “Job Hopping” - We Won’t Work for The Same Company For Our Whole Career

Technique To Break The Ice “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.”- Victor Borge

Technique To Break The Ice F - Family O - Occupation R - Recreation D - Dreams

Network With A Plan “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” - Sir Winston Churchill “I have never seen pessimism in a Company prospectus.”- Sir William Connor

Network With A Plan “I joined the association but it hasn’t worked…” “Networking is like work to me” “Networking isn’t ‘paying off’” “Business could be better” “I would like to know how to make my membership work for me” “I don’t like to spend my time ‘mixing’”

Network With A Plan • Exit strategy • Field: What do you do now and what do you want to do? • Employer: Who do you work for and who do you want to work for? • Context: What is important to you? • Church? Sports? Politics? Volunteering? Social Justice? Commute? • Time: Be Focused, Ruthless or Mercenary • Commit If You Don’t Have An Appointment, You Don’t Have a Commitment

Network With a Plan1. Make an appointment with the president Make an appointment with the President Discuss what you have to offer and how you could get involved. Ask for the names of three people that would be great for you/your business to know

Network With a Plan 2. Make an appointment with the Chairman • Make an appointment with the chairman of the board • Ask about their business. • Ask how you could get involved. • Ask for the names of three people that would be great for you/your business to know.

Network With a Plan 3. Meet with the committee(s) chairman • Ask about their business. • Ask how you could get involved. • Ask for the names of three people that would be great for you/your business to know.

Network with a Plan4. Attend one to two events a month. • Dedicate one to two times a month to growing your network through these functions.

Network With a Plan5. Lunch and Learn • Attend a Lunch and Learn • Small group • See how it is done • Volunteer to present Lunch and Learn • Share your “best” with interested audience

Network With a Plan 6. Join a committee/Become Involved • Join one committee within first month • Get involved/Offer to lead functions

Network With a Plan 7. Refer business to another member • Work to support your new contacts • Select two that you intentionally “work for” (get them solid (business or job) referrals • Boomerang Effect…

Network With a Plan 8. Be Loyal To Your Network • Think of association members when you hire/purchase personal and professional products/services. For Example: “Always Buy Chamber”

Network With a Plan 9. Set Business Card Goal • Collect X business cards per networking event. • Follow through - Define system to follow up with each card you collect – don’t just put them on your desk. • Use system to contact them.

Network With a Plan 10. Set Goal for New Contacts • Set goal to connect with X “new to you” members each month.

Network With a Plan Quick Review • 1. Make an appointment with the president • 2. Make an appointment with the chairman • 3. Meet with committee chair • 4. Attend one to two chamber events • 5. Lunch and Learn • 6. Join Committee/Get Involved • 7. Refer Business to another member • 8. Always Buy Chamber • 9. Set Business Card Goal • 10. Set Goal for New Contacts

Network With a PlanGoal Setting 101 • Pick two that you will do: • Decide how you will make them happen • Measure and track your success “I always turn to the sports page first, which records people's accomplishments. The front page has nothing but man's failures.” - Earl Warren

Resources And How To Use Them • LinkedIn • Monster.com • iVillage • Searchable university alumni directories • Washington Business Journal • Potomac Tech Wire • “Fred’s List” CNortonNet@aol.com

Resources And How To Use Them Regional Business Organizations To Join • NVTC.org • TelecomHUB.com • MobileMondays.com – Locally: MoMeMo • PotomacOfficersClub.com • LeadershipFairfax.org • www.VolunteerFairfax.org • Chambers of Commerce www.fccc.org • National: ITAA, SIIA, MPAA, AFCEA • Industry Advisory Council IAC

Resources And How To Use Them Various Regional Professional Organizations To Join • American Marketing Association • IPRA • Association of Strategic Alliance Professionals “ASAP” • IEEE • Women In Technology • Dulles SHRM, NOVA SHRM

Discussion • Questions or Comments? Mark Chernisky Business Development Manager Fairfax County EDA MChernisky@fceda.org

"Release Your Inner Extrovert"