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"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

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Overview

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

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Everyone Needs A Network

We are what we repeatedly do. - Aristotle

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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 Network BEFORE You Need A Network

“Cross Training” vs. “Job Hopping” - We Won’t Work for The Same Company For Our Whole Career

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Technique To Break The Ice

“Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.”

- Victor Borge

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Technique To Break The Ice

F - Family

O - Occupation

R - Recreation

D - Dreams

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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

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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’”

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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Network With a Plan 6. Join a committee/Become Involved

Join one committee within first month Get involved/Offer to lead functions

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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…

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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”

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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.

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Network With a Plan 10. Set Goal for New Contacts

Set goal to connect with X “new to you” members each month.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Discussion

Questions or Comments?

Mark CherniskyBusiness Development Manager

Fairfax County EDA

MChernisky@fceda.org