Choosing Networking Functions
Nancy Roebke   mailto:execdirector@profnet.org


Time is a concern for all of us. We only have so much of it to
give to our work, and then some to our families, our churches
and some to ourselves. In today's business climate it is
essential to spent our time wisely to maximize our productivity
and satisfaction with our lives.

One way that you can ascertain that the time you spend 
networking is most effective for you and the accomplishment 
of your goals is to choose your functions for networking 
strategically. This involves deciding on goals for your 
networking time and then seeking groups and functions that are 
geared toward the satisfaction of your goals.  

If your networking time is to be spent on business 
development, then you would want to focus your time, energy 
and financial resources involved with organizations and 
functions that are, by their design, for business development. 
Some Chambers of Commerce gatherings, business trade 
shows, and organized business associations meet for the 
expressed purpose of finding more business for each other.  

The people who attend these functions are there for the same 
reason you are - to meet new people, make new contacts, and 
generate more revenue. If you end up at a function that is more 
"social" in nature, and you are trying to do business, you will 
become very frustrated. Social functions are fun and relaxing, 
but a person trying to do business or make contacts there, 
could be very disappointed. If people are not in a "business 
frame of mind", doing business with them will be impossible.  

A clue to whether the function is "business" or "social" can
often be found in the time of day that the function is held.
Many "after-hours" functions, although billed as
business-development functions, really are not set up to do
business. If there is a non-structured agenda, than the chances
are likely that this function will be a "wind down after the
business day" gathering more than one for actually doing
business.

Another clue is to read the material that is produced by the 
organization about the function. What is the Mission 
Statement? What are the requirements to participate? Who is 
invited? What kind of marketing was done for the function? All 
of these will assist you in determining if a function will help 
you maximize your time and energy.  

The desire to be involved with functions that are not just for 
business has its advantages as well. There is a lot of mentoring, 
brainstorming and good will generated at civic functions- like 
Kiwanas, Elks, and Rotary. A person who attends these 
functions for reasons other than satisfaction of civic and 
personal goals will be equally as frustrated as the person 
attending non-business functions and trying to do business. 
There is a need and a place for both.  

If done properly, networking functions bring you closer to 
satisfaction of your personal and business goals. It is 
important to view these extra hours as productive. They take 
away from your family and personal time. They can be easy to 
skip because of the added amount of self-motivation required 
to attend them.  

Because of this, the quality of people attending these functions 
for the purposes of networking is higher, so your chances of 
meeting someone who can really help you are greater. Some 
old sayings never change- birds of a feather still DO flock 
together....  


Profnet, Inc. http://www.profnet.org is a professional business
leads generation corporation. We bring business professionals
together in a non-competitive environment to help each other
make more money. 

Copyright c 1998 Nancy Roebke





Nancy Roebke is the Executive Director of Profnet, Inc. 
Profnet, Inc. is a professional business leads generation 
corporation. We bring business professionals together in a 
non-competitive environment to help each other make more 
money.  


execdirector@profnet.org    
profnet.org


Copyright c 1998 Nancy Roebke