MPBPA Meeting This Thursday

It was my distinct pleasure to serve in several capacities through the years with MPBPA, including Association president for three of those years. During that time I gained a tremendous appreciation for the true value of networking, particularly networking done well. If we were somehow able to put a meter in the room at the luncheons to measure the number of lasting relationships and the total dollar amount of all the business conducted as a result of relationships created or enriched here, I can only imagine the numbers. They'd probably be so high that most people wouldn't believe them. (I'll check around. Our current Association president Chuck Diggle may just have an app for that.)

What's the mark of a strong association? One measure is the number of long-term members, those people and organizations who have stayed with MPBPA year after year, supporting with their member dues, their hard work and their presence at most or all of the monthly luncheons and occasional social events. I've given my continuous membership in MPBPA a high priority through the years. Some are kind to say that I've made valuable contributions; I believe that I've gained as much or more than I've given.

So this month we're going to focus on effective networking. By the fact that you're reading this, even after all the hype and bad news about the economy, you're still standing. Congratulations! You didn't cave, choosing instead to work through the entire downturn. You refused to take on a sense of isolation and desolation. Others who did tossed their hands in the air, concluding that there was no use in working since no one was buying anyway. In fact, you may have a new outlook on business and life, gaining a keener sense of what's really important. If you've reached the conclusion that "It's the relationships, dummy!" you may have learned the single most valuable lesson you'll get in the business world.

Here's what you can expect at the luncheon. In discussing how to network effectively through the recovery, we'll focus on three keys:

1. How to make the most of what you can control in networking opportunities;
2. The value of connecting without selling;
3. Making sure you stick with it to bring home the bacon.

We'll make the time interactive and I'll welcome questions throughout the presentation. We'll also make it practical with tips you can use immediately, and we'll keep it lively for those who tend to zone out a bit after a big lunch. I've sat where you'll be sitting, so I know it's no fun to catch (or toss, for that matter) a bunch of freeze-dried information. I'll serve it up hot and ready to eat.

If you'd like more on the topic, be sure to be with us at the luncheon. That's where you'll get my special offer, available only to those who attend the luncheon, to join me for a more in-depth workshop on networking effectively in any economic climate in the intimate setting of the exclusive Harbour Club in historic downtown Charleston. I'll include those details in the presentation and look forward to seeing you on March 18.