THE BEST NETWORKING PLATFORM…NOT WHAT YOU THINK

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I walked into the board meeting of Operation New Birmingham…looked around the room and saw the usual suspects.  I’ve been on the ONB Board for a really long time so I know most everyone.  However, when I glanced towards the front of the room, I saw a man I’ve never met talking to the ONB President.

 I walked up and introduced myself.  He told me he was a banker who works for a large bank that had just taken over a bank headquartered in Alabama.   He told me about his banking career and the other banks he had worked.  We then exchanged business cards and sat down together.

 At the end of the meeting, he asked me about AmSher…he had obviously scanned my business card.  I told him about our company and then mentioned that we are currently doing work for the bank that his bank had taken over and hoped that his bank would continue to do business with us.

 He asked me to contact him so that we could discuss further.  I sent him an e-mail and we scheduled lunch.

 I’ve had so many good things happen for me and AmSher because of my community service.  When I review my current list of clients and prospects, most of them came from relationships that were developed through my volunteerism.  Our largest client came from someone I met at a Chamber of Commerce meeting.  Last week I got some business from a fellow board member of the City Action Partnership.

 This all makes sense.  You and other volunteers have a lot in common.  For sure, you have a passion for the same cause or organization.  People respect and appreciate your efforts, just like you appreciate and respect theirs.

 I love social media and I enjoy going to networking events, but community involvement, without doubt, gives you the best results.

 This is David Sher, your e-Networking guy, saying it’s not what you know, but whOO you know.

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