It’s Not Who You Know, It’s Who They Know
Hey folks,
Networking. When you say that word some people smile broadly, while others cringe. For extroverts, the art of schmoozing is something that comes naturally. For introverts, it may be worse than death. Regardless of what side of the fence you fall on, it’s a necessity in today’s business environment for everyone in your organization – top to bottom – to be involved in networking. At Madison+Main, we put integrated marketing plans together with five fundamental pieces, and networking is an integral part of every single plan. Whether you are a solo-preneur working from home or a large Fortune 500 company, the ability to effectively engage and grow your professional network can be the difference between success and failure. Every person on the org chart has the potential to become a brand ambassador.
We made more than two dozen connections this week through Rotary, the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce, The Richmond Ad Club, etc. I read a statistic a few years ago that the average person meets 10,000 people in a lifetime. Heck, I think I might have met 10,000 people last year. #DontBeAverage
Monday, February 6 – Have You Met the CBS6 Morning News Team?
This year, some companies gave their employees the day off after the Super Bowl, but not us. #SorryKaity Communications Manager Kent Brockwelland I were up before dawn Smunday visiting our friends at CBS6. For the seventh year in a row, I broke down my list of best and worst Super Bowl ads. The best part? I got to see my friends – Facebook friends and IRL friends – Reba Hollingsworth, Rob Cardwell, Kristen Luehrs and Nikki-Dee Ray. You’ve seen them on TV, but have you met them? #SuperNicePeople
Tuesday, February 7 – Have You Met Bobby Kelland?
On Tuesday, I was so busy I forgot that I had a court date in New Kent to pay my speeding ticket, so I ended up just paying the fine. I was going to use the excuse that the big, knobby tires on “The Beast” caused me to travel 10 mph over the speed limit. I wonder if the judge would have bought that?#JeepProblems
Bobby Kelland, our Aflac rep and networker extraordinaire, invited me to the Greater Southport Association & Midlothian Business Alliance Joint Social at Tazza Kitchen in Midlothian. Glad I was able to drop by and meet some really cool people, including a young lady named Jessica Soffee, who gave me a referral for a great Jeep mechanic. As it turns out, Miss Soffee was a childhood friend of Miss Sophie, my colleague. #SmallWorld By the way, have you met Bobby Kelland?
Tuesday night, Marketing & Partnerships Coordinator Sophie Fisher and Sr. Graphic Designer Kaity Byrum attended Richmond Ad Club‘s Annual Ad Bowl at BES Studios. The boys at BES did an excellent job setting up for the event. Between the turf, the beer, and the bleachers, it was like being at the big game. In the end, the Patriots might have won the Super Bowl, but bold brands always win the Ad Bowl — favorite spots among the pros assembled included T-Mobile and Anheuser-Busch. #BoldBrandsWin
Wednesday, February 8 –Have You Met Daphne Swanson?
On Wednesday, Kent and Sr. Account Manager Kaitlin Riddle traveled to Norfolk to meet an awesome anti-gang coalition at the Norfolk Police Department for our work with the Virginia Office of the Attorney Generalcalled Project Safe Neighborhood. #Advertising for Good
Wednesday afternoon, I jumped on a call with fellow Junior Achievementboard members and we finalized plans for their big event coming up on Thursday, February 23. In case you missed the exciting news, JA has signed a deal with Henrico County to expand the program’s Finance Park and the “Construction Kickoff” announcement and press conference is set for 11:30am at Libbie Mill Library. Hope to see you there for this BIG announcement. RSVP today! By the the way, have you met JACV’s hard-working, dynamic Director Daphne Swanson? #ICouldIntroduceYou
Thursday, February 9 – Have You Met Sophie Fisher?
I spent some time Thursday working on our brand, spanking new website. Stay tuned, the new & improved MadisonMain.com launches next week.
Sophie and I traveled southside for lunch, with 400 friends. The Chesterfield Chamber monthly luncheon is always fun, and bursting at the seams. Sophie did a great job introducing herself to the big crowd. By the way, have you met Sophie Fisher, our Marketing & Partnerships Coordinator? She already has over 1,000 connections on LinkedIn. Maybe she can help you connect to her network…
Friday, February 10 – Have You Met Katherine Whitney?
This morning I presented to the board of the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives, giving an update on work we’re doing for them. I created a 20-minute presentation and tried not to make it a “bored” meeting. Nice folks, and they ask some really great questions. Our team is thrilled to be working with a great team at VMDAEC: CEO Richard Johnstone, Editor Bill Sherrod, Field Editor Laura Emery, and Advertising Representative Amanda Cunningham.
While I was in Innsbrook, I tried to do what Innsbrookians do… go to lunch. Special thanks to Warren Whitney Co-Founder Katherine Whitney for taking the time to meet me at Mama Cucina for a great plate of pasta, and an even better conversation. Warren Whitney works with a lot of SMBs and nonprofits, providing excellent management consulting services. I’m excited about opportunities to partner with them in the future.
My beloved VCU Rams play Saturday night, and if they win by sinking the last-minute free throws with 0.4 seconds on the clock, my ticker might just give out. #GoRams #HeartStopper
“Networking is an essential part of building wealth.”
– Armstrong Williams, Political Pundit, Entrepreneur & TV Host