Page 8 - Vallejo_Chamber_of_Commerce_Magazine_Summer_2019

COOPER’S CORNER

“The Importance of Networking is different for small and days or weeks online. You can read body
large businesses. A small business needs language and receive real-time feedback
In-Person Networking” familiarity within its own community, even as trust starts to build. When that trust is
if it is mainly or entirely online; a small high enough, a B2B relationship is born.
by James Cooper business benefits from local community This relationship doesn’t happen every time
When a person thinks of a Chamber of connections, which can create awareness of you network. I like to describe business
Commerce, the first image that often pops additional local business opportunities. These networking as “business gardening,” where
into their head is a business mixer. These connections also help the organization with each networking contact is a seed. As an
networking events usually involve finger questions about local marketing, funding, owner or manager, you should use this
food, beverages (including wine and beer), HR, and other business operation issues. A opportunity to build your own garden of
and lots of chatting. From an outsider’s large corporation, on the other hand, tends contacts; one day, these contacts may
perspective, it can appear everyone is just to be bottom line driven in nearly every bear fruit, but in order to do so, you must
activity. While it doesn’t preclude getting
having a good time mingling. However, there involved in a local community, a large water your garden. Follow up with your
is a lot more happening than meets the eye. networking contacts and invite them to
business tends to be less “personal” because
Merriam-Webster defines networking as, it is already an established and known your place of business. Get to know them
“the cultivation of productive relationships commodity. It typically expects you to do as well as you want them to know you. If
for employment or business.” Networking business with them, without the extra effort. done regularly over time, you will indeed
creates familiarity: you see each other, Whether small or large, the biggest business have quite the garden!
talk, and spend time in the same room benefit of networking in-person is that it Looking for a place
together. Over time, familiarity can lead to is personal. Online networking has the to “garden” for
trust. That initial “hello” in conversation can advantage of being engaged wherever business? Attend a
open the door to a more formal, business- you are. These connections, however, are Vallejo Chamber
to-business transaction opportunity. You’ve virtual. In person, networking is right in business networking
seen them, have met them face-to-face, front of you. Personally connecting with mixer! For additional
and have a sense of who and how they are. others accelerates relationship building, as information, please go
The next step is to do business together! you can learn in minutes what might take to VallejoChamber.com.

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6 Summer www.vallejochamber.com
6 Summer www.VALLEJOChamber.com Discover Our Community 2019 7