“Power Networking for Community
Impact”
2015 PANO Collaborative Conference
Monday, September 22, 2015
Two Questions – Choose One
1. Discuss a great networking situation you
have experienced ? What made it great?
2. Discuss a great relationship that has been
fostered as a result of networking? How
was it nurtured?
What is the definition of
Community Impact?
What is Community Impact?
 Impact is not directly about what you do—
how many people you serve, how long
you’ve been in existence or how far your
service reaches.
 It is about the positive change you achieve
and whether it lasts
It is your bottom line and depends on
nourishing relationships
What is Community/
Business Networking?
What is community/business
networking…?
 Is the process of linking together individuals
who, through trust and relationship building
establish mutually beneficial relationships
with other community/business people that
should lead to a potential benefit for both
parties.
 Networking is building relationships
Networking is building relationships
It’s not who you know but who knows you!
 Enter every relationship with the
understanding that each of you
represents a valuable resource
with expertise to share.
 The more you bring to the
relationship the more you will
take away – in knowledge, good
will, and business success.
Each 100 contacts has access to 100 contacts
Basic Networking
How Do You Start?
The Fundamentals
 Attitude is everything
 Have a Plan
 Add value…this isn’t about you
 Create good…no great…interactions
 Follow-up
Attitude is Everything
Mindset needs to be focused on …
Being genuine
Building trust and relationships
Seeing how you can help
THOUGHTS X ACTIONS = RESULTS
Have a Plan
Why - have a purpose or a goal
Who - target your prospects
 build relationships with people you can help
 build relationships with people that could be a good
alliance for you
What - type of event; choose carefully
When - how often…frequency
Where - repeating and diverse
How – Face to face, social networking, emails,
conference calls
Add Value…
 Be known as the “connector”…the “go to”
person for introductions
 Don’t collect business cards…engage in
“meaningful conversations”
 Give valuable information and help the
person you are speaking with
 Try to make the exchange memorable
How do You add Value?
Create Great Interactions
 Attend as though you are the host!
 AELAT…practice good communication
 Approach
 Engage
 Learn(listen)
 Add value
 Transition
 Work the room in an Open Manner
Follow UP
 Within 48 hours




Email
Hand written note of thank you…never out of style
Connect on Linked-In
Telephone
 Be sure to ASK if you can add them to your database
 If appropriate, set-up follow-up meeting
 Provide Value…again
 Follow Through on Your Commitments
People generally follow-up with only 10% of connections they make*
*Fisher, Donna, “Professional Networking for Dummies”
Tips – Do’s and Don’ts
Tips – Do’s and Don’ts…
Cultivate rapport
DO NOT spend time with people you know
DO NOT SELL
Come early and stay late
Engage the keynote speaker or honored
guests before their presentation
Tips – Do’s and Don’ts…
Engage in one-on one conversations
Always extend your hand first and always
shake hands good-bye…especially women
Ask for cards, don’t give cards
Give introductions and ask for introductions
Write key information on the back of the
business card
The 4th Largest Country
Social Media
It can’t be ignored…within seconds one can
log on, search for, see and make
judgments about you and your business
It can be a catalyst for genuinely
establishing and building business
relationships
Social Media Networking
Fundamentals…Remain the Same
 Attitude is everything
 Have a Plan
 Add value…this isn’t about you
 Create good…no great…interactions
 Follow-up…faster
POWER NETWORKING TOOLS
 Network Updates
 Advanced Search
 Personalized Invitations
 Tagging, Commenting , Liking
 Groups
Network Updates
Advanced Search
Personalized invitations
Tagging, commenting, liking
Groups
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING TOOLS
 Connect with “friends”
 “Like” business pages
 Post, share, like
 Stay on top of network news
 Tag when appropriate
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Power Networking Tools
Search.twittyer.com
Have conversations
Twitter Chats
Mention customers/contacts
Respond right away…etiquette
What are two actions you will take
regarding your social media usage?
A Word on Good Communication
Perceptions are Reality
The Key to High Impact
Networking
Detailed Instructions
What do you see?
3 Tools of Communication ...
Copyright © ACTION International 2005
A New Way to Grow ... Strategic Nonprofit Networks ...Circles of Influence
Adds the “Power” to Networking
Strategic Networks...
Benefits:
 Helps you co-create with community...you become nimble and
connected to the community
 You become a high impact organization that can identify and
mobilize around needs
 You build networks with diverse partners and you partner with
purpose
 You look outside of traditional relationships and build trusted
support systems
 More opportunities to tap into an extended network
 Save time, costs and resources...all teams members can be part of
network
*The Commitments of High-Impact Nonprofits, Alliance for Strong Families and Communities
Your Strategic Networks...Circle of Influence
 Not all network contacts are equal…your network contains a
small number of people/groups that have proportionately
more influence with you and you with them…your
connectors...with a shared purpose
Your Strategic Networks...Circle of Influence
 Powerful relationships built on trust and collaboration...
you each help each other and leverage the community
and social impact you each can have
 Diverse and inclusive of many organizations and people who
have a stake in change
 Foster trust and accountability by weaving connections through
personal relationships
 Share platforms to communicate and track progress
 Connect resources for faster change and innovation
 Form dense core of connections among people and
organizations that have a shared purpose and actively
cultivate new connections
Your Circle of Influence – How to
Cultivate It
1. Know your Purpose
2. Be adaptable not controlling...push to the edge of
the networks
3. Be willing to let go of predictability...real learning
4. Appreciate redundancy of functions and richness of
interconnections
5. Look for contributors before credentials
6. Appreciate diversity and the divergence it brings
Your Circle of Influence – How to
Cultivate It…
2. Identify who’s in in your circle…
 Think of everyone...individuals, organizations,
business, associations, currently in your network
 Develop a current list
Your Circle of Influence – How to Cultivate It
3. Identify where the gaps are and fill them...who
could be in the network, who you are missing or
who you want to nurture

Do research

Use current network contacts to strengthen
interaction

New connections will take time…develop trust
•
•
Social media is a great first connection
Use current circle to provide introductions and endorsements
Plan on Meeting and Developing Stronger Relationships
Your Circle of Influence – How to
Cultivate It…
4. Maintain Relationships, contribute and
Collaborate
 Develop a plan to cultivate, manage and contribute
 Consider how often you will make contact
 Maintain open, honest, and on-going transparent
communications
 Don’t control...let it evolve
The Next Level...
From Non-Profit Quarterly
“A Network Way of Working: A Compilation of
Considerations about Effectiveness in
Networks”
From Harvard Business Review
“Nonprofit Networking: The New Way to Grow”
/
A Final Thought…
Trust … is the trump card
The TRUST Equation
Trustworthiness = Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy
Self-orientation
 Credibility relates to our words and is revealed in our credentials
and honesty
 Reliability relates to our actions and is revealed by keeping our
promises
 Intimacy relates to our emotions; people feel safe talking about
difficult agendas
 Self-orientation relates to our caring and is revealed in our focus
(us or them?)
© The Trusted Advisor (Maister, Green and Galford, Free Press, 2000)
Your AHA Moments
Reflection Sheet
Thank You