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The Pioneer Strategist -- June 2009

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."
- Thomas Edison -


PR Blog Entries

Recent entries posted on our blog, Public Relations Insights, include:


Pioneer Strategies introduces

Small Business PR Coaching Plan

 

Times are tough.  The economy is on everyone's mind.  In these challenging economic times, it is more important than ever for your marketing communication efforts to be effective and focused. 

 

If you would like professional marketing communication advice, but cannot afford to spend thousands of dollars a month on consulting fees, our Small Business PR Coaching Plan is for you.

 

Click here for more information or to sign up today.


Networking Myth:  If you attend one or two networking events, you’ll get immediate results

 

by Frank Williams

 

In recent newsletters I have dispelled some myths about networking. This month's newsletter continues that focus.  

 

Myth:  If you attend one or two networking events, you’ll get immediate results.

 

Fact:  Networking is a long-term process.  It is about establishing relationships and building credibility and a strong reputation, and those don't happen overnight.

 

This myth is one of the ones I see most often.  A businessperson joins their Chamber of Commerce or another organization, attends a couple of events, and then throws in the towel because "I didn't get any business out of it."

 

Unrealistic, false expectations lie at the heart of this myth.  Networking is about building relationships, and relationships are not built overnight.  Relationships are grounded in trust, and trust is earned over time.  Networking is a long-term process, not a magic pill that will somehow cure your sales woes overnight. 

 

I have been involved in a number of networking organizations over the years.  I cannot tell you how many people I have seen join an organization, come to a couple of meetings, and then disappear as quickly as they showed up -- before those of us already in the group even had a chance to get to know them.  Rather than establishing credibility and trust, they were viewed as a flash in the pan.

 

Those who fall victim to the idea that they can go to one or two networking events and get immediate results are shooting themselves in the foot.  Effective networking requires consistency and patience.  When you join an organization, be ready to commit to attending and participating for the long haul.  Visibility and commitment will establish your credibility and enable you to earn trust over time.  If you have a quality product or service that people need and have the ability to purchase, the relationships you build today will translate into business down the road.

 

To paraphrase what a friend of mine often said when he chaired a networking group of which I was a part, "Those of us who have been here will give you new folks a year to show us what you're all about."


Pioneer Strategies’ President addresses

Lower Cape Fear DOVIA chapter

 

Frank Williams, president and founder of Pioneer Strategies, addressed the quarterly meeting of the Lower Cape Fear chapter of DOVIA (Directors of Volunteers in Agencies) on Tuesday, June 9.  Williams, who discussed Leveraging the Internet to Promote Your Organization, was also the guest speaker at DOVIA's first quarter meeting in March.  more...


Pioneer Strategies’ President elected to North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors

 

Frank Williams, president and founder of Pioneer Strategies, has been elected to a three-year term on the North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.  Williams and the other newly elected board members take office on July 1.  more...


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