The Pioneer Strategist -- October 2006

"Even the woodpecker owes his success to the fact

that he uses his head and keeps pecking away

until he finishes the job he starts."
- Coleman Cox -

PR Blog Topics

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

• Oct. 2 -- How Perception Impacts Sales (and Your Bottom Line)

• Sept. 26 -- Business Wire to Commemorate 100th Anniversary of Public Relations Industry

• Sept. 26 -- Article: Marketing Products Directly to the Decision Makers

• Sept. 26 -- Excellent Article on the Changing World of Marketing & Advertising

• Sept. 26 -- How NOT to do Business...

• Sept. 14 -- Search Marketing in Regulated Industries

• Sept. 14 -- Interesting: "Video Ads Don't Drive Clicks"

• Sept. 13 -- American Airlines Launches Targeted Marketing Campaigns

• Sept. 13 -- Cisco Launching Campaign to Rebrand Itself

• Sept. 5 -- Would You Be Ready If You Were In His Shoes?

PR Tool:  Networking

by Frank Williams, President

Many people hold the view that networking is purely a sales function and only benefits those who work in a sales capacity.  In my view, nothing could be further from the truth.  Networking is all about building trust-based relationships, and we can all use more of those.  Additionally, I believe networking can be one of the single most powerful PR tools for a small business owner with a limited budget.

Networking as a Public Relations Tool
The purpose of a proactive Public Relations campaign is to build your organization's reputation and credibility among key groups of people.  If you are a small business owner working within a limited universe of key people, what better way to accomplish this goal than building personal relationships with those key people?  Targeted, focused networking can be a powerful tool for building your organization's reputation, assuming your networking representatives make a good impression on those they meet.

A Networking Strategy
Those of you who have attended a Pioneer Strategies Small Business PR Workshop have heard me say that a clear strategy necessarily precedes an effective Public Relations effort.  In my view, the same is true of networking.  A well thought out networking strategy will help ensure that you are networking in the right places, meeting the right people, and making the best use of your time.

Expand Your Horizons
As you develop your networking strategy, you should take a step back and look at the horizon.  We often get so caught up in the day-to-day activities of our job that we lack the vision to anticipate future opportunities.  While it is certainly important to network with people who can become your customers today, it is equally important to build relationships for the long term.  To that end, you should think three steps ahead.  Which groups of people will be keys to your organization's long-term strategy?  Who are the opinion leaders within those groups?  How can you reach out to those people today?

A Few Principles of Effective Networking

• It must be about the relationship, not just the sale. 

• It's not just about you.  Know when to shut up and listen.  Take the time to learn about others and find out how you can help them.  Add value to the relationship.

• Follow-up is key.  Stay in touch with those you meet.

• Be authentic.  People can spot a fake a mile away, and they will know if you joined their organization for the wrong reasons. 

• Be patient.  Networking is about building trust-based relationships that will stand the test of time, and trust must be earned. 

"If you network hard for 35 years and build

pivotal contacts in strategic areas of business,

you can become an overnight success."

- Harvey Mackay -

Bob Luddy, founder and president of Captive-Aire Systems, will be the guest speaker at Pioneer Strategies' first Friday Morning Leadership Forum.  The event is set for Friday, Dec. 1 at 7:30 a.m. at the Cardinal Club.  Registration is $15.00 and includes a breakfast buffet.  Seating is limited.

Click here for more information

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