Apr 6, 2012

Live Networking; what a concept!

Posted by Wendy Weber

Social Networking is getting all the attention these days.

I am very active in my social networks, including LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Google+.

But this post is about traditional, face to face networking. I get out regularly to attend events in direct marketing, digital marketing and social media. There are lots of reasons why people attend these meetings, not the least of which is to “get business” or “get a job”. To be sure, those are good reasons. I would be lying if I said I didn’t hope to secure new business when I attend such functions. But it’s not the only reason. I genuinely like being around direct marketers!

I have always believed it is invigorating to get out and meet your industry peers. When I was on “the other side of the desk” as a practitioner of direct marketing (the first 12 years of my career), I often attended industry meetings. I saw them as an opportunity to learn from others, and gain new insights. I met lots of people. One of them ended up hiring me! We casually met at a direct marketing luncheon, and months later she called me when she had an opening in her department. You never know…

I hear that people are “too busy” to attend industry events. And budgets are tight. I’m not buying it. People have always been busy, and budgets have always been tight. Plus, some events are in the evening. And some are free!

I just don’t think you can be too busy to invest in your own career. I talk to people every day who have found themselves unhappily employed, or worse, unemployed, who wish they had built a network of professional colleagues they could reach out to for advice or job leads. LinkedIn has its place, but it is a poor substitute for a human connection.

Here are some events I will be attending this month. Please consider attending, and if you do, look for me!

April 11th: Direct Marketing Club of New York networking event
You say you’re too busy to get out during the day? This one is at night!
At Hurley’s – 232 West 48th Street, NYC
To register: http://dmcny.org/event/2012-april-12th-evening-event

April 19th: Direct Marketing Club of Long Island luncheon
At the Plainview Holiday Inn – 215 Sunnyside Boulevard, Plainview NY
To register: https://www.dmali.org/index.php/events/event-registration

April 19th: Social Media Club of Long Island Tweet-Up ** FREE & In the Evening **
At The Morelly Center – 510 Grumman Road West, Bethpage NY
To register: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/3082883989

If you don’t live in NY, find out what meetings are happening in your neck of the woods.

Let me know how you fare!

In