Getting to know you: Networking program lets members make contacts
Texarkana Gazette
That’s sort of the idea behind a new Texarkana Chamber of Commerce program just tested this past week on chamber board members.
Acting as guinea pigs for a trial run at 5 Minute Networking, chamber volunteers paired up and sat down with each other for five minutes at a time Tuesday at Outback Steakhouse.
Their job was to find out some essentials or share new information with each other in that brief span of time, and then the group would rearrange itself for the next round and a new person to meet.
Half the group remained seated at their table, while the other half moved on to meet the new person, rotating to the right to meet a new networking partner when a bell was rung.
Chamber officials view 5 Minute Networking as a way of adding value to the chamber membership.
Josh Harris, membership and public relations coordinator at the chamber, sees it as a way to encourage participation from some who may not ordinarily attend chamber functions.
“I see it as a way to get more members involved,” said Harris. “Typically, we’ve always had the mainstays but I believe this is going to pull some people who haven’t been inclined to be active in the chamber.”
He said part of the event’s appeal is the structure and the fact participants will always leave with some new contacts. He points out the software that sets up and runs the event will keep people from being paired up with the same person when they participate again.
Harris said participants can even give a preference of the business background when they sign up for the event online, directing them to people who can bring some tangible, business contact help.
“Everyone has either their target customer or contact and this is the perfect way to meet them,” he said.
The chamber’s first run with members will happen sometime around August and from there it will be held every other month, said Harris. He said the chamber will charge $25 to participate, but he believes chamber partners who attend will make that back with the contacts they take with them.
As he puts it, “What’s a good contact worth to you?” He said on average each participant will meet 10 people at a 5 Minute Networking event and the current venue will hold up to 30 people.
In the future, they might move to a larger location if needed, but Outback Steakhouse would remain the exclusive sponsor. With the software, about 100 people could conceivably be involved in this meet and greet session.
A briefing sheet passed out to participants doesn’t give specific questions to ask. But the idea is to get to know the person concisely and listen to what the partner has to say. Of course, after that it’s the followup that’s important.
“Everybody said that they would do it again,” said Harris. Judging by the responses from participants offered after the event, people warmed up to the event even if they were nervous or unsure of what to expect, he added.
Paulette Smith, superintendent of the Fouke Public School District, was one of the board members who experienced the trial run. She believes making new contacts gives resources and potential referrals.
She said it was also a chance to get to know her fellow board members better. She says it will give chamber partners more of a sense of “ownership” because they’ll have better access to other people in the community now that they know them better.
“I think it was an excellent idea, particularly since the chamber is made up of people in a regional area that have varied positions, careers and the like and it doesn’t mean you necessarily meet them (chamber members) anywhere else,” said Smith.
John Jarvis, board chairman and head of business development at Century Bank, was also one of the guinea pigs participating.
“The thing that stood out to me is that as many people as I know in Texarkana, I don’t know what they do ... this gives you an opportunity to get to know those people,” said Jarvis.
He sees it as a good marketing tool to get the word out about a business and find out who can help that business along.
And Jarvis said it’s incredible how much information can be shared in five minutes.
“One thing I noticed too is it’s fun,” he said.
Sara Lawrence, alternative certification coordinator and clinical faculty in special education at Texas A&M University-Texarkana, spoke positively about the 5 Minute Networking and said she wanted a few more minutes.
“Overall, I found it amazing how much you can learn about another’s mission and industry in only a few minutes. The structure of the event allows folks who are unfamiliar with each other to remove obstacles and awkwardness often associated with ‘social networking’ and get straight to relevant information,” said Lawrence.Ê
She found the same was true when talking with people she knew, feeling amazed to discover how many people she was unaware had changed positions or directions within their business.
“Not only will this event enable chamber members to have an efficient method of networking but, it seems to me, this event offers a unique opportunity for members and their employees to think about how to synthesize and articulate their mission and work it into an effective message,” said Lawrence.
Jeff Sandford, chamber president, said the key to its success is the innovative software that enables the chamber to keep track of participants and the contacts they’ve made.
“The volunteer leadership of the chamber had the first opportunity to experience this groundbreaking event, as we put the board through a trial prior to its official launch,” said Sandford. “What we found was that leaders from all types of business and industry found the 5 Minute Networking program to not only be fun and fast paced, but completely beneficial—even for a group that has been working together for many months.”
Harris said those interested in participating in 5 Minute Networking can contact him at the chamber about chamber membership.
For more information about the networking program, visit the Website www.5minutenetworking.com.
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