| Check here for updates
on news from members of Clay County Women's Exchange.
5.2.07, Submitted by Carol Birkey
As featured in the Kansas City Star on May 1, 2007 - Business
Section "Networking Capabilities". Under the subheading
"Leading the Way:"
One of the most prevalent misconceptions about networking is that
attending meetings and passing out business cards will be enough,
said Carol Birkey, a Liberty business coach. "Effective networking
is hard work," she said, noting that it works best when relationships
are respectful and reciprocal - based on the sharing of ideas
and information. To expedite networking, give a lead to someone
else, said Birkey, who was named the "Referral Queen"
for 2006 by the Clay County Women's Exchange, a group dedicated
to networking.
"You can't just walk in the door and expect to do business,"
said Brenda Dunham, president of the Clay County group and a financial
advisor with PGN Financial Services, LLC in Independence. Dunham
said it took about three years before she got her first client
through the group. "You have to be willing to meet people
and let them know who you are and what you do," she said.
Networking is not for the impatient. "It takes at least six
to eight face-to-face meetings before people trust you,"
said Ann Baber who speaks about networking to groups across the
country. |
Clay County Women's Exchange