And here we are with the first NCU (networking and cultivation update). This week, I networked with 6 people in person, from that I:

Learned the ins and outs of consulting from expert consultant, Kathleen Saadat

Adopted a non profit for some pro bono work, Donors Resource

Started a conversation about joining the board of PABA

And saw a good friend, good resource and new produce customer…Jeff Miller of Travel Portland

Jeff had some great ideas and suggested he could refer me to some people I should contact. Letting folks know that I have started a consulting business is very important, particularly in a city like Portland. Portland is a small, big city and referrals more often come from who you know, rather than more traditional advertising. Networking here has the potential for huge impact in social networks.

Which brings me to my online networking site for the week, LinkedIn. If you look to the right, you will see the button for my profile. In some ways, it is the traditional social networking site that it isn’t very social.  There are various groups you can join, but it primarily serves as a place to track and expand your network. This is not the place to go and chat up your best friend from high school…

You can develop an extensive business profile, an online resume of sorts, search the contacts of people you know for a connection, look for jobs and generally keep a log of all of the business people you have met, either virtually or in person. It is handy if you want to find the friend of a friend who knows so and so over at company x.  Or, I use it to find other consultants in Portland who do work that is similar or complimentary to mine…always good to have a place to refer clients who want something you don’t provide or who need consulting and you are too busy (!).

I have connected with lots of people, some I knew, some I didn’t.  I have also met people online and have followed up with in person coffees. In fact, next week I am meeting in person with another consultant I met on LinkedIn.

This week, I networked electronically with lots of folks and here’s what resulted:

An in person coffee with a new colleague

A referral to a potential client for my produce business, Dancing Hills Produce

A freelance job for a newspaper on the coast

A paid blog posting job

Never underestimate the importance of networking…and remember, it is not about the quantity of people you connect to, it is about the quality of the connection.