Build Business: Reconnaissance Plus Networking
Rhodes White, CPSM
When pursuing a project in another town, have you ever wished you could call someone who could tell you what you need to know about the local politics and competition?

When you are new to the industry—or new to marketing services in a particular location—not knowing the right local contacts can be a major obstacle to success. The way that I make these connections is by attending Build Business, the annual SMPS National Conference. The networking opportunities are just as important to me as the educational seminars.

Even for the most savvy marketing professional, researching and making contacts to break into new markets can be a daunting challenge. Asking a complete stranger to openly provide you with the contacts and information you need is always difficult. I feel that attending the conference and meeting different people make these connections.

These days there are very few truly local firms who only provide services and pursue projects within their specific locales. You cannot simply rely on e-mail to alert everyone on the CPSM listserve about projects you’re pursuing in a new location or to find the information you require. This could potentially alert competitors to your plans and cause more conflicts than results! If you attended the last conference you would have already established connections with someone who could point you in the right direction. There is much to the conference, and you must be there in order to get full benefit.

I have been attending the National Conference off and on (more on than not) for the last 20 years. People have come in and out of the Society, but the one thread that holds us together as a network is the conference. Not only do you meet people who can help you with information at a later date, but you also get to see all the exhibits and awards. The display of the Marketing Communications Award winners in the exhibit hall is one of my favorite highlights. Here you get to see the creative side of SMPS. You can glean ideas that can be incorporated into your marketing or meet the people who had the creative ideas and discuss the thought processes behind their creations. You can take this information back and share it with your firm. You become the body of knowledge for moving your company forward.

But the most important thing to me about the National Conference is the opportunity to meet new people and rekindle old acquaintances. The National Conference is a valuable investment. See you there.

About the Author

Rhodes B. White, CPSM, is the President of White Consulting, based in Atlanta. She has more than 20 years’ experience in marketing professional services and providing management services for some of the Southeast’s major associations and corporations in the design, development, and management of Atlanta’s built environment. Rhodes is a Past President of SMPS Georgia. She can be reached at 770.352.0699 or whiteconsulting@mindspring.com. [ return to top ]