Social Networking meets Live "In Person" Networking

It goes without saying that the use of Social Media Networking has contributed significantly to the growth of C.H.I.P.s (Chicago Home Interior Pros). Members have all come to C.H.I.P.s via an invitation from a current member or through Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin. Last Thursday C.H.I.P.s members got together to discuss using Linkedin to market their businesses ( we were fortunate to have Mark Bradford and Rob Lambert of ChirpUp.com come in to lead our discussion).  It was great to see members networking with each other, passing out business cards, carrying on conversations about previous C.H.I.P.s  meetings and what they've accomplished since.  You can tell some members have met outside of our events and have begun building professional relationships.  

The point is that no matter which website we use to "build our networks", it is always important to carry it to the next level. If you are building on a relationship with a local Tweeter, Linkedin connection, or Facebook friend, why not do something crazy and meet in person? The more comfortable you are with someone, the more likely you will turn to each other for business needs.  After all, that's what we're supposedly doing on these websites, isn't it?

This post by Israel Retana. Israel is the founder of C.H.I.P.s and 2ndgeneration craftsman at Retana Cabinet Works , where they've been specializing in custom cabinetry and antique furniture restoration for nearly 30 years. He can be followed on twitter (iretana), friended on FaceBook , connected with on Linkedin, or contacted at israel@retanacabinetworks.com