NetWorking Works in Atlanta

By Glen Gould, Southeast Bureau Chief          Glen's Bio

It's the "dawg days" of summer in Hotlanta (Atlanta, GA) and with the back to schoolers and late summer vacationers, one might expect that networking would take a back seat to relaxing in the hammock with a cool sweet tea.  You haven't lived until you've had sweet tea in the south!

However, networking not only endures, it thrives in Atlanta.  With over thirty chambers and associations running regular networking events, one might expect that an independent networking group would be hard pressed to last.  Yet for over seven years, Elizabeth Wright and Networking Works! has been coordinating networking events in the north east suburbs of Atlanta.

The purpose of networking works is to provide a structured and creative environment for professionals to exchange qualified business referrals among themselves.  What makes Networking Works! different is the close knit group each "TEAM" develops over time.  Teams meet at differing places and times, usually for one-hour on a weekly basis.  Each team has a facilitator who helps keep the meeting on track.  The meeting starts with an introduction by each member or guest, then one member will offer a seven minute program about their product or service (the meeting I attended featured Martin Birkbeck - The Growth Coach www.thegrowthcoach.com).  After a lively question and answer session, the facilitator begins the lead/referral portion of the program.  Each attendee may pass leads or referrals which are qualified on the standardized form as either hot or warm, and there is even a chance to suggest ideas, speakers, and introductions to gate openers.  The comments section is valuable since when I walked away from the meeting, I had so many leads that I needed the comments to remind me of the details.

Elizabeth Wright is a professional Image Consultant with over twenty years experience in sales.  She started Networking Works! at the suggestion of her mentor when she noticed a need in the community.  She's an active member of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce and views her company as a nice compliment to the chambers' work.  They recently participated in the Gwinnett Chamber Big Expo with great results, securing over 70 leads for new members.

"It was so nice to look back at my booth and see some of our members voluntarily helping out when I went to answer a question at another booth.  Our members are really like ‘family’", Elizabeth recalled.

Further testimony of the family atmosphere is found in their quarterly meetings where all the Teams get together and socialize.  Membership categories are exclusive, only one realtor, business coach, architect, etc. to each Team is allowed.

Networking Works! is more than just a name.  It is the correct name for this group.  The most unique feature of Networking Works! is the Team concept, and the fact that Teams can work together.  One Team needed a meeting place for a couple of weeks while their meeting place is being remodeled, and through Elizabeth's facilitation, they will join another Team for the time.  When one Team has a lead for a company that is not represented in its core Team, it can send it to another Team through the facilitators or through Elizabeth.  There's even a Virtual Team which meets in cyberspace!

To learn more about Networking Works!, visit their website at www.networkingworks.net or email Elizabeth at etwright@mindspring.com.
 

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Glen can be reached at GlenG@TheNationalNetworker.com.