Networking in Sacramento

By BETTE DAOUST, Ph.D., Southwest Bureau Chief          Bette's Bio

There’s gold in them thar hills—networking gold, that is.

Sacramento is the capital of California and presents many opportunities to network at different levels. Yes, there are Chambers of Commerce and other associations, but you’ll also have an opportunity to network with government officials and business owners who cater to government workers.

Sacramento networking expert Rick Cooper shared the inside scoop into local networking opportunities. According to Rick, Sacramento is still a small town. The population is more than 400,000 but in the business community, everybody knows everybody.

Sacramento, long known for being a government town, is now known for its growing technology industry and has a strong business presence. And although government workers do not always need to network, their bosses certainly have a frequent need to connect with the business community.

One of the best opportunities to network is through the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce, also known as the Metro Chamber. This Chamber covers six counties and boasts 2,400 members. Here are some opportunities through the Metro Chamber to connect and get business:

• Business Expo. This well-attended event hosts more than 250 booths, draws more than 2,500 people, and offers great resources for small businesses, including workshops. The moderate fee for a booth brings a return on investment of more than twice the cost of vending.
• Perspectives. This annual event features five international guest speakers and attracts well over 3,500 attendees who are movers and shakers in the area.
• Share pack mailing to 6,000 chamber member contacts in the Sacramento area. This business share pack has a good response rate, but the best part is knowing who is advertising and what they are looking for.
• Regional advocacy. Sacramento is the seat of government for California, and the Metro Chamber emphasizes business issues that intersect with state and local government issues.
• Political speaker series During election years, politicians are anxious to press the flesh and meet with the business community. This is a great chance to rub elbows with elected officials and candidates.

In and around Sacramento, you can also focus your networking efforts through other local chambers, including Roseville, Folsom, and Elk Grove. There are Hispanic, Black, and Asian Chambers which, by the way, welcome non-ethnic members. Sacramento, known for its ethnic diversity, is a focal point for these dynamic chambers.

Another great place to establish contacts with local businesses is through business referral groups, including TNI (www.tni-network.com), BNI (www.bni.com), and LeTip (www.letip.com). TNI Founder Tricia Tequida has been a consummate networker in Sacramento for the last 15 years, starting most of the existing chapters of LeTip before launching her own successful networking organization.

Rick Cooper is president of the Arden Lunch Chapter of TNI (The Network, Inc.) in the Sacramento area.

TNI chapters have between eight and 40 members. Membership is by invitation only and based on exclusive categories to prevent your competitors from joining. Your success will depend on your commitment to attend and pass referrals. These groups exchange a lot of business and are well worth checking out.

Sacramento is the home of possibly the largest number of associations in the nation. You will find everything from lobbying groups to foreign trade associations. If you’re interest is in the technology industry, look into Techcoire and SARTA; for foreign trade, contact the World Trade Center, affiliated with the Metro Chamber. The city is the nexus of networking activities, both political and local. There are so many events happening weekly that you’ll find it challenging to follow up with all of the leads. The key is to focus, concentrate on select groups, and build long-term relationships.

Contact Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro, a sales productivity coach in Sacramento, through his website, www.ThePDApro.com. Connect with him for additional networking insights as well as tips on how to boost your sales productivity.

 

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Contact Bette at BetteD@TheNationalNetworker.com or via TNNW Blog.