Join the Club

Team TCPR is ready to hit the beach!

Dear Friend,

SUMMER IS HERE!

Sound the trumpet! Bang the drum! Heck, I don't care if you whop a gong or clang a cow bell. I have been counting down the days until summer since winter started, and I can hear you thinking "Join the club." Well, yes, thank you, I will join the club, because that's exactly what this nice weather makes me want to do.

Joining clubs, organizations, societies and other groups related to your business not only adds to your personal resume, but also aids in business development, marketing and public relations. There are three main things you should know about joining clubs and being a good little member.

The active bird gets the worm.

Even the early bird misses out on the worm if he doesn't actively go for it. Active membership and participation is extremely important and will help you make the most out of your membership. Fellow members look for places to refer business (such is the beauty of networking), so the more you are involved, the more recognized your name is and the more credible you become. You should attend at least three meetings in a row in order to make an impact on the memory of other members.

Short and sweet can't be beat.

Have you ever found yourself listening to someone talk about themselves and your eyes start to glaze over? Don't be the one responsible for the glaze! Becoming a member means you will be introducing yourself a lot. These quick introductions are crucial to communicating the "who's", "what's" and "how's" of your business, but be careful you don't end up losing your listener's attention. Memorize a few statements that concisely answer who you are, what you do, who you work for and how you benefit others. The goal is to provoke questions and open up a dialogue which is where you can get into more meaty discussion. The initial intro acts as an advertisement and like all advertisements, you want to stick out and be remembered.

Prepared, purposeful people peak under pressure.

That's the tongue-twister way of saying that those who plan and know what they want to acheive will see more results. Before meetings or events, know exactly where you're going, what type of people are going to be there and how you plan on approaching them. You should also know what you'd like to accomplish during the event. For example, set a goal to meet a certain number of people that you will be able to personally follow up with within 24 hours. Setting a tangible goal will help motivate you to achieve it. I like to use the number three. This may not seem like a lot, but it's better to think quality over quantity.


So come on! Everyone's doing it. Search for organizations, societies or clubs and look into their membership requirements. Some require annual fees, but the return on investment is invaluable and comes in the form of new friends, new resources and new business. Sounds like the beginning of a great summer.