Laura’s Blog

My writer self loves nothing more than plunking down in front of my computer and spilling words onto the screen. I could write all day, every day.

My business owner self knows that isolating myself in my office isn’t the best way to drum up business.

Me with my stem of roses, compliments of Snohomish Flower Company

So this morning at 7 a.m., I extricated myself from my cozy bed and headed to my local Mexican restaurant, where I wolfed down a gigantic breakfast burrito and networked with 15 other business owners from my community.

It was my first visit to a LeTip meeting; I was invited by Patti Grunkmemeier, a distributor for SendOutCards. Today was the first time Patti and I met in person. I had visited her booth at the Everett Home and Garden Show (on another of my networking forays), and she started sending me cool greeting cards. Via postal mail, no less. Who actually sends out physical greeting cards to prospective clients anymore? Patti does!

I kept her cards because I so rarely get real mail that receiving a card was special. So when Patti called and invited me to be her guest at the LeTip chapter that just formed in Snohomish, Washington, I gladly accepted.

If you’ve never heard of LeTip, it’s an international business-to-business networking organization in which chapter members refer each other’s services to others. During today’s meeting, everyone had the opportunity to set up a display table. We networked one-on-one, and then we each pitched our business twice to the entire group – a 30-second pitch and a 2-minute pitch. I found the pitching session helpful in getting to know my fellow local business owners and what they’re passionate about.

I met so many interesting people, ranging from a mortgage consultant to a portrait photographer to a handyman. Not only that, I had some sideline conversations that may result in new Blogging Bistro clients.

At the end of the meeting, Sandra Cain, manager of the Snohomish Flower Company, gave everyone a stem of baby roses. Think I’ll remember Sandra next time I need to purchase flowers? You bet!

So often, we entrepreneurs get busy running our business and we forget the power of face-to-face networking. If you haven’t done so recently, I urge you to attend a LeTip meeting, a Chamber of Commerce meeting, an economic development meeting, or some other business networking event in your community.

If you do network regularly, please share your recommendations for good community groups to join.

Finally, if you live in Snohomish County, here are some businesses you might want to patronize  (no, they are not paying me to write this!):

Dynamic Diesel – Lorene H ill, Owner
Picky Penguin Photography – Michelle Bartholomew, Photographer
AdvoCare (nutrition company) – Jesse Stoddard, Independent Distributor
Precision Collision Auto Body – Mark Lovell, Marketing Director
Superior Machine and Manufacturing Company – Normal Moss, owner 360-568-2664
Integrity Insurance and Financial – Matthew Tyner, Agent
Jon’s Handyman Services – Jon Belcher, Handyman 425.280.7488
SendOutCards – Patti Grunkemeier, Independent Representative
Elliptic Systems (IT services) – Chuck Telschow, sales manager
Integra Pacific Mortgage – CJ Merlino, Licensed Loan Consultant
Snohomish Flower Company – Sandra Cain, Manager