Something for Nothing for Something

Olympia, Washington is an interesting city in which to live and work. I recently heard it summarized: "If Seattle and Portland had a love child, it would be Olympia."

Of the city's many quirks, I like its appreciation for business leaders who exhibit community involvement and participation. (That's a roundabout way of saying that if you want to fail here, stay in your office and make cold calls).

Indeed, I believe (anecdotally) that the Pacific Northwest is the capital region for the non-profit industry. If Los Angeles is its entertainment capital, the Puget Sound region of Washington is America's "charitable metropolis."

Personally, I'm involved with three of them - the Association of the US Army, Evergreen Christian School and the Miss Thurston County Scholarship Pageant. I sit on boards, procure items and help run events.

I was surprised by how frequently new business flows from my involvement - in an indirect sense. You don't exactly join charities to take, but to give.

However, working with them convinces me beyond a shadow of a doubt of the "invisible hand" of free-market economics. The pattern of leaving my office to attend a board meeting, and returning to find a request for insurance quotes in my inbox happens far too often to be mere coincidence.

You could say that this happens with charitable/community groups or not; it also happens to me when I go to for-profit networking groups. But let's consider the added dynamic of the non-profit.

Commonly staffed by volunteers, non-profits enjoy the most passionate, dedicated workers. They must have some degree of love, enthusiasm or significance they assign to the mission. But the members also tend to be entrepreneurs, or at least entrepreneurial salespeople, with flexible schedules and performance-based incomes. And they are typically scarce in numbers.

It takes a serious, driven mind to be a major player among non-profit volunteer boards, especially successful ones.

Knowing this provides one opportunity after another to make yourself an asset to such people. No one knows better than a Pacific Northwest entrepreneur how nerve-wracking and disappointing it can be to  organize events that people actually attend, let alone successfully raise funds.

In my seminar, "Networking Intentionally," there's a sub-category called "Not for Profit is For Profit." The lesson is that one of the best ways to genuinely endear yourself to a fellow business owner is by supporting their non-profit activities.

I do this all the time - playing in golf tournaments, donating to causes and procuring items. I will even purchase the services of one fellow networker, and turn around and donate them to the charitable cause of another. And I never worry about whether I'll make the money back, because "what goes around comes around."

Understanding how hard these volunteers work - to procure space, food, entertainment, logistical support and anything else required - helps you get a clear picture of how useful you can be.

Of course, we'd be remiss to ignore that we can also be a commercial asset to them. Recently, I met with one of my fellow board members in the home lending industry. We rarely discuss business, but she was seeking to forge new relationships, and eager to meet highly qualified realtors.

I organized a special private showing of an upscale property in Olympia, listed by one of my best and closest friends in real estate, and we turned it into a creative social media cross-promotion. And this all happened because of our work together on boards.

When you're involved in these groups and your business' workflow comes to a lull, you'll find there's no shortage of work to do. That you are not directly marketing your business is irrelevant; the laws of the universe compel a response to your labors on behalf of the causes you support.

Hence, the concept of "Something for Nothing for Something."

In this sequence, you receive "something" (new business) by doing "nothing" (for yourself) for "something" (a good cause).

I've not found a successful person I admire and emulate, who does not believe in this principle. We all believe in hard work, integrity, performance and quality.

Let's also make generosity and civic involvement a portion of our marketing arsenal.

- Paul