Importance of Building

RelationshipsPresented by:

Russell Talvi

Make Friends Online

Social Media and more

• Facebook

• LinkedIn

• Twitter

• Other platforms you use?

Attend or Host Meet & Greets

• Set up your own Open House, find an organization or

business to partner with …

• Fairbanks Young Professional Council

• First Friday with Fairbanks Downtown Association

Join Organizations

• Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce

• Explore Fairbanks

• Fairbanks Downtown Assn.

• Quota International of Fairbanks

• Rotary Clubs of Fairbanks

• 100 Golden Heart Women

• Alaska General Contractors Assn.

• Interior Alaska Building Assn, Inc.

• Alaska Miners Association

• Alaska Oil and Gas Assn.

• Alaska Travel Industry Assn.

Attend Conferences

In State, National and International Conferences

• Check out the conference agenda.

• Continuing Education, classes offered?

• High caliber speakers with relevant industry information?

• Meet new contacts and catch up with other small business

owners with similar opportunities and challenges.

• Change of scenery, change of mindset and a legit business

expense.

Take a Class

• No or Low Cost Classes

• SBA Monthly Trainings – Federal

Contracting Series

• Online workshops

• Association sponsored classes or

webinars

• UAF/CTC

• Other online courses from industry

sources, associations and

institutions

• At a Conference

Cross Promote with Partner Business

• Don’t venture too far away from

your brand.

• Make sure prospective companies

share similar customers. Otherwise,

your cross-promotion efforts will

likely fall short.

Monster, Skittles, Toyota, and NASCAR all

promoting themselves at the same time.

Volunteer in your Community

• Service clubs and fraternal organizations: several Rotary clubs, Lions, Quota Club International, Chena Kiwanis Club, Fairbanks Concert Assn, Fairbanks Drama Assn, Farthest North Girl Scouts, Pioneers of Alaska, Elks Lodge, Fairbanks Symphony, Midnight Sun Council of Boy Scouts, Fairbanks Arts Assn., etc.

• Youth and Adult Sports organizations: Youth Soccer, Tennis Assn, Youth Hockey, Nordic Ski Club, North Star Ballet, Greater Fairbanks Racing Assn, Curling Club, Cheerleading, Alaska Dog Mushers, Assn., Fairbanks Amateur Hockey Assn., Interior Youth Basketball. Stingray Swim Team, Fairbanks Paddlers, etc.

• Other non profits: United Way of the Tanana Valley, Fairbanks Community Food Bank, Love Inc., Rescue Mission, Blood Bank of Alaska, Paws for Purple Hearts, Autism Society of Alaska, Salvation Army, Breast Cancer Detection Center, Fairbanks Resource Agency, Green Star of Interior Alaska, The Door, Joel’s Place, Fairbanks Hospital Foundation, etc.

Follow up

• Takes time and effort to build all relationships. Nurture connections for

networking attempts to produce results.

• Reconnect with targeted businesses within 48 hours of the first meeting.

• Consider their preferred mode of communication when following up; Port

Ashton example.

• Communicate sincerity and appreciation.

Alaska Small Business Development Center

Russell Talvi

Fairbanks Center Director & Business Advisor

Alexis Amstutz

Business Advisor

Thank You!

Any Questions?