When you realize other professionals welcome invitations to join your network, it is easier to overcome shyness.

Here are some networking tips:

• Contact professionals who serve your clients. It’s easy because you have something in common—your client.
• Be candid about your reason for contacting them. Networking is a two-way street.
• Tell them what kind of business you want—niche, industry, and size.
• In addition to considering traditional referral sources, think about members of your clients’ boards.
• Include professionals who serve a niche industry, e.g., bonding agents serving the construction industry.
• Many of your firm’s alumni may be working in industry and can be good referral sources.
• Other accountants can be referral sources—larger firms can refer work down, and smaller firms can refer work up.
• Networking lunches are effective. One small-firm partner has a schedule of lunch dates with about 12 referral sources. He has lunch with each monthly or quarterly.
• Don’t get discouraged when a networking event doesn’t quickly lead to a referral. It takes a long time to develop a trusting relationship.
• Follow-up is important soon after an initial meeting. Send information about the firm, invite the person to a social event. Add him or her to your newsletter list. Create a personal contact.
• Do community work. One- marketing director is on the board of Goodwill Industries and meets many other professionals on the board.
• Give referrals without expecting immediate reciprocation. One marketing director recommends giving three referrals before expecting something in return.

Barnes, Dennig & Co., in Cincinnati, organized a construction industry conference in partnership with a law firm and a bank. Each sponsor invited dozens of clients. A prominent industry consultant spoke about best practices.

Pannell Kerr Forster of Texas, in Houston, has become deeply engaged in the technology industry in Houston. It runs a service that provides education and access to funds for companies in energy, life sciences, technology, and nanotechnology. Bankers, attorneys, and other professionals are also involved. Other activities include:

• Participation in a venture technology group with Rice University.
• Membership in the Houston bio-tech group.
• Partnership with Houston Business Journal and other sponsors in an awards program for the 50 fastest growing technology companies.

From CPA Practice Management Forum, CCH Incorporated, 800-449-8114, August 2006, p. 8.