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1.

The Independent View

Expertise is worth sharing

By Jacqui DeBique

What does sharing expertise look like for you?

Family dinners at my mom’s place have a distinct look: she cooks and I, on her cue, clean up. Whether she’s catering for two or 22, the routine is the same. As chef de cuisine, she restricts entrance to the kitchen while she prepares her signature dishes, from starters to mains and desserts, right up to her trademark homemade drinks, all from scratch. I bide my time elsewhere, on alert to enter her inner sanctum as chief dishwasher.

Scivicque notes that sharing our expertise helps others and serves to reinforce to ourselves what we know. And, when we engage in conversation about what we know, this broadens our perspectives and expands our knowledge. Sharing our insights helps establish us as subject matter experts, elevating our credibility and value as professionals.

Beyond the “whys” of sharing our expertise, there is also the “how.” Networking is an IABC staple, and the joy of doing so in-person was palpable at PIC’s September social. The event attracted PIC members, IABC members and prospects, and IABC student members. We all had the opportunity to learn from each other in different ways.

Personally, I was inspired by one solopreneur’s tip to set a networking goal each month. I heard one student say this was her first networking event ever and it was clear that seasoned professionals in the room were keen to ease any discomfort she may have had and informally mentor her in the moment.

About using the written word to share our expertise, Scivicque says, “nothing is more empowering than putting your thoughts out there for the world to see.” And about being a resource to others, she encourages us to spread the word when we find effective ways of doing things.

For this issue of The Buzz, we thank all our contributors for invaluable insights that go far beyond these pages to enrich our individual practices.

We learn about the value of giving and getting through referrals, how to be strategic in the process to add value to our own reputation and how to set ourselves up for the kind of success that leads to a referral.

Marian Neglia, our PIC Personality this month and IABC/Toronto’s 2022 volunteer of the year, speaks candidly about her road to entrepreneurship. I was especially struck by her observation that, as business owners, we cannot shy away from the responsibility we have for every aspect of our business; from our employees to the relationship with our clients and beyond, the buck stops with us.

Scivicque also points to ways in which training others can position us as authorities on a subject. In November, we are excited to host Edmond Mellina and a panel of PIC members to share theory and practice specific to Understanding Six Change Personas.

The PIC executive is pleased to welcome Catharine Heddle to the team; we are so grateful for her enthusiasm to bring her expertise to support the PIC Programming portfolio.

And, as October is IABC’s member month, we hope you will take time to explore the new membership categories, take advantage of the discount to renew and share the news with all the professional communicators in your network!

2.

3x3: Sharing the gift of referrals

By Sue Horner

Our PIC network is a fantastic resource. If you’re looking for advice, many PIC members have “been there, done that.” If you’re deciding between options, others in PIC can share their experience. And if you need backup when you get busy, or want to help a client who needs expertise or time you don’t have, chances are a PIC member can help.

That’s where referrals come in.

I’ve both received work referrals from other members and given referrals, too. And so have other PIC members, including Heather Finley (she/her), a marketing writer and editor; Elena Fordham (she/her), founder and principal of Beveridge Marketing, offering brand marketing and PR; and Arlene Amitirigala (she/her), a communications director, writer and podcast producer. These three members answered three questions:

1. What’s the value in getting a referral?

Heather: A referral means a warm lead, which means I’m expected and welcome. I’m not spending hours filtering prospects for the greatest potential. With a warm lead, the prospective client already knows who I am and is interested in talking to me.

Elena: It’s word of mouth, which everybody wants. That gives me instant credibility for my own business. There are so many marketing, communications and PR people out there, it helps when a person has worked with or knows the person they’re referring.

Arlene: It means everything to me, particularly right now because I launched my communications consulting business about 18 months ago – yes, in the heart of the pandemic! So getting a referral from people I knew in the corporate world and connections made online through places like IABC and PIC became and continues to be a real source of business for me. Referrals really are a gift that keeps on giving.

A referral also usually means that because someone recommended me, I don’t have to sweat through a bidding process. And it’s a bit of an ego boost. It feels good that someone recognizes that I deliver great work and trusts me enough to refer me.

“My first referrals came from PIC and so this network remains dear to me. It offers so much value for money compared to other associations you can join!” – Elena Fordham

2. What do you need to know about others to feel comfortable giving a referral?

Heather: When I’m asked to refer someone, that request shows respect for what I’ve already done. So before I refer someone, I want to know they will match my own standards of professional behaviour. This applies to the client as well as the contractor, because I want my contractors to have good experiences, too.

Elena: Ideally, I want to know their specialty, if they have one; their background and experience; and what other clients they’ve worked with in the past. I check out their website and LinkedIn profiles, which act as both a credibility check and a business card. I also look at their activity on social channels. For writers, I ask for samples to see what they’ve written.

Arlene: It comes down to trust. I have to trust the person to be competent, to be professional, to deliver high quality work, on time, and to deliver good value. That may mean that I’ve seen your work and I know you’ll build a great relationship. When a referral I’ve given works out, I feel endlessly proud.

“If I tell you that someone does excellent work or that a client is collaborative, both sides trust that I speak from experience.” – Heather Finley

3. How can you show that you’re a reliable professional others can be comfortable referring?

Heather: It’s an ongoing process. Be collaborative, be kind and be thoughtful in your business dealings. Get to know your competitors and people in related areas of work, and refer others whenever you can’t do the job yourself.

When you’re offered a referral, start with an honest conversation about the topic and client. If you’re booked solid or it’s a subject area you don’t know enough about (or can’t learn quickly), you might need to decline. But if you know someone else who might be a good fit, mention their name and what you know about them.

If you’re hired, it doesn’t hurt to drop a note to the referrer and thank them again. You’ll strengthen your professional relationship with them and set the stage for future introductions. Whether the intro works out or not, refer your referrer if you ever get the chance, because it’s another way of saying thanks and keeping the goodwill flowing.

Elena: I share what I do on my website, on LinkedIn and Instagram. I usually have case studies, white papers, blog posts and other work that shows the value I bring to my clients. I also make a point of taking on speaking engagements, which give me visibility and recognition. I’ve taken part in business accelerators and offered complimentary one-on-one training. And going to PIC events is a great way to meet people. No question, there’s value in shared connections within PIC.

Arlene: I’ve already mentioned trust, and you need to demonstrate that you’re reliable and can be trusted. Do your best work. Flexibility is also important. So many things can happen on the way to signing a contract with a new client, and a red flag is always the person who seems to be inflexible. Be willing to go the extra mile. Care about your clients.

You can show how you work through networking and keeping connected with your colleagues. And I don’t want to advocate working for free, but volunteering helps you, too. I wouldn’t have had paid work with one of my key clients if I hadn’t volunteered with them for six months before.

We launched this column to bring the voices of more PIC members into The Buzz. If you’d like to suggest a topic, or want to volunteer yourself as one of the three “voices,” please contact Sue Horner, getwrite@sympatico.ca. Our thanks to Gary Schlee, ABC, MC, for suggesting the name “3x3.”

3.

In-person networking came back and it felt great

By Maureen Hosein, ABC

PIC returned to in-person networking events on September 22 with a cheeky “Buzz Off Coronavirus, we’re networking…” evening at the Duke of York pub. The turnout was terrific and for me it was a surreal experience after two years of being cautious about personal space and physical contact.

While it’s hard to “unsee” the pandemic and the fact that each of us has been touched by the experience in one way or another, I have to admit I welcomed the return to in-person networking. It sounds a bit weird, but interacting in 3D feels a lot more authentic and human than the two-dimensional screen conversations to which we’ve all become accustomed.

That night, I had the good fortune to meet with many “indies” ­– seasoned PIC members, those new to the ranks and some budding student communicators. Essentially, this was an evening that focused on the value of networking among ourselves.

Here are some of the thoughts and perspectives from a few attendees on the evening and the return to in-person PIC events: