Schipani PR Partners with Women's Mentoring Network

Schipani PR headquartered in Stamford has taken the Women’s Mentoring Network under their wing. Last week, President and CEO, Mia Schipani, volunteered to teach 15-20 local community women how to brand and market themselves for business and new careers with a one-hour workshop. Mia shared ways to marketing yourself, a real-life marketing plan to use as a productivity tool to stay accountable to yourself and (5) instrumental tips that are critical for networking:

Dress for Success

Your 1st impression will make a huge impact on the people you meet. Make sure you are dressed professional, stylish, current and look polished. People gravitate to those who invest the time in their appearance. Your appearance says 1 million words to others. People that appear “all-together” draw attention and create a demand because they look serious, determined and mean business.

Be Yourself & Be Present

Those who are genuine are more attractive to others. When you are present and, in the moment, you will appear confident, in control and powerful. Observing minutely the people present, the overall tone of the event-whether it’s formal or casual will help you in understanding and planning your approach.

Listen Actively & Ask Questions

Be a patient listener when you meet other professionals as it’s important to be perceived as attentive and not as a talker. Observe the 80/20 Rule – 80% listening + 20% talking. Make it FUN! Try to discover mutual interests, past experiences and future goals. Act like a JOURNALIST - People love to be interviewed and talk about themselves. Don’t forget to add your knowledge to conversations where it may apply. *Asking personal questions is not appropriate – stick to business only.

Exchange Cards

Business cards help you manage networking and allow you to jot down important notes about each person on the reverse side. Meet as many people as you can, be sure to ask for their business card and then make sure to exchange your own. Have key questions for networking to ensure you obtain the info you need to qualify a true lead. Your mission is to find a connection with each person you meet so that you may follow up.

Follow Up & Be a Giver

First research each person on LinkedIn and GOOGLE to learn as much about them, their role and company. Second, promptly follow-up with a personal email, note something relevant you uncovered (*mutual connections) and mention you would like to learn how you may help them, and to meet for a coffee. Keep track of all correspondence by date in a CRM system (*outlook) and remember your relationships are your most valued asset.

Schipani PR has aligned with the non-profit, Women’s Mentoring Network, to provide PR, marketing and personal branding workshops and mentoring for their women. “We value women like Mia who offer to share their expertise with our clients,” said Lana Gifas, Executive Director of the Women’s Mentoring Network. “The more professional women that mentor our client population, the more successful we will be and value we will provide to those in need.”

Schipani shared with the women, “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” And, she stressed that “making connections every day and cultivating them is the most valuable strategy when looking to make changes in life or business.” Mia closed the workshop with one final motivational thought - “Your network is your net worth, so make sure you are investing in your relationship capital every day!”