As the popular saying goes… it is not what you know but who you know. The strength of your network begins with building quality relationships and this is something that has been instilled in me since becoming a member of the HallPass Team (2010). These days there are many ways to build these quality relationships, but the focus of this blog are through local networking groups in Orange County. Networking within your community gives you the opportunity to mingle with like-minded people and engage in conversations with potential friends partner and clients. A great way to find people to network with is finding local networking groups within your industry that encourage and host events within your community.
Because HallPass Media is a sports marketing firm located in Newport Beach, California, Orange County marketing and advertising networks are great networks for us to be a part of. Below are some the top networking groups in Orange County that we have found success with and really enjoy. I hope this helps you, and look forward to seeing you at an event held by a group below!
1) OC AMA- Orange County Chapter- American Marketing Association
From the OC AMA website the OC AMA is dedicated to the leadership, advancement, and growth of the marketing and business community in Orange County. Our organization provides you with professional development programs, advanced marketing tools, and networking resources to address your professional and business needs, and marketing challenges. Through informative educational events, valuable networking vehicles and by engaging industry and local thought leaders to share their ideas and experiences, we will enable you to stay at the forefront of the marketing innovations that will enhance your business strategies.
No matter your level of experience or expertise, the OC AMA will be a trusted resource that will not only inspire and enlighten, but also provide you the forums to engage, interact, and grow with our community. We invite you to be part of our growing community of successful Orange County marketing professionals, and build your invaluable network of friends, colleagues, and business partners.
Why Join?
Members have access to great information online from webinars to whitepapers to www.marketingpower.com to our OC AMA website. Members also get discounts on local events with marketing industry leaders and National AMA conferences and webinars. The opportunity to continuing education – marketing is an evolving discipline!
The ability to build Connections – access to the over 20,000 nationwide members of AMA. Networking, Networking, Networking! It’s fun to hang out with people who understand “Lorem Ipsum” is NOT a real language.
Learn more: www.ocama.org
From the OC Ad Federation website the OC Ad Federation is a chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF), is the largest professional organization dedicated to the advertising business in Orange County. We are over 300 members strong, and our community consists of affluent and educated executives and local business owners who touch the advertising industry in numerous ways. This includes ad agencies, broadcast production houses, printing companies, interactive shops, individuals from the client side and many more.
Why Join?
Membership Has Its Benefits!
Creating great advertising requires looking at the world a little bit differently than everyone else. And there’s no better way to expose yourself to fresh ideas and new ways of thinking than by joining the OC Ad Federation. Motivate yourself and your people by entering and attending the OC Ad Awards; make new friends and contacts at an OC Ad Fed Mixer; join an educational event, give something back by getting involved in the Ad Club community. In the end, OC Ad Fed membership can’t help but increase your odds of succeeding in the ever changing world of advertising. At the very least, joining makes playing the game that much more fun.
Learn More: www.ocadfed.org
3. BMA- Business Marketing Association Southern California Chapter
(Meeting held in Orange County)
From the BMA website BMA has been the business marketer’s first line of defense in changing business marketing environments. No other organization delivers the same level of commitment to the information and networking needs of b-to-b marketers and communicators. From roundtables to panel discussions to executive summits, the Southern California Chapter (SoCal BMA) serves its b2b marketing community through education, professional development, and peer networking.
Why Join?
Socal BMA connect members with the kind of knowledge, people and programs that make achieving their company objectives more efficient and effective. As a business marketer or communicator, your needs are distinct from those of the consumer marketing environment. Broad-brush marketing associations or trade organizations devoted to a single program category cannot effectively provide the required resources. BMA focuses on meeting the challenges presented in business marketing, day in and day out. For nine decades, BMA has been the business marketer’s first line of defense in changing business marketing environments. No other organization delivers the same level of commitment to the information and networking needs of b-to-b marketers and communicators.
Learn more: www.socalbma.org
4) LeTip of West Orange County
From the LeTip website LeTip is a professional organization of men and women dedicated to the highest standards of competence and service. Our primary purpose is to give and receive qualified business tips or leads. Members will, at all times, maintain the highest professional integrity. Each business category is represented by one member and conflicts of interest are disallowed. The meeting format LeTip has developed is over 20 years in creation. Each Chapter has a Board of Directors. Every meeting is conducted from a specific format.
Why Join?
Exchange valuable business tips which turns into money, all members work to provide you with qualified business leads.
Members provide access to clients you would not otherwise be able to contact. There are no outside speakers and members identify themselves and their product or service at each meeting. All members are able to display your product or service on a predetermined schedule.
Learn more: www.letipwoc.com
Networking does not always have to begin at events, nowadays the internet has the incredible ability to connect people at a click of a button, the best place to build and join in quality networking groups is on LinkedIn.
5) OC Marketing & Advertising Professionals Community LinkedIn
OC Marketing & Advertising Professionals Community is an open networking community on LinkedIn for Marketing and Advertising professionals working in and around the Orange County community. Their goal is to educate and promote resources that will help you to do your job better. With nearly 3,500 members within the group it is a great way to meet with new people online.
Why Join?
LinkedIn groups like this give you the opportunity to communicate and engage in conversations without attending events. We all have busy business schedules and attending events does not always fit into our schedule. Utilizing a LinkedIn community allows you to network from you laptop in your office. It is a way to expand your online network and build leads within a community who has the same intent. LinkedIn groups allows you to be an active voice in a community on a daily basis creating a content or engaging in previous conversations. OC Marketing & Advertising Professional Community also host free monthly lunches to meet the people who you have been in contact with online.
