This document discusses networking and how to effectively grow one's network. It introduces the concept of "netgiving", which is asking what you can do for your contacts rather than what they can do for you. It emphasizes developing meaningful relationships through shared interests and experiences. The author became involved with the program Give Back(packing) after meeting the founder Eli Harris and seeing his passion for the program. The author provides networking advice including developing one's personal brand and utilizing tools like LinkedIn to enhance networking. The overall message is about cultivating productive relationships through common ground and mutual benefit.

1. Give Back(packing) & Networking
“Growing a diverse network and developing life-long relationships through
common interests and shared experiences.”
Introduction:
My name is Marc Garofalo and I am an advisor to Give Back(packing). I graduated from UGA in 1997.
After over a decade in the real estate business, I re-united with my alma mater. I am currently working
for the Terry College as a Regional Director in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations. My
primary role is to raise money. My primary goal is to connect alumni to the College in a way that is
meaningful to them. I am passionate about UGA and networking is a way of life. I also enjoy travel. I
drove across country twice while a student at UGA. In many ways, these road trips were some of the
most valuable experiences I had during my college years. So it should come as no surprise that when
fellow Terry College alumni Eli Harris asked for my help with his transformative program Give
Back(packing), I said yes!
I met Eli Harris, Founder and CEO of Give Back(packing,) while networking online. I liked his post. We
exchanged some messages and decided to meet. When we did, Eli told me his story and shared his
passion for the program. I asked how I could help. We decided that the best thing I could do was to
help Eli connect to UGA alumni that might support his program in NY, DC, San Francisco, and the Islands.
Furthermore, we would target those alumni that worked in industries that were identified as fields
ofinterest by participants in Eli’s program.
One of the connections that I was able to make for Eli was with my college roommate in DC. My friend,
a Finance grad, had been very successful in business. He agreed to host Give Back(packing) for a
roundtable discussion on leadership with his executive team. It was a great experience and he treated
the whole crew to a gourmet business lunch afterwards. Subsequently, my friend made his first ever
major gift to the University. In addition to giving you more context as to how I became involved in Give
Back(packing), I am sharing this story with you is because it illustrates many of the concepts and best
practices one should follow when networking and developing meaningful relationships.
In the following pages, we will introduce a counter-intuitive
approachto networking called “netgiving.” We will expose the
pitfalls of transactional networking and provide a new outlook on
this time-honored business practice. Lastly, we will discuss
technology and how it is transforming the art of networking. Above
all, we hope to inspire you grow your own diverse network while
developing life-long relationships through common interests and
shared experiences.

2. Networking& Give Back(packing)
Networking in the traditional sense and how it is transactional in nature.
o Definition of networking
o The pitfalls of transactional networking
Networking as a way of life
o Two types of networking
 Unintentional or passive
 Intentional or purposeful
The conception of “netgiving”
o Listen and respond
o Ask not what your contacts can do for you, but what you can do for your contacts?
Developing your own personal brand
o DefiningBrand You
o What are you known for?
Technology and networking
o Social media and the importance of LinkedIn
o Turning virtual contacts into personal relationships

3. If you are a participant in the Give(Backpacking) program, then you are enrolled in College. You are
hopeful that upon graduation you are well-positioned to find and land a quality job in your field of
interest.In today’s economy, you are hearing simply having a College degree is not enough. So what can
you do today as a student that will enhance your opportunities when you graduate?
Regardless of your ultimate profession, one of the best things that you can do is create and grow a
diverse network of contacts. The two main reasons people network is to get a job or to increase their
job performance.Networking is often discussed but what does it really mean and how can it help me?
Let’s begin by defining networking in the traditional sense. So, how does one define networking?
it of course!!! Here are just a few definitions you can find on the web.
Definition of Networking or a Network:
1: the exchange of information or services among individuals, groups, or
institutions; specifically: the cultivation of productive relationships for
employment or business
2: the establishment or use of a computer network
Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/networking
Business networking is a socioeconomic activity by which groups of like-minded people recognize,
create, or act upon business opportunities. A business network is a type of social network whose reason
for existing is business activity.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_networking
First Known Use of NETWORKING1967 -
Networking is the practice of making contact and exchanging information with other
people, groups or institutions. Usually, networking occurs with other people who have
interests in similar areas. The goal of the networking relationship may be to further your
personal employment opportunities or to cultivate new clients or the expansion of
business relationships. Networking is also a term of art used in the computer industry.
Source: http://reference.yourdictionary.com/word-definitions/definition-of-networking.html
These definitions mostly describe the traditional and most practiced form of networking. “Hello. My
name is Marc. I am a fundraiser for UGA. I hear you went to UGA and made lots of money. Can I buy
you a cup of coffee and tell you about how you can give to UGA?” Most people fall into this transparent
and shallow form of “transactional” networking. Consequently, many have a negative view of
networking as a selfish activity practiced by overly aggressive salespeople –or- people desperate to find
employment. Perception may be reality because most people in fact approach networking this way.

4. Some avid networkers will go to all kinds of events and develop lots of contacts and collect lots of
business cards, Facebook Likes, Twitter Followers, and LinkedIn contacts. Many will stop there. A few
might make the effort to send a standard follow-up e-mail message such as “It was nice meeting you.
Call me if you are in need of my service. I look forward to keeping in touch.”
We would argue that these traditional and transactional approaches to networking are largely
ineffective. We believe that in order to be a truly effective we must separate from the herd and think of
ourselves as networking every day.
Passive or unintentional networking:
Your network is a culmination of everyone you know and come in contact with. This includes (but is not
limited to) your family, your friends, your fraternity or sorority, your classmates, your co-workers, your
acquaintances, your teachers, your coaches, your neighbors, the waiter or bartender at your favorite
establishment, the cashier at the grocery store, the bank teller, your Facebook friends, LinkedIn
contacts, Twitter followers, and the list goes on…
Your daily interactions with people, both in person and online, are a form of passive networking. This is
mostly an unintentional behavior. When you strike up a conversation with someone sitting next to you
on the bus or like someone’s post on Facebook you are probably not intending to meet your future
business partner. However remote, that possibility does exist. Take how Eli and I met for example?
If we recognize that a life-changing relationship is just around the bend, then shouldn’t we be more
intentional in the way we interact with people on a daily basis? Being kind and respectful to everyone
we come in contact with just might help fill the karma bank. As I have personally discovered, this comes
in handy when your chips are down and you need to make a withdrawal! Never burning a bridge is also
a great way to live. Severed relationships might very well block you from future opportunities. You can’t
wait until you need a job or need to make a quota to begin thinking about networking. Your network is
a living, breathing entity that changes with your daily experiences. New contacts are constantly being
made, perceptions formed, relationships strengthened, and perhaps even bridges burned. As sure as
the sun rises and sets, your network is constantly changing. How it changes depends on you. The
golden rule to effective passive networking is simply to treat EVERYONE with respect and live an honest
and decent life. What we do and say online is for the world to see so this applies to social media as well.
Can you five list things you do most every day that would qualify as passive networking?

5. Purposeful or intentional networking:
So, assuming you are with me at this point, you agree that we are passively impacting our network every
day. You also agree that the way we treat people and conduct ourselves in daily life can have a positive
or negative impact on our network. So what about networking with a specific purpose? Doesn’t that
fall into transactional networking?
There are lots of reasons for intentional networking. We have already mentioned the two most obvious,
to find a job and to increase job performance. Others might include growing awareness for your non-
profit, running for political office, seeking a board appointment, or finding your soul mate. Networking
with intent can be effective and rewarding without being transactional. You can join groups or
associations, volunteer at non-profits, and use LinkedIn to grow your professional contacts. Rather than
give you a bunch of best practices (which you can find online) we want to introduce a counter-intuitive
approach that you can apply to bothpurposeful and passivenetworking.
Netgiving:
“Netgiving” turns the concept of transactional networking on its head. I borrowed
this contrarianidea from best- selling author, accomplished philanthropist Tommy
Spaulding. I highly recommend Tommy’s book, “It’s not just who you know……” “To
invite others to be genuine partners in our lives and success, Spaulding says, you
have to first be interested in other people. It’s not just who you know, or what they
can do for you, but what you can do for them.”Thus, “netgiving” can be described
simply as the JFK principle.
“Ask not what your contacts can do for you, but what you can do for your contacts.”
Again, let’s go back to the story in the introduction of when Eli and I first met in person. Eli shared his
passion for helping others and this inspired me. I listened. Eli was practicing purposeful networking yet
it was not transactional. He simply shared something he was passionate about. I listened for a need
and responded by sharing my contacts with Eli. I was not expecting anything specific in return; however,
I was confident this good deed would be rewarded in some way. Another deposit in the karma bank!
Now I am not suggesting that you go around giving freely of your time and talents to everyone you
meet. What I am suggesting is that you find ways to help people that you are interested in furthering a
relationship with. When you meet someone of interest, ask about them and then sit back and listen.
Ask pointed questions to understand what they do and what their needs are. Then, find a way to
respond to their needs by sharing your talent, time, or treasure.
This simple approach holds true for all types of networking. To see how this approach can pay off, again
we can relate back to the story in the introduction. Remember my friend in D.C.? His success was not a
secret and several others from UGA had tried to pursue him for a donation. Sure, I had an opening since
we were personal friends. But I had spoken with him on numerous occasions and he saw no compelling
reason to give to the College. Something changed when he interacted with the Give Back(packing)

6. students. He shared his knowledge and experience with the students. It probably felt good to give back
in this way. Ultimately, he attended an alumni event, met the Dean of the Terry College, and stroked his
first major check to UGA. Remember, mygoal is to connect alumni to the College in a way that is
meaningful to them and my role is to raise money. By practicing “netgiving,” I accomplished both my
goal and performed my role. This was my reward for helping others!
Ask yourself, are you a “giver” or a “taker?” List five ways grow your network through “netgiving”:
Discovering Brand You:
TheGiveBack(packing) experience willnot only encourage you to think differently about your network,
but it will also help youdiscoverand develop your own personal brand. Personal branding is very
important to the networker. You must be able to communicate a succinct message about your goal and
your role so the contacts you meet can help you in a meaningful way. For instance, you meet someone
of interest while volunteering. You need this new contact to understand your goal and your role well
enough to recollect this at a future date. Let’s say you meet this contact while feeding the homeless.
However, you don’t adequately describe that you are a pre-med student who wants to land an
internship at an orthopedic clinic specializing in athletics. Weeks later, this contact is speaking to a
friend’s Mom who happens to be an orthopedic surgeon. She works at an office that specializes in
working with professional athletes. The friends Mom laments that she is having a hard time finding an
intern for her office. This is a missed opportunity.
To discover your brand, begin by asking yourself what are you known for? What are your strengths?
What are you passionate about? Asking friends and family members for their perceptions can also be
helpful.
Name five things that you are known for, three strengths, and two things you are passionate about:
(There will likely be some overlap here. We fully expect you to be known for a strength or passion)
Now, is time to build your specific Brand.Once again, I am borrowing a concept from a proven source.
Successful marketer, business consultant, and top ranked iron man competitor Mike Wein. Mike calls it
your “Specific Edge.” He says that weather you are marketing a product, a service, or a person, the
brand is extremely important. When developing Brand You, Mike challenges us to be so specific it hurts.
By marketing yourself to your specific brand, you are more likely to find opportunities that fit with your
strengths. By communicating and demonstrating your brand through passive and purposeful
“netgiving,” you are no longer networking in the hopes to find a job. You are growing a network that
will help your dream job find you!
From the list above, pick the ONE thing that you would like to be known for:

7. Technology and networking:
Business is moving more and more towards domains, bytes, blogs, and tweets. In the future, knowing
your potential customer’s home address seems less important than their IP address, GPS location, or
even their facial recognition. Knowing your customers on a personal level seems less valuable than
knowing their Facebook “likes” or who they follow on Twitter.
With so much business taking place online, these new technologies have impacted networking in a truly
exponential way. The global reach of the internet and social media offers countless ways to
communicate your brand to thousands, even millions of people with your message. While the reach of
these new technologies may be limitless, their ability to forge meaningful business relationships can be
limited. Networking online should not be viewed as a replacement for passive and purposeful
networking but rather a compliment to these proven methods. The real opportunities in social media
networking are realized when you can turn virtual contacts into meaningful relationships by meeting
face-to-face.
That being said, websites such as LinkedIn(when used properly) can leverage the global reach of the
internet to communicate your personal brand to a broad yet specific audience. LinkedIn is the most
widely used and accepted application for professional networking. Every executive recruiter and HR
professional worth their salt is on LinkedIn and using it daily to post jobs and search for candidates.
Every business to business salesperson should be utilizing LinkedIn to communicate their product or
service to potential clients, industry groups, associations, etc.
As a participant in Give Back(packing) you will be required to develop a professional LinkedIn profile so
you can begin building your network by connecting with sponsors, participants, and others you might
meet along the way. We will show you how to maximize LinkedIn. But for now, here are some simple
tips and rules to follow when networking through social media and online activities.
1. The internet has NO ERASER! Deleting a post or photo only removes it from your current profile
while your post or photo can live in perpetuity in a discussion board, on a friend’s page, etc.
2. When posting online, follow the same protocol as if you were interviewing for a job.
3. Avoid controversial comments that can be taken out of context or might otherwise offend on
LinkedIn or other professional sites.
4. If you must post your every thought on Facebook, then consider not using it for business or
creating a separate professional account.
5. Join groups and associations online that match up with your passions and interests. Remember,
you want this passive networking to highlight a path so opportunity finds you. The more specific
and intentional your online activity is to your brand, the more likely it will be that the
opportunities you discover online will suit your strengths.
Think of several ways that you can better utilize social media to promote Brand You:

8. Ultimately, we want you to think of your network as a tree rather than a list of contacts or system of
inter-connected computers. Trees are living organisms that require light, water, carbon dioxide, and
nutrients to survive. The more a tree gets of these essentials, the more it will grow and flourish. Also,
trees do not exist alone but are part of a greater ecosystem with many inter-dependencies. It is this
give-and-take that brings balance to the natural world.
The same is true of your network. Be known as a “giver” and not a “taker.” Treat everyone with respect
and dignity. Don’t burn bridges. Utilize technology to enhance your network and establish Brand You.
The Give Back(packing) program has the potential to be one of the most significant self-discovery
experiences of your college years. I am confident that this program will not only prepare you for life
after college, but it will differentiate you from other candidates when competing for that all important
first job.
-Marc Garofalo (second from the right)
This photo was taken from Mount Tamalpais, CA in the epic “Summer of 1995.” My friend and I drove
from Athens, GA across country and back. We had $500 between us, our bikes, and backpacking gear.
We had no plan or set destination. We made many stops including a two-month hiatus in Telluride, CO
where we landed jobs at the Peaks Resort & Spa to save up for the trip home. By far, my best college
experience and to this day one of the best things I have ever done.