Pay It Forward Parties (If you’re in Seattle on Nov 19, 2009, please come to the PSAMA’s version of a PIF Party at The Local Vine from 6-8 pm!)
Parties where you pay it forward
We have often been frustrated with the outcomes of and behaviors at many of the networking events we attend. In Chicago, San Francisco, NYC, Mountain View, and now Seattle, we frequently witness behaviors from the old “I’m talking to you, but try not to notice my eyes scanning every other person’s nametag that walks by please,” to the “So, Sandy what’s Bella Domain?” And then their eyes glazing over because you, your situation or words don’t immediately appear to be a prospect for them.
Well, we recognized that there had to be a better way to make and cultivate quality connections, so we started having what have become known as “PIF Parties.” We were inspired by approaches from some similar concepts, and then chose to give it a name that most people recognize as being focused on helping others either with or without their knowledge. PIF means to for pay it forward, and at PIF Parties, that’s what people do.
The general theme of the event is that each guest comes to the PIF party with the intention of helping others first. And, as can be expected, each person leaves feeling good about having helped others as well as the help they themselves may have received.
The help could be personal (need a tip on a car camping location near water) or professional (want to find a mentor outside of your company, need some new employees or job) or spiritual (looking for a yoga studio in Ballard).
If you’re curious about just how much good comes from these events, since we began hosting PIF parties back in November 2007, loads of great PIF stories have been shared. A few outcomes have included:
- New business opportunities created
- Job candidates recruited
- Elusive introductions made
- Deals closed
- Re-connections to long lost contacts
- Jobs found
- New subscribers to blogs
- Doctor referrals
- Learning (Facebook and Twitter explained)
- Volunteers recruited
- Cleaning services found
- And even a few dates for some single people.
Just contact us if you’d like to learn more or engage us to help you plan and facilitate your own version of a PIF Party.
UPDATE: You can learn how to have your own PIF Party by buying, “I’m at a Networking Event–Now What???” which includes a Bonus Chapter explaining exactly how to have one. 
You can now order this book buy clicking the button below:
Please complete the form below to invite Sandy Jones-Kaminski to join you at an upcoming networking event or a Pay It Forward Party of your own.
Please check out Bella Domain’s page on Personal Branding to learn about our Social Capital Assessments.
