New White Paper Emphasizes Importance of Networking

There's no denying the value of social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter. But there's no substitute for face-to-face networking, according to Dyanne Smith, marketing manager at The National Conference Center in Leesburg, Va., which last week published a new white paper on the importance of face-to-face networking.

"With the amount of online resources readily available to us on our desktops and smartphones, blindly attending events and 'hoping for the best' becomes obsolete," Smith writes. "We must remind ourselves that social media does not replace face-to-face networking but instead is a supplement and provides the tools for instantaneous two-way communication."

Titled "The Power of Networking," the white paper features interviews business leaders and meeting professionals from Washington, D.C. Interviewees and contributors include Kristina Bouweiri of Reston Limousine, Lyles Carr of The McCormick Group, Derek Coburn of cadre and author of "Networking is Not Working," Kelly Harris of Lockheed Martin, Tina Johnson of JP Events and Consulting, writer Diane Lunsford, Sharla Warren of eventPower and Tien Wong of Tech2000.

"As a prime training and event venue, we think that the benefits of teaching and implementing good networking skills are extremely important and are often undervalued and overlooked," Phillip Saims, director of sales and marketing at The National Conference Center, said in a statement. "We wanted to provide insight and create greater interest in this necessary business tactic."

"The Power of Networking" is available for complimentary download from The National Conference Center's website.