“For me it’s all about relationship-building, for people just starting out it’s important to establish relationships and for seasoned professionals it’s just as important to maintain these relationships,” she says. “People need to see you on a consistent basis, or, you know, it can be ‘Out of sight, out of mind.’ The more that they see you the more they get that you’re involved in the community that we are all apart of.”

Moe’s professional career started as a massage therapist in practice with a business partner in Westfield, so she understands the struggles, trials, tribulations and passions that drive entrepreneurs.

When in business, a lot of Moe’s time was dedicated to helping people understand what massage therapy was actually about. The more she was out networking—and educating others on her work—the more successful her business became. Relationship-building had been crucial to her career growth and has led her to where she is now as director of the chamber.

When you take a step forward in your professional career, whether straight out of college or starting your own business, it is crucial to bring up your work whenever possible. This means keeping in mind that you should be consciously networking with everyone you meet. Presenting yourself in a positive, friendly manner is something that not only puts you in a good light personally, but professionally as well. Joining any kind of professional group—like a chamber, a Rotary organization or a chapter of BNI—will provide you with a plethora of opportunities to network with others and share ideas.

“There are many values in being part of a chamber, one of which, obviously, is networking, another of which is education,” Moe says. “One of my missions is to understand and review what our benefits are for our members and take a look at what’s useful and valuable to members. Part of this is getting out there and talking with people.”

Moe is definitely an asset to the Easthampton Chamber of Commerce and a joy to talk to. Her last bit of advice for young and old professionals alike are her five most important tips for successful networking:

• Be consistent. Relationships need to be nurtured, and often. The more folks see you and are able to talk with you, the more solid those relationships become.
• Be out and about often. You can’t participate in one networking event and hibernate and think that that is going to be effective.
• Be courageous. Even though you might be a little fearful, take that fear and step right into it. Take easy steps, baby steps, even if you’re not a member of the chamber, come to networking events.
• Listen. A lot of us want to give our elevator pitch and tell people about ourselves, but it is also equally—or more important—to listen to people and give them the opportunity to talk about who they are and what they do.
• Go to multiple networking events. There are many options. Moe’s chamber hosts a networking event on the second Thursday of the month from 5 to 7 p.m.; the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce hosts its Arrive @ 5 events on the first Wednesday of the month from 5 to 7 p.m.; and the Amherst Chamber of Commerce hosts “After Five” socials on the second Wednesday of the month.
• Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield’s Business@ Breakfast events are held on the first Wednesday of each month, September through June, at 7:15 a.m. at varying locations throughout the Greater Springfield area. A full listing of events are available on the  website (Events Calendar.) After 5 events are held on the second Wednesday of various months from 5-7 p.m. at varying locations throughout the area. Read their full listing of After 5 dates and locations.

You can also check out the other chamber websites in the area below:

AMHERST/BELCHERTOWN/HADLEY http://www.amherstarea.com/

NORTHAMPTON http://www.explorenorthampton.com/

SOUTH HADLEY/GRANBY http://shgchamber.com/

HOLYOKE http://www.holyokechamber.com/

CHICOPEE http://www.chicopeechamber.org/

WEST SPRINGFIELD http://www.ourwrc.com/

SPRINGFIELD – http://www.myonlinechamber.com/

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