Protect Your Clients from Document Fraudp. 56

Targeting the Manufacturing Marketp. 76

AUGUST 2016

VOLUME 54

NO. 07 PSPS MAGAZINE | TOP TRADE PRINTERS ISSUE

PSDA Highlights This Year’s Top Trade Printers

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ON THE

We Won!National Gold “Azbee” Award p. 19

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LINKINGVERVE

Sarah Scudder A monthly column from an industry insider about issues important to salespeople.

Intrinsic Rewardsach semester, I speak to Sonoma State University’s Finance Club. In my seminar,

I encourage students to get involved in their communities. I want them to see the value of helping others and how community service can help grow their networks.

Several students in the club have seen me speak a few times now. I asked the professor in charge if he wanted me to identify different alumni to approach about presenting in my place. Professor Jordan looked at me and said: “Absolutely not. You’re our most impactful speaker because you talk about getting involved. You show students how joining local groups can significantly shape and further their

careers. You open their eyes to a world outside the classroom — a world full of people. It’s still people that make business happen. And knowing how to interact well with people is one of the most important skills to master in life.”

After blushing uncontrollably for a few seconds, I realized he was right. Learning how to interact with people and building and maintaining

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relationships are essential skills for success and happiness. Joining local businesses, as well as social and philanthropic groups, has given me the opportunity to meet successful people.

I’m currently involved in five groups — a mix of nonprofit, education, sales and the print industry. It’s how I get new clients, spend time with friends, make new friends who are smart and energetic, and become a more well-rounded person. I want to know what’s happening in my community, nationally and globally. I want to know the newest trends in technology, education, literature, leadership and marketing. Knowing about many disciplines helps me implement new technology, become a better leader, make smarter decisions when planning for the future and connect with the right type of clients for my organization. And I’ve discovered that I like helping people.

My personal volunteer guidelines:

• Help others. Give back to the community.

• Be involved in at least three different organizations.

• Get involved in organizations outside your industry.

• Take a leadership role. • Make business connections with

energetic, forward-thinking people.

FlashbackA little over two years ago, I became a board member for the Red Cross California Northwest Chapter. The American Red Cross mission statement is to “prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.”

Who wouldn’t want to be part of that? Within my first month, I was asked to chair the Development Committee. I immediately said yes, though I already had a packed schedule. I wanted to

make a difference.

The Development Committee’s main purpose is to raise funds, to develop and maintain relationships with donors, and to put on a large-scale breakfast to honor heroes in our local community. We call it the Heroes Breakfast. We find incredible people who have risked their lives to save others, started organizations, improved schools or helped the environment. These heroes are honored in front of their families and community to thank them and motivate others. The stories are very emotional and touching; a pack of tissues is given to each attendee.

Our event took place Thursday, April 21, and it was a ton of work to get there. We scrambled at the end to finalize the details, but it was worth the effort. My favorite hero was Max Nunley, a 15-year-old boy who saved a 2-year-old child from drowning. Max noticed the child at the bottom of the pool, jumped in water, swam to

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the bottom, pulled him to the surface, swam to the pool’s edge and screamed for help. The child was blue, but he soon began to breath and eventually made a full recovery. Max risked his life to save another. I still remember the child’s mother who attended the ceremony. She continually squeezed her child’s hand with tears running down her face. The packs of tissue were much in use.

I joined the Red Cross because I wanted to help and make business connections. While serving on the Red Cross Board of Directors and listening to the heroes, I was surprised by how much it affected me. I was inspired to do more.

Then I had an epiphany: Meeting business peers in a volunteer setting adds depth and meaning to an otherwise one-dimensional relationship. If I see a person (or they see me) helping others, respect and admiration are built into the relationship. Business or personal success is much more likely. By joining the Red Cross, I was able to meet the sourcing manager who oversees the print spend for the national Red Cross. In the months that followed, I have made many more business connections through my volunteer work, and I have great respect for all the people I have met.

It’s easier to lie on your couch, eat bonbons and watch “Days of Our Lives.” But to be successful, you need to get up, brush yourself off and get involved. ■

LINKINGVERVE

Sarah Scudder

“ Meeting business peers in a volunteer setting adds depth and meaning to an otherwise one-dimensional relationship.”

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