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42°44′49″N 84°24′4″W / 42.74694°N
Originally Published November 11, 2011 – This week I decided to blog about one of SBAM’s strategic partners based just across town from SBAM headquarters in Haslett, Michigan: The Meridian Area Business Association (MABA). MABA is known for the well attended networking meetings and their famous closing motto shouted out by the nearly 100 attendees each month, “Do business with a member”!
MABA works to promote and support local businesses in Meridian Township and the greater Lansing area. Their philosophy of building relationships has strengthened the ties between the community, local businesses and the Township government in a way that really is quite extraordinary.
In fact, a founding member of MABA is actually a government entity, Meridian Township. This allows for an open communication between local government and small business rarely seen in cash crunched states like Michigan.
Each monthly membership meeting follows a unique schedule that includes an update from local police and government entities on road work, crime and economic development issues, etc. and then moves onto a creative networking activity that MABA has named “Around the Horn”.
When an attendee arrives for the early morning event; they are assigned to random numbered table so that they have the opportunity to meet 3 new local business contacts. Instead of the usual 30-60 seconds for each attendee to promote themselves, MABA creates a topic for discussion and the teams at each table discuss the topic for 5 minutes, reporting one answer to the rest of group. The once boring 30 second sales pitch is now an interactive learning experience and each attendee comes away with 3 new personalized contacts to do business with. It’s simple, it works and it helps explain why this is one of the best attended networking meetings in the state.
In closing, as always…”Do Business with a MEMBER”!
To learn more about the Meridian Area Business Association visit their website.