by Michele Newbern Gillis
Staff Writer
Networking is very important in the real estate industry.
Paula Larsen, marketing director Engle Homes, and Marc Carlson, a loan officer with HomeBanc, the co-chairs of the Northeast Florida Builders Association’s Sales and Marketing Council’s Special Events committee, recognized that and have held two networking events this year for the members.
“We really wanted to expose the SMC to greater expand their fun,” said Larsen. “We have our breakfasts, but this was another venue to have our members come out, network and enjoy fun things around Northeast Florida in an after-hours environment.”
Carlson said they wanted to give the members an opportunity to get together, relax and network in a casual setting.
“It’s a networking event where they can showcase their services to each other in a different venue outside of the breakfasts,” said Carlson. “One of the benefits of being a member is the extracurricular activities that happen outside. It is what the members make of it.”
SMC, which has 700 members, normally meets for breakfast on the second Friday of each month at 7:30 a.m. at the University Center of the University of North Florida.
The networking events typically have been held in the evenings to allow more time to network in a relaxed setting.
“The SMC board has worked hard this year to provide its members different opportunities for networking,” said Mike Taylor, division vice president of McCar Homes and the SMC chair. “With the support of the special event sponsors this year, we were able to offer the members a chance to meet other professionals in the real estate industry in an after hours setting.
“Each event was a tremendous success and each venue was unique in its own way. Several new members joined SMC as result of special events. I hope that these events will continue in the future because it allows individuals that can not attend the monthly SMC breakfast meetings to participate and to get involved in this great organization.”
The first event was held at the Sawgrass Beach Club in Ponte Vedra Beach in July.
“It was held outside and we had about 100 members attend,” said Carlson. “It was a beautiful evening. We had a band, outdoor bar, heavy h’orderves and give-aways from our sponsors.”
The second event was held last month at the World Golf Village Hall of Fame and at the adjacent IMAX Theater.
“About 60 people attended,” said Carlson. “We had a cocktail reception for networking outside at the Hall of Fame and then went into the IMAX Theater for the movie ‘Space Station.’”
Larsen said she feels both events were highly successful.
“I think the different venues were well received,” said Larsen. “The Sawgrass Beach Club was in a beautiful area and it was a fun night. The IMAX Theater was something completely different than we had ever done and different than any other networking events that I had ever been to.”
The idea behind holding the events in different areas was to serve the members in the St. Augustine area as well as members in the beaches area.
Going forward, they would like to have three events a year.
“We entertained maybe a Jacksonville Suns baseball game and then maybe another event at the beach and then one in St. Johns County so that we encompass the whole footprint of our SMC band,” said Carlson. “Next year, we’d like to see 200 people at these events. It’s just an additional outlet that shows that we are reaching out to the members wanting to create a fun networking opportunity.”