We – or at least many in our tribe – tout Gotham as a “social business network.” I like nothing more when after a Gotham meeting concludes, group members, circuit riders and guests hang out, exchange cards, get to know each other better and explore business synergies. That happened after the February 18 Gotham Green meeting. It just seemed everyone beelined for someone at the meeting.  I am sure Fred kwelled after receiving reports or seeing the pics on Fredslist.

My friend Steve Lichtenstein, who chairs my Gotham Towers group, always encourages – almost to the point of admonishment – Towers members not only to interact but to make “opportunity calls” where members (or guests) get to explore better what each does, start to build a relationship and explore synergies.

Over the years, it becomes easy to note how my Long Island Legal group, coordinated by Lisa Waterman and chaired by my “fee advisor” Michael Garibaldi evolved to allow more time before we sit for breakfast, Gotham updates and our “elevator promos” to chat and build some bonds (Know that I miss attending this morning's meeting as I represent two organized labor clients instead at the NYC Central Labor Council political directors meeting.).

As I shared Tuesday while on what Steve would call an opportunity call with long-time Gothamite but Green newbie, Geraldine Newman, when I led a political club, I made a point of the prominent speakers concluded at least 30 minutes before the meeting ended; I wanted to afford the members and guest opportunities to mingle (I knew not of networking per se back in those days.) and to be able to approach the speaker (and any other important guests) one-on-one.

The takeaway: try to build enough time to not arrive just for the meeting but early to meet and greet and schedule time to linger to give you time to chat up someone after the meeting if it makes sense.

Also avail yourself of the other networking opportunities via Gotham. This goes beyond riding the circuit. Post comments to blogs such as mine. Share via Fredslist. Email your promos (but try to differentiate them a bit – my two cents). Greet new members with a personal email when the Group Coordinators make the introduction via Fredslist. Post to the website wall. Participate in the Gotham Book Club (the last one featured my ebook, The Public Ought To Know.). Learn all the functionalities of the new Gotham website developed by our webmaster extraordinaire and Saturday blogger, Mitch Tobol.

And even better, join many of us March 3 at the Networking even co-sponsored with the Queens Chamber of Commerce at Resorts Worlds. But don't stop at that, join us at the Battle of the Bands (this afternoon I join a committee chaired by Gotham Entertainment maven, Norm Spizz, to narrow the applicants to eight bands) March 22 at the Knitting Factory. Join us for the Golf Outing and our Cocktail Parties. And of course, join us for the minor league (Staten Island) and major league (Citifield) battles of the Yankees v. The Mets (Brooklyn Cyclones).

Thanks Ben Geizhals for "ceding" his spot and opportunity to blawg to me.