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Many financial professionals see the theoretical appeal of social prospecting. Reality intrudes when they realize they have no free time. If they have young children and an extended family, all the hours in the day are preprogrammed for you. Years ago, a woman at the gym explained “If you have children involved in school sports, every season your friends are chosen for you!” She meant you are tied to a schedule of games, meetings and practice sessions. You are cheering on your child. You become a sideline parent. Your friends become the other sideline parents. Social prospecting is much easier if you are a new arrival in town.
Let us look at how you do it.
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Your religious organization. I belong to a Church parish, yet I am continually amazed how religious organizations are often at the center of the community. A shared faith binds people together. When traveling in Wisconsin, my wife and I are amazed at the number of church activities advertised with posters and handbills. In our local area, I am amazed at how welcoming people are to new arrivals. This is the easiest way to meet new people and get practical advice.
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Historical society and chamber of commerce. Years ago, I met a woman whose job involved her relocating periodically. She explained every time she settled in a new community, she joined these two organizations. The first tends to include “Old Money” and established families. The second includes local business owners. These are two circles the financial professional new on the scene wants to penetrate.
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The country club. Years ago I interviewed a bank president whose firm bought an insurance agency. The owner of the firm passed along the advice he received when setting up shop in a new market. Join the most exclusive country club and buy a new Cadillac. Business is often built on perception. If you drive up to the most exclusive club in a new Cadillac, people assume you are a successful insurance broker.
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Your college alumni club. This is easier the closer the town is to the school. Colleges cultivate graduates as donors. Having informal local groups meeting regularly keeps up school spirit and helps graduates make and maintain connections. These clubs attract a cross section of ages. Everyone has the school as a common connection.
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Find a luncheonette. A bank president explained he started in the business as a loan officer. He was a regular at the local luncheonette daily, except when meetings called him away. He said you get to meet local merchants and professionals as you become a regular. Everyone talks to everyone else! Social barriers come down in informal settings.
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How about a bar for after work? Let us assume you intend to build a client niche within a specific profession. It might be engineers or lawyers. Find a high rise building with multiple floors of offices within your desired profession. Buildings around the courthouse likely attract lawyers. There should be a bar in the base of the building. Sit at the bar. Become a regular. Watch the game on TV. People will start to absorb you into the group.
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Your realtor. When you learned you were moving to a new city, you likely flew in ahead of time to find someplace to live. This often involves a realtor. You get to know each other pretty well. They can learn about your interests and offer practical advice. They can invite you to dinner parties to meet like minded individuals.
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Meet your neighbors. This is often spontaneous. At one end of the spectrum is the neighbor bringing over a pie to welcome you to the area. At the other extreme was our strategy in San Francisco to line up wine glasses and bottles on our front step, flagging down residents walking from the train into our neighborhood and introducing ourselves. Neighbors might be the first people you meet.
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School sports. If you have young children and they are in a sports program, you are going to be an involved parent. Even if they are nor into sports, you will likely be at the school for parent association meetings. You will meet plenty of other parents, likely in similar economic circumstances.
If you move to a new area there are plenty of opportunities to immediately become part of the social fabric.