It pays to volunteer.

Championing a cause rates high on the agendas of today's well-connected professionals. Often, donating time and expertise to a personal concern or charity is just as important as clinching a deal or snagging a new client. Indeed, the two endeavors can work hand-in-hand.

Obviously, the more people you meet, the greater the chance that your name, service or product will become known to others. Mingling, idea exchanges and visibility are all part of volunteer work. This, in turn, often leads to networking exchanges. Whether they serve on a community board or tutor neighborhood kids, many professionals make volunteering a part of their lives.

In addition to the obvious altruistic payoffs, philanthropy can heighten your visibility and broaden your network of contacts. "When I volunteer, I'm not specifically looking for contacts or connections. But that doesn't mean I don't keep my eyes open for them," says Gale E. Harris, president of her own public relations & marketing consulting firm in Beverly Hills. Harris dates her volunteerism back to 1973, when she joined the National Association of Market Developers in Los Angeles. Today, she volunteers as its executive director.

"Because of the one-on-one nature of volunteer efforts, people remember your name and business," says Harris, who also has been active with Junior Achievement and the L.A. Urban League. "Because of the contacts I've made through my volunteer networks, a lot of my business comes from word of mouth."

Free publicity often accompanies high-profile volunteer work--a priceless perk for professionals seeking greater visibility. Just ask Stanley Nelson, key account manager of W.W. Grainger Inc.'s distribution company in Hartford, Conn. Nelson, who is president of his Norwalk, Conn., neighborhood community center, an active fraternity member, and a church trustee and choirmember, is always in the public eye. In fact, Nelson's civic renown brought him to the attention of the mayor, who subsequently appointed him chairman of Norwalk's Housing Authority and commissioner of the city's Fair Housing Commission. "My municipal networking has allowed me closer access to a number of real power brokers," says Nelson.

Thinking of using your tight schedule as an excuse for not getting involved? "That won't wash," says William T. Merritt, president and CEO of the National Black United Fund, a Newark-based nonprofit organization that solicits and distributes charitable funds within African-American communities nationwide. "We find that the busier people are, the more inclined they are to make time to volunteer." Merritt also points out that volunteer work often provides excellent training for fund-raising and strategic planning.

Says Nelson: "All that, plus the great feeling you get from doing good, makes volunteerism more than worthwhile." --Dawn M. Baskerville