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<\/p>\nAh, networking. Every creative freelancer\u2019s favorite thing ever. Going out to events, shaking hands, plastering on a fake smile, getting paper cuts from passing out hundreds of business cards, dodging flakes and crazies galore.<\/p>\n
Or perhaps you\u2019re the online type of networker \u2013 stalking people on Twitter and LinkedIn, carpet bombing potential clients with form letters and links to your portfolio, sitting by the inbox waiting for it to fill up. Any of this sounding familiar?<\/p>\n
I love networking. But not because I do any of the above. Many designers assume that there\u2019s only one way to network, but the truth is that\u2019s just not the case.<\/p>\n
Today, I\u2019m going to show you a much easier and more effective way to go about making networking connections as a freelancer, and also tell you why you should never, ever approach networking in the manner described above.<\/p>\n
Why is it bad to network in the \u201ctraditional\u201d way? Well, you tell me. How effective have your networking efforts been in relation to the work you\u2019ve gotten? Are potential clients beating down your door, standing with their hearts in their throats with exciting, challenging, high-paying work tailor-made just for you? If you\u2019re reading this article, the chances are good that they\u2019re not.<\/p>\n
The reason that it\u2019s bad to network the traditional way is because everyone networks that way. Contacts get bombarded with offers from freelancers just like you at every event, and in every email, mailer, and flyer. If you simply fall in line and do what everyone else is doing, chances are you\u2019re going to get what everyone else is getting: ignored.<\/p>\n
The main problem with traditional networking is the mindset most people have when going into it. What\u2019s the number one reason you network? To get more clients.<\/p>\n
When you\u2019re running out of leads and you need more work soon, you pull out the business cards, dust off your best business-casual wear, and head out to try and drum up some business. That\u2019s the mentality with which most people approach networking \u2013 something to be done when you need work.<\/p>\n
However, there\u2019s another way to look at networking, which will work out much better for you in the long run. That way involves seeing networking as something to be done before you need work. Yep, that\u2019s what I said. <\/p>\n
Networking is all about building relationships. It\u2019s about a back and forth, constant communication with a person with whom you have a mutually beneficial relationship.<\/p>\n
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Most people don\u2019t provide valuable information to strangers who contact them once a year when they need something. That would be a waste of effort on their part because there\u2019s no way for them to receive any kind of positive reciprocation from that person.<\/p>\n
Put yourself in their shoes \u2013 if you were contacted once by some freelancer looking for a job and took the time to respond, then you never hear from them again, how would you feel? It can be frustrating to deal with those types of networkers because it\u2019s obvious that they\u2019re simply using you for what you can provide to them.<\/p>\n
To stand out, you need to become the kind of networker who doesn\u2019t ask for anything from your contact and who actually only seeks to provide them with value of some kind.<\/p>\n
A congratulatory email, a link to content they might find interesting or relevant. Keeping in contact with people in your network doesn\u2019t have to take much effort, but it is important to make sure they know your primary objective is not to suck them dry and then vanish.<\/p>\n
Staying at the top of people\u2019s minds is another vital aspect to effective networking. If you meet with someone in person and don\u2019t follow up by phone or email, you\u2019re missing the opportunity to form a genuine connection.<\/p>\n
Your contact will merely assume you were one of \u2018the masses,\u2019 and when you do contact them again, they\u2019ll not only not remember who you were, but they may also be irritated by your sudden intrusion into their busy schedule. That\u2019s not what you want.<\/p>\n
Instead, try following up immediately with someone after an in-person meeting. Email them in intervals \u2013 not enough to spam them, but enough to notify them that you still exist and appreciate the time they took to speak with you and provide you with any help you may have received.<\/p>\n
A great way to stay at the forefront of people\u2019s minds is through your work. Many designers don\u2019t think to notify prospective clients of new projects, but this can be one of the most effective ways you can advertise your awesomeness without coming off like a pest.<\/p>\n
Everyone wants to know about cool new creative projects; this is your chance to show off your newest personal work and establish yourself as a forward-thinking creative professional.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve already written an article about why it\u2019s important for designers to make time for personal work, so for now, I\u2019ll merely say that a monthly email to potential clients about some new project you\u2019re involved in that shows off your critical thinking skills and originality is, to many people, far more intriguing than a formulaic resume and cover letter.<\/p>\n
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Don\u2019t be afraid to make mistakes. The vast majority of the time, you want to ask questions and take notes, allowing the other person to speak freely. But if you slip up and say the wrong thing, it\u2019s not a big deal.<\/p>\n
You should probably refrain from insulting their family members or anything like that, but people are generally gracious when they know you\u2019re genuinely interested in making a meaningful connection with them.<\/p>\n
As the saying goes, the more mistakes you make, the fewer of them you\u2019ll make. The more you practice, the better you\u2019ll become. Again, sincerity is the goal here, not perfection.<\/p>\n
Be sensitive to the other person\u2019s time. If you contact someone to request a meeting, make sure you time it properly so that your request is neither disregarded nor an annoyance.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t email someone on a Sunday morning \u2013 their emails could be received through their phone, which might sound an alarm, and if they\u2019re asleep, your email might come as an obnoxious wake-up call. Not good.<\/p>\n
Networking is crucial for freelancers, but the traditional approach may not yield the desired results. By focusing on building relationships, providing value, and staying top of mind, you can create more meaningful connections that benefit both parties in the long run.<\/p>\n
Q1. Why is traditional networking not effective for freelancers?<\/strong> Q2. What is the key to standing out in networking?<\/strong> Q3. How can freelancers stay top of mind with contacts?<\/strong> Q4. Why is sincerity more important than perfection in networking?<\/strong> Q5. What is the best time to contact someone for a meeting?<\/strong> Top<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Custom Web Design Networking Tips Ah, networking. Every creative freelancer\u2019s favorite thing ever. Going out to events, shaking hands, plastering on a fake smile, getting paper cuts from passing out hundreds of business cards, dodging flakes and crazies galore. Or perhaps you\u2019re the online type of networker \u2013 stalking people on Twitter and LinkedIn, carpet […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7948,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/speckyboy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/networking-thumb.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7947","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-custom-web-design"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kmfinfotech.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7947","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kmfinfotech.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kmfinfotech.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kmfinfotech.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kmfinfotech.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7947"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kmfinfotech.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7947\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7949,"href":"https:\/\/kmfinfotech.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7947\/revisions\/7949"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kmfinfotech.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7948"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kmfinfotech.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7947"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kmfinfotech.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7947"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kmfinfotech.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7947"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
A1. Traditional networking is saturated with similar approaches, leading to being ignored by potential clients.<\/p>\n
A2. Providing value to contacts without asking for immediate returns.<\/p>\n
A3. By following up consistently and showcasing their work regularly.<\/p>\n
A4. Genuine interest and meaningful connections trump flawless interactions.<\/p>\n
A5. Avoid emails on weekends or late evenings to respect the other person’s time.<\/p>\n