Articles

Networking Successfully

Nowadays, as a freelancer, you can work with clients from just about anywhere, You might have one client in Singapore while another is just two blocks down. To build your client base and keep it growing, you need to know how to network in all its many shapes and forms.

In Person:

Face-to-face networking may seem passé in this age of technology, but it is still one of your most powerful tools. You don't have to meet a client face-to-face to get a job done, but it always good to spend time meeting new prospects—and an in-person introduction can be the most memorable way to do that—providing you know what you're doing.

The best way to schmooze with new prospects is to attend trade shows, conventions, and events hosted by professional organizations. It's tempting to join an organization that caters to people who do the same thing that you do, but that isn't always the best idea. Instead finding organizations that cater to a variety of professionals or that cater to your target market is more useful. The local chamber of commerce is almost always a worthwhile organization, for example.

Just attending an event isn't enough. You actually have to meet and make an impression on people. That's daunting for some of us. But there are some tricks you can use to make it easier and more effective.

• Volunteer to hand out nametags. You'll get there early and have a chance to briefly meet a good number of the attendees. This makes it easier to approach them later.
• Keep moving. At a networking event, you want to meet several different people, so always have an exit line prepared. When you talking to a group, and you've had time to catch their names and collect their cards, use your exit phrase to politely remove yourself from their conversations. “Excuse, I need to get some water,” or “Pardon me, I just remembered something I need to tell the host.”  
• Keep your business cards in one pocket and those you collect in another. Write down some briefs thoughts about the person on the back of their card before you tuck it away.

But just knowing how to keep moving through a room and how to break the ice isn't enough. People come to networking events with their defenses up. Your goal is not to sell anyone, but to find out about them and make an impression. The best way to make an impression is to listen to people talk about what they do. Ask open-ended questions.   Things like, “What attracted you to that field?” or “How did you get started doing what you do?” “What do you find most enjoyable about your work” and often the kicker question, the one that will get you remembered, “What kinds of people do you like to work with?”

Remember to take notes after your conversation so that you can follow up in a meaningful way.

On the Phone:

Don't groan. I know you hate the idea of cold calling. But it really isn't that bad if you set your goal for the call ahead of time. I don't recommend ever making the goal of a first phone call to make a sale. A good goal for a first phone call is to find out two things: if they ever use the service that you offer and who makes that decision.

Once you have the name of the decision maker, you've got all sorts of options. You can send information by mail, you can send a sales letter and samples of your work, you can call and ask directly for that person and ask what their goals are for your type of service and if those goals are getting met, you can call and offer to do a spec project or let them know about a special promotion you have running.

The point is, once you know who to talk to, you have an endless number of ways to meaningfully follow up with that contact.

By mail:

If you've got a good client list or a good list of targeted prospects, then mail is a great networking tool. For existing clients you can make them special deals or just send them thank you note. For a hot prospect list, you can send them a well-crafted sales letter helping them see just how much better their life would be if they took advantage of your services.

There are so many valuable things you can send through the mail to both clients and prospects. It's a wonderful tool for keeping yourself in front of people and for giving them information that they will value and that will begin to build a relationship between you and them.

Follow up:

A first-time contact rarely results in a sale unless the prospect calls you with an urgent need. So no networking strategy is worth the time unless you're prepared to commit to following up. The best way to follow up is to give your new prospect something they will value. It can be as simple as forwarding an article that you thought they might find interesting or referring them to a web site that they might find helpful. Or you could send them a report that you wrote that might benefit them. Send them something that has no or very little sales literature with it, something that is worthwhile. And then follow up again to see if they found it helpful.

Good follow up like good networking takes time and thought. But, as your growing number of prospects begin to cascade into clients, you won't have any doubt that it was worth it.