top 10 tips for networking newbies

these are the tips that came out of last night’s creative coast. they’re intended for artists, designers and other creatives but i suspect they’re pretty applicable to almost anyone. thanks to darrell, helen, nick (by proxy) and shirlie (who came up with a couple at the drop of a hat) and apologies if my paraphrasing of these have lost some of the original insights.

  1. do it your way
    don’t feel you have to take on a smart-talking-suit-wearing-firm-handshaking-deal-clinching personae to network successfully. for example, if you’re the sort of person who walks into a networking event and feels totally out of place, then look for someone else equally ill-at-ease – you’ll have some common ground to start a conversation. and if you’re more of a meandering conversation type rather than a hand-out-as-many-business-cards-as-possible person then be assured it’s ok to do that. discover how you feel comfortable at networking events – once you’re at ease and being yourself you’re best placed to talk about what you do.
  2. define your own measure of success
    it’s a fallacy that networking events are about clinching deals. instead set some realistic targets, especially if you’re not too confident about networking. go with something achievable such as talking to 3 people you didn’t already know. if that works well, congratulate yourself and up the ante a little next time.
  3. always have something to give away
    the more attractive the better. business cards are your basic tool, but how many end up forgotten in a drawer? if you work in a visual field have something visual – a postcard or photo that someone might feel worthy to pin up near their desk. it’s not unknown for artists to receive a phone call months later as a result of an image hanging about and being there at the right time.
  4. don’t leave without someone’s details
    networking is a two-way process. always get someone’s card, phone number or website address. plus… if you ask for theirs, they’ll most likely ask for yours.
  5. be passionate about what you do
    if you’re not enthused about it who will be? so always try and communicate the passion you have what you do – it’s infectious.
  6. be generous
    people respond well to free advice or insights. be prepared to give away a little knowledge – it could make a lasting impression and shows that you understand what you do.
  7. don’t expect instant results
    forming partnerships involves trust and friendship and can take 2 or more meetings before hitting it off.
  8. remember that people buy people
    it’s fairly unlikely you’re the only person who does what you do so quite often decisions are made on personality and whether people think they’ll be able to work with you. be yourself and don’t be disappointed if you seem to be getting more attention than your work – it’s probably a good sign.
  9. understand what potential customers want
    don’t bang on about the minutiae of your work if it’s not relevant. for example, if someone’s looking for a website they need to know that you’ll deliver one with the minimum of fuss, they don’t need to know how html works – otherwise they’d build one themselves.
  10. ask questions – that’s how conversations work
    the easy way to chat to people is to ask them stuff. the problem is that the british aren’t always good at this. so take a leaf out the americans’ book and when chatting with someone, ask away.
  11. make the connections
    or, identify the ‘net’ in network. it’s often the links that connect people that’s the most valuable information you gather from networking. if you come away seeing a bigger picture of how people relate to each other, that could be useful in making valuable further connections.

ok, so there’s eleven.

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