WORKING, WORKING, WORKING… ALWAYS NETWORKING
I’m occasionally asked how I find clients who need copywriting in Kingston and beyond. To be honest, they come to me in a variety of ways.
I’ve long believed that, despite the blandishments of people who claim to be able to set up a structured, regular pipeline of customers, there’s far more serendipity to it than that.
While most of my current customers have been referred to me by word of mouth – which is always the best way for any business relationship to begin – many have come to me through the various networking organisations I have used over the last seven years.
Why I go networking, and why it works for me
I’m a big fan of business networking. There are several reasons why I do a lot of it, and they are not all directly connected with the focused need to meet, attract and onboard potential new clients.
That’s part of it, of course. Even the most relaxed networking situation is conducted with, at some level, the consciousness that ultimately, you are looking for customers.
But for me, there are many other reasons why I travel all over the place to events held by a variety of networking groups.
i) Building relationships: It feels natural and positive to have an extensive contact list built up over several years of regular networking.
ii) Building profile: Through those relationships, I’d like to think there are plenty of people who know, like and trust me and would be happy to recommend my services.
iii) Honing the message: The more people you meet, the better you get at explaining what it is you do, and how it brings a benefit to the people you do it for.
One element that has been important, particularly over the last four years, is the social side of networking. I work alone, and I work from home. I haven’t been in a client’s office since lockdown began in March 2020.
It’s reassuring and uplifting to meet other business owners, to be reminded that there are plenty of people in the same boat as me, to find that there are others facing identical challenges and pitfalls.
Networking has changed and evolved since the end of the Covid-19 lockdown. Many organisations thrived during the months when meeting in person was not possible, utilising new platforms like Zoom and Remo to keep people together. There are still some groups that meet virtually, and it is undeniably excellent to be able to sit at a “table” with people from all corners of the country.
But I’ll go to my grave believing that, while virtual networking – like all forms of virtual business communication – is a good way to keep things ticking over, there’s an extra dimension that comes with meeting in person that simply cannot be replicated on a screen.
The joy of six different networks
Over the last week or two, I have been in person at networking events held by no fewer than six different organisations.
Some of those groups are undoubtedly more structured than others. The most formal of all, of course, is BNI, the Marmite of business networking. You’ll find plenty of people with strong criticisms of the rigidity of BNI, the repetitiveness of the meetings, the constant pressure to generate leads for your fellow members.
At the same time, I know many people who love it. I certainly did for the three years I was a member of the superb Hammersmith chapter. I still sub as regularly as I’m allowed to for members of several chapters, and there are things I like about all of the gatherings.
Some of the other networking events I’ve been to recently have been incredibly relaxed, social events in all but name. And some have plotted a middle course where the main aim of the event is to enjoy yourself and build relationships at a leisurely pace, while at the same time keeping a slightly keener eye out for the moment when you might be able to say, as unpushily as possible: “I can help you with that.”
It's an old cliché that there’s a good reason why the word “networking” includes the word “work”. It’s also a cliché that the harder you work at it, the more you get out of it. I enjoy networking for many reasons, and that’s why I’ll keep doing it.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got an event to get to…
But if you want to talk more about networking, or if you require copywriting assistance, please get in touch.