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Annie Armitage on Networking - part 2 of 1 2 3 4

by Annie Armitage Published 01/12/2015

Think laterally
Networking is not just about getting sales leads. Forming relationships with really good suppliers you can trust and rely on can be just as valuable. Here's a for instance. Say you focus on weddings, you could meet local suppliers such as florists, dressmakers, caterers or event planners who might turn out to be great introducers for you. And of course you can refer them to your clients with confidence.

Or you could meet website and graphic designers who want to use you for their clients. I've had substantial headshot work through the designers I've met.

I also met my business mentor, accountant, website designer, and copywriter through networking and in turn they refer me to their clients. My business wouldn't look nearly as professional as it does without the services of the specialists I've met along the way.

That's why it's so important to look at networking from different perspectives and get to know what other people can offer to your business.

Getting started
There are hundreds of networking groups, events and organisations up and down the country - there's almost too much choice!

My advice is to visit several groups and go along more than once to get a really good feel for whether they are right for you.

Find something that fits in with your schedule and I recommend attending at least one event each month - more if you can, and vary the type of meeting you attend.

They pretty much all fall into two types:

Informal, unstructured events
These are the type of events run by organisations such as local Chambers of Commerce. They are informal and not restricted by profession, so you may go along to find several other photographers there. Don't be put off by that.

It's always good to speak to other people in the same boat as you to share information, experience, and yes - even clients! There are going to be times when a job comes your way that you can't or don't want to do. Rather than let the client down, it's always good if you can recommend someone else.

You'll need to work harder at an informal event so try to get hold of the guest list the day before. Go through it and work out who you want to meet, then ask the organiser to introduce you when you arrive.

While most will have membership schemes, non-members can go to events as often as they like.

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1st Published 01/12/2015
last update 09/12/2022 14:51:07

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Annie Armitage on Networking - part 2 of 1 2 3 4