There’s nothing like networking to get you on the road to success…. and provoke anxiety.
I like to say that when I invite people to a networking event, people often have the same reaction as if I said, “Hey! Do you want to go sit in traffic with me?”
Traffic sucks. So, let’s make sure that networking doesn’t feel like “work” …. or traffic.
As a photographer, I used to go to tons of networking events in hopes of meeting other business owners in my industry, entrepreneurs who might become friends, and, yes, photographers, too.
But a lot of photographers weren’t really interested in meeting me.
They saw me as the competition.
We’ve all been there, right?
We’re trying to grow our networks, but we’re not always sure the best way to do it.
So, I decided to break the system and District Bliss started hosting welcoming, collaborative networking socials.
They were immediately popular.
Clearly, I wasn’t the only person craving this type of environment where everyone can feel welcome, safe, and really enjoy meeting new people!
Today, I thought I’d share a few of my tips for networking that I’ve seen work time and time again:
⚡Go into the event with an open mind. You never know who might be your next referral partner, affiliate, client, or friend.
⚡Don’t forget that even people who you consider to be your competition may need to refer to — or hire — you at some point. Don’t write someone off just because they do something similar to what you do.
⚡Don’t avoid networking altogether. There’s nothing else like it! You really do have to get out there and meet people, even if you hate the traditional networking events; just find the right events for you!
⚡Ask questions, engage, and really listen to the people you meet. One of the reasons that I’ve been so successful with building this community is that I care about each and every person I meet. I want to know about you and your business; I want to know what you’re up to personally as much as professionally. You matter to me and I want to see you be happy and succeed!
Will we see you at our upcoming Networking Social?
Click here to check out all of our upcoming events and start networking today!
And, we hope to see you at our next event, too! Join us for our upcoming Networking Social
