Here’s a great article about networking, the type that’s in-person and not just online. I’m a writer and I know how comfortable and safe the written word can be, especially when it’s compared to talking with a real, live person.
It’s time to get out of your comfort zone. Arlington Entrepreneurs hosts multiple networking events per month and it’ll be worth your while to start coming to them regularly. You’ll come away with some new leads. Even better, you can establish yourself as a written-word expert, something most other folks find very intimidating.
Here’s an article from the Freelancers Union that offers some great tips for getting used to a room full of people. Jump on it – the water’s fine!
Network Like it’s 1999
by Kris Connor
“I have been an independent writer and communications consultant for almost two decades. I’ve been fortunate to have a steady stream of work during that time, mostly due to the fact that I work in different niches. This diversity has often saved me from major dry spells. When one side of the business drops off, the other tends to pick up. Usually there is a good combination of different kinds of work.
But to borrow a line from Prince, due to a dry spell I’m networking like it’s 1999. I’m not just reaching out to contacts I know well, but to many others I know only loosely, or not at all — because they work for organizations that interest me. Admittedly, it feels a little like starting over. It’s humbling, sometimes frustrating, but also rewarding and rejuvenating. It’s probably not unlike dating after a divorce.”
