Beyond power suits and conference rooms, there must be ways to do better networking for business owners.
Arts and craft business networking does not have to be the intimidating ordeal that many people assume it will be. So many people assume that effective business networking consists of donning your best power suit and glibly chatting up anyone and everyone who might be able to impact your business. In fact, that image is very far from the realities of better networking for business.
Good networking is neither insincere, nor aggressive. To start better networking for business success, all you need to do is find opportunities to develop positive and mutually beneficial relationships with like-minded people. Help and be helped. Networking is as simple as that.
When you think of it that way, networking is a lot more manageable than you might initially think.
Develop Better Networking for Business Strategies That Work for You
I booked my first jewelry home parties by doing this. I didn't even have to directly ask people to host the parties; they volunteered as soon as I told them about my new business.
Make it a give and take interaction so you each benefit from the experience. If you made a good connection and have a few things in common, exchange business cards. Email the person once in a while to stay in touch if it feels appropriate; be sincere, don't just contact them when you're looking for something for your business.
Happily, I took that advice a few months ago. I attended a big craft festival near my hometown. I went partly for fun and partly because I thought I might find something or meet someone that would benefit my business while I was there.
After attending a presentation by the publisher of the wonderful craft magazine, A Needle Pulling Thread, I really wanted to talk to her about submitting an article. However, I'd never had an article published in a magazine, so a big wave of shyness was holding me back. After gathering together my courage, I went to her booth and struck up a conversation with her husband. After a couple more conversations, I was writing an article for her magazine, and thrilled that I hadn't let my shyness hold me back.
If you find a website in a non-competing but related business, and you think that you might be able to partner with the owner to benefit each other's businesses, contact the owner of the site and propose your idea. Don't be shy; many website owners would welcome suggestions that would be mutually beneficial.
Pauline, who owns Funky Friends Factory, has built her newest website around the concept of crafter networking. Her site, www.mad-about-craft.com is a great place for exchanging ideas and learning from experienced crafters. She even has a spot where you can submit your site to showcase your work and promote your website if you're a professional crafter. She knows that effective networking with like-minded people is always mutually beneficial.
I hope I've dispelled some of the common myths and fears about networking, and you're ready to start better networking for business success. Leave your power suit in the closet, forget the glib one liners, and approach people with sincerity and an openness to work towards mutual benefits, and your arts and craft business networking efforts will be a success.
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