Michelle Warner, a business designer, and strategist joins us on this episode of the Creativity Paid Podcast. She helps solopreneurs and small businesses redesign their businesses.
Difficulties of being a solopreneur and the benefits of networking
It's hard when you're doing it all alone, many of the times it might end up on scratch, so you need to start all over again and find someone to connect to.
It's best to network with people who might already know your potential clients so that you can build a natural partnership and collaboration.
Two components of how a person can go about networking as a creative
First is getting some clarity about the foundation, it has a little bit of science. The second one is the actual implementation; it's going straight to being told that you should reach out to people.
You should not be networking with your clients, instead, your networking goal should be meeting people who already have access to your clients, so that you can collaborate, it's called borrow an audience, where they can introduce you to an audience they've already gained. In that way, you can build some collaborations and natural referrals.
Target Audience
[08:10]
So there are two parts to it. The first step is to get some clarity on the foundation, and then comes the actual implementation. It's always awkward because we jump right into implementation, right into being told you should reach out to people. And we don't take the 30 minutes or less it would take to get some clarity on how you should be doing that outreach and to whom you should be doing it. You should not socialize with your clients. Your networking goal should be to meet people who already have access to your clients so that you can collaborate and do what is called “borrowing an audience”, where they can introduce you to the audience they've already gained, and you can build some collaboration and natural referrals in that way.
Networking on social media
[15:14]
Don't get too caught up in creating your own feed; instead, spend more time on other people's feeds, especially if you're just getting started. Consider how you will be introduced and noticed in an authentic manner, as well as how you will build that relationship. Thanking them in DMs or comments is a great way to accomplish this. Examine their posts or work, and if you find something that has aided you, leave a comment or DM them to express your gratitude for that specific piece of advice. Most people will tell you that they are pleased that they were able to assist you. Now you have a plethora of opportunities to begin building a relationship and connection with them.
Practical tips for networking on the physical side when attending networking events
[21:07]
The first step is to assess your own worth and determine how you can participate in these types of events. The second step is to determine who will be attending the event and select two or three people to meet. The two or three people you want to meet are the ones who can have the most impact on you.
Michelle's tips for creatives
[28:54]
Consider who your ideal connection avatar is. Allow yourself to be creative and clear on this so you can connect with the right person. Send thank-you notes; thank you notes are the networking equivalent of gratitude journaling. Send a thank-you note if you're feeling lost and unsure how to connect.
Connect with Michelle
Free Networking Training
themichellewarner.com/freetraining
Instagram - @Michelle.Warner