Mini Series: Practice to Professional (5 of 7): Your Network is Your Net Worth.
Vol. 061
Your Network is Your Net Worth.
How focusing on relationships and human connection can ease the burden of “selling” your services and lead to lucrative and/or long term opportunities.
Mini-Series Schedule:
A 7-week series dissecting the 6 main points of my keynote speech: Practice to professional: manifesting your ideal creative career. This mini series culminates with a live webinar and Q&A where I talk through actual examples of how I applied these 6 main points to grow a 6-figure + creative business. You can rewatch the webinar through the link in week 7 below.
Week 1: You are your brand
Week 2: Free and underpaid work can be okay*
Week 3: Never Stop Experimenting
Week 4: Lie More
Week 5: Your Network is your net-worth
Week 6: Chasing the fog
Week 7: Watch the Webinar and Q&A!
Continue reading below…
Time and time again, when I reflect upon how a particular project was landed or how a connection was made it’s abundantly clear that it has nothing to do with my skill set, but it has been a particular relationship — my network — that has connected the dots.
“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” We’ve all heard it. And, like most clichés, it’s a cliché because it’s so damn true. Social capital can be substantially more valuable than simply the capital gained from a single transaction.
Networking can happen both in person and digitally, and while digital networking can very helpful, I’m here to stress the importance of in-person networking.
In Person Networking
I am a huge proponent for meeting people in person when you’re trying to grow your graphic design and creative business network.
That’s right, my introverted friends: actually meeting humans face-to-face can prove to be far more beneficial than simply interacting with them on the internet. Sorry if that hurts to hear.
And, for the record, the term “networking” doesn’t necessarily refer to sleazily attending “networking events” where everyone has the goal of giving out business cards and selling their services.
In fact, your networking should rarely focus immediately on selling your goods or services — your networking is a practice of relationship-building.
“Networking” should be redefined as an opportunity to build trust, connect with others and provide value well before you’re “selling” anything. In the long term, this approach leads to reliable and consistent sales (of your goods or services) from trusting partners or customers.
Being physically present when networking enables you to be a better communicator. It’s actually accepted by most experts that 70-93% of our communication is non-verbal, and better communication means more trust.
Additionally, when you build relationships in person you’re able to have more natural, free flowing and organic conversations. These organic conversations feel trustworthy, and often lead to the law of reciprocity, a psychological term that essentially says: when you deliver value to someone (for free or authentically with little to no expectations of anything in return) they have the innate inclination to return the favor and give value back to you.
Simply: I scratch your back, you scratch mine!
In person networking expedites the process of conveying value and building trust. In the business of selling services, trust is everything—find time to prioritize this.
Digital Networking
Digital networking is also vitally important. And, honestly, it’s far easier to do. You can do it from bed, at the airport, etc. So, when you can’t meet others in person, continue to network directly through your screen
The value of digital networking is similar to that of in person — you’re able to build trust, building relationships and proving value. In the digital space we are no longer limited by our geographical location.
In the creative industry, this “digital networking” oftentimes comes in the form of being active on social media; however, I want to encourage you to slightly rethink how you’re engaging with others digitally.
Instead of seeing someone's post and thinking “dang, that’s cool!” — SAY IT! Respond to what people are doing on the internet and be proactive about being interactive.
You’re receiving literally no benefit from passively scrolling through the internet — you need to be actively engaged.
Consistent interaction with others’ social media posts: Linkedin, TikTok, Facebook, Dribbble, Behance, Instagram (remember, it’s more than just Instagram, folks) WILL make others notice you. This consistent engagement builds social equity and trust and it puts you on the radar of others. It takes 6-8 points of contact to penetrate a buyer's consciousness, and these little “networking moments” are opportunities for points of contact.
Digital networking can turn a simple Instagram friendship with another graphic designer into a high paying long term opportunity.
For example, let’s say that through supporting each others’ work, you build a strong digital friendship with another graphic designer who works at X agency. At some point, X agency mentioned that they’re hiring another graphic design position. Instead of being one of 180 applicants for a job, your digital friend could provide a warm introduction to the creative director, giving you a far higher chance of landing the job.
The 6 degrees of separation says that you’re 6 social connections away from literally everyone in the world. With this in mind, we can use our network — digital or physical — to get introductions or connections to people with whom we are interested in being connected to.
Networking should really be thought of as relationship building. If you focus on humanity, if you focus on building solid relationships, you’ll find that the burden of “selling” your services is no longer a burden at all. Your network will reduce any friction in your sales process because you’ve already done the heavy lifting of proving your value and trustworthiness — you’ve “networked well — up front.
