Networking & Referrals
Welcome to Part 4 of my 5 part series, “How To Succeed in Freelance Writing Without Really Trying,” citing Peter Bowerman’s The Well-Fed Writer as a touchstone text. Today, we’ll discuss networking and referrals. Access the rest of the series here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 5.
Discussing compelling things, like content for social media.
Networking
Networking has got to be one of the most elusive terms in the business lexicon. What does it mean? How do you do it? What dividends does it really pay?
It’s only from jumping in there and doing it myself that I can confidently say it is absolutely crucial in starting, growing, and sustaining a business. Peter Bowerman, author of The Well-Fed Writer makes a point that I find particularly key. Your efforts are like planting seeds. They’re not necessarily going to reap immediate rewards (i.e., contracts, paychecks, etc.) over night. It might not be until months later–after nurturing relationships, after other opportunities come to fruition, after having your name out there–that a lead develops into something tangible.
It’s important to just jump in and show up. And that’s exactly what I did. I went to Social Media Club of South Florida events, Southern Florida Concierge Association events, Media Bistro mixers, readings at Books & Books, Greater Miami & The Beaches Hotel Association lunches, Social Media Week events, Greater Miami Convention & Visitor’s Bureau meetings, Miami Media Mixer luncheons, writer’s salons, parties thrown by local magazines. And I still do. I’ve even managed to speak at a couple of these events.
At first, showing up as a newcomer and a fledgling professional writer at these events was unnerving and intimidating. But it got easier and I grew more confident. I always met interesting people and took note of speakers who I found particularly sharp. The more I showed up, the more I started to see familiar faces. People who I might have been initially intimidated by are now my colleagues and friends. Through participating with all of these organizations, I’ve made amazing contacts with fellow writers, editors, clients, colleagues, and subjects for stories.
Networking takes a lot of effort, time, and consistency, and the rewards can sometimes feel intangible, but building and maintaining a solid professional network has been absolutely critical to my success. The more people you know, the more people you know.
Referrals
Another early boon to my business was referrals. This is one of those serendipitous moments of good fortune where a client is impressed with your work and shares your information with a colleague who then hires you. Same goes for editors and fellow writers. This can also be a deliberate tactic by directly asking a client if they know of anyone else who could benefit from your services. It’s also a result of a strong network.
Almost all of my early social media clients came from referrals. In addition to specializing in tourism, all of a sudden, I had a niche in destination weddings, which later helped me publish stories in a regional luxury bridal magazine. Speaking of which, I met the editor of that magazine, Riki Altman, when she gave a talk on freelancing at the Miami Media Mixer luncheon. She gave two pieces of advice that particularly ring true.
- Always say yes until you can afford to say no.
- Don’t get too attached to any one niche.
Freelancing involves a certain amount of ebb and flow, and the flexibility and desire to constantly learn new things. I live by her advice, tempered with what Bowerman has taught me about setting rates, but we’ll get to that later. After her talk, I introduced myself, complimented her on her presentation, mentioned my experience in destination weddings, and brought up the name of a mutual writer friend. The result? I got her card and soon after pitched her an idea for a story via email, and got the assignment. This is just one example of the power of networking, referrals, and getting yourself out there.
Check back tomorrow for the final part of my 5 part series “How To Succeed in Freelance Writing Without Really Trying.” We’ll discuss “How To Set Your Rates.”
Are you interested in becoming a full-time writer? What questions do you have? Are you a fellow freelance writer? What has your success been with networking and referrals? Let’s start a dialogue in the comments below!
