Get Freelance Writing Jobs With Old-Fashioned Networking

Events are a wonderful way to find out about freelance writing opportunities and become known in your niche. Events are almost endless–seminars, trade shows, association meetings, local fairs, community fund-raisers–and much more. Wherever you have a collection of people together, that’s an event. Network at events, get information about what’s happening in your niche, brainstorm ideas with others, seek out freelance writing opportunities, and so on.
Meet the industry VIPs, who normally wouldn’t even take your phone calls. These leaders are there to mingle and find out what’s hot in the field, just like you are. They’re more likely to spend a few minutes talking with you in this setting, especially if you can get someone to introduce you. Just tell a bit about yourself and ask about the VIP’s business. If you’ve prepared for the event, you might mention a recent award the VIP received or an article you read written by the VIP. But, don’t ask for freelance writing jobs. That comes later, when you follow up with Mr. or Ms. VIP.
And, you don’t need to pay for a booth or take an ad for an event to accomplish your networking goals. You can market yourself by being an active participant. Here are 11 ways to get you started:
1. Mingle with attendees and exhibitors at industry trade shows and local Chamber of Commerce events. Learn what’s happening in your field. Use your 30-second elevator speech. Hand out business cards. Collect lots of business cards for your database of contacts.
2. Write a short description of each person you meet on the business card you’re given. Be specific. Put the person’s nickname, a comment about the person’s business, interests, etc., on the back of the business card.
3. Hand out your own marketing materials as you wander through the exhibition room, meeting and greeting those who you’ve targeted in your advance planning. Make your marketing materials a subtle promotion for your freelance writing services. Provide useful information, such as a writing tip sheet or booklet about a topic in your area of expertise. Include your contact information on the handout.
4. Give a talk or run a workshop. Chair a roundtable discussion. You get exposure and are viewed as the expert. Credibility is almost automatic if you do a good job as a presenter.
5. Help generate publicity for the event, including letting everyone know you’re speaking. And, ask for the group’s mailing lists, so you can follow up.
6. Meet and greet while you eat! Attend event luncheons and dinner banquets to meet colleagues and industry gurus. Sit with people you don’t know yet. Learn about others and tell them about your services (briefly). Keep current in your niche.
7. If some meals during the event are “on your own” and the restaurants are a mob scene, brown bag it in advance. Bring extra food to share in a nearby outdoor area with your new “buddies”–contacts you’ve been trying to meet who don’t want to wait in the long lunch lines either.
8. Offer to help at a business function. Act as a goodwill ambassador, greeting attendees and welcoming newcomers. Check off attendees’ names on the master list. Become known in your niche, as you get to meet all the big names in your field.
9. Serve on an industry association committee. You’ll be networking and gaining insider information (the legal kind), while earning praise for your efforts and building your credibility. Target the committees that best meet your needs and fulfill the association’s goals as well.
10. Write an article on a topic related to the event. Have it published in the event planner’s newsletter, with your personal resource/bio box at the bottom of the article.
11. Be prepared to follow up with all your new contacts after the event. Enter contact information into your database. Have “nice to meet you” postcards ready to go, as soon as you address them after the event. Make follow up phone calls or send e-mail messages to your top new contacts. Remind them about where you met. If possible, personalize your message with a comment or two about the contact, taken from your notes on the backs of the business cards you gathered at the event. You’ll be one of the few people who follow up and optimize event contacts to build your freelance writing business.
Do you know how to maximize your contacts? Do you get the most from the events you attend? Are you considering running your own event? Getting a booth at an event? Should you co-share a booth or get a sponsor? How else can you use networking to produce more freelance writing jobs?