Me, going to yet another networking event

Recently I was thinking about some content I have on other sites which would be more appropriate to be published here, and getting some of my old-time drafts published when I came across this draft I wrote back in 2009. I’ve always been a fan of networking, online & offline, and I wrote my first “networking” post back in August 2007 on (my only blog at the time) Ms. Adventures in Italy.

Back in 2009, I contributed a guest post over at one of my favorite inspirational design sites, Design*Sponge, to their excellent business how-to series, Biz Ladies, with an article titled Networking for Designers. The Biz Ladies series has really really great information and is not applicable only to designers, but anyone starting up a business or working as a freelancer.

My post on networking is also along the same lines – not specifically for designers, but a philosophy and perspective on networking that in my opinion is applicable to anyone:

• Reasons why everyone should network.
• The types of people you’ll want to network with: The Trendsetter, the Guru, the Node and the Giver.
• How to Network once you’re there: Introduce yourself in context, Be Interested, Request Contact Information, Always Be Ready, and Follow-up
• with a few suggestions for ice-breaker questions and how to get out there and do it!

It’s nice to see that I stand by almost everything I wrote almost 5 years later, and I’ve had a couple of “Part 2” drafts waiting in the wings for a while, so now that I’ve published this here, I can get those out the door, too. 🙂 I’d really love to flesh out & post a presentation I made internally for the Automattic all-company meetup 2 years ago called “How to Talk to Strangers” which has some good tips for networking in a room full of strangers.

You can read the original post (+ helpful comments) at Networking for Designers post at Design*Sponge, but I’m reposting the article in full below:

Networking for Designers Everyone

Designers and networking are two words that don’t often appear in the same sentence together.

 Networking might even be a bit of a dirty word to you, or bring up images of spending your evenings event-hopping, collecting business cards and studying your Filofax for leads. Chances are if you are a Design*Sponge reader, you already have identified your talent and it’s not focused on being a professional networker.

 But networking is for everyone.

 The people you network with don’t have to be fans or in direct need of your services, but they can be sources of inspiration, resources and experts, gateways to other people, and provide helpful feedback and opinions.

Why Network?


If you’re reading this site, it’s an indication that you’re seeking knowledge, inspiration and information. You’re curious. You’re constantly sifting and filtering content that you will later disseminate to your friends, business partners or to your readers on your website.

But we can’t know or learn everything. The Internet has increased the accessibility of information, but it has added to the noise we experience, too, in the form of information that’s not relevant, interesting, or trustworthy. And though Google provides us with thousands of potential answers and sources, the easiest way to trust information is to know the source.

That’s where networking comes in. The old-fashioned method of gathering and processing information with the help of your trusted contacts is still the most effective and fastest way.

 At the rate our information world is changing, chances are even your close friends are consulting an entirely different set of information sources than yours and therefore come in contact with different content on a daily basis. Furthermore, meeting people with completely different backgrounds, nationalities, and social circles means different perspectives and resources. So while you may think you have nothing in common with someone else, these differences may be exactly what you need as part of your information arsenal.

Information is free

Most information is free. It is the act of sharing that information that costs us time, exclusivity, and trust. Most of these “costs” are worth the return, however, and through tools like Facebook, Twitter, and our blogs, we can communicate quickly to a larger audience if we choose to. Often the act of filtering free information down to the essential bits is the best service you can offer friends and contacts in your network.

Information is time-sensitive

Something you learn today or a person you meet today may not be immediately relevant to your world. It may not ever become relevant to your particular needs but instead become an important resource for someone else in your network. You can rely on a good network of people to help keep you informed, and you should do your part to inform others of important and interesting information when you happen upon it. A simple email can save someone in your network lots of time and be extremely useful to their success.

Enhance and diversify your knowledge base

Sure you can surf the internet for information, but unknown reviewers and hidden advertising is not the same as getting information from someone who can help you put it in context: why do they like it? how do they use it? Sharing your valuable experiences with others will encourage them to do the same and it strengthens the give-and-take aspect of any relationship.

You can network with anyone

It’s not always personal. The people you’ll want to network with aren’t always going to be the people you’d like to have a beer with. Sometimes you will need to network with people that are simply looking to network. Most often people looking to network aren’t looking to fill their Filofax but recognize the world is made up of diverse and interesting people, and knowing more may serve useful in the future.

Once you’re open to meeting and networking with anyone, you’ll notice that many people will fall into these four networker categories:

The Trendsetter: is curious and very up-to-date, and spends a great amount of time consuming and filtering information. They will be the first ones to tell you about a new idea or resource or tell you if someone else is already doing it.

The Guru: is an expert in a particular subject or subjects with in-depth knowledge at their fingertips and can serve as a source or give an expert opinion when needed

The Node: is well-connected with other people and groups. Maybe this person doesn’t have any direct answers for you, but they probably know the right person who does, and is willing to pass along your need/request to help you get an answer.

The Giver: is generous with their time, information and opinions and can serve as a person to give you excellent feedback across a variety of subjects. They are interested in helping your cause, teaching you something, or giving feedback on something you’re working on, and they are generous contacts to have.

If you’re still not sure what networking can do for you, take a few minutes to examine your weak points and where you’d benefit from meeting new people and potential resources. Do you need help with your business acumen, finding potential buyers, inspirational sources, potential mentors or need in-depth feedback and opinions?

You may need to refer back to your strategic business plan to make sure you have all the resources available to reach your goals. And where you identify holes, you can start working on filling them.

Start networking

Networking can happen in really any kind of event with just a few small changes in how you present yourself and open yourself up to opportunities.

Introduce yourself in context

Something as simple as changing the way you introduce yourself may make quite a difference. Maybe your job as an interior designer has nothing to do with your appearance at a food photography course, but you don’t know who will be interested in hearing this. Give others a chance to be interested by telling a little about yourself.

Introduce yourself with information that a) establishes you as a resource and b) positions you to receive information or spark a conversation that topic.

“I’ve been working in interior design (resource) and web development (resource) for years, but I’ve been getting involved in food photography (receive info) and investigating becoming a sommelier (receive info)”

And don’t just do this for yourself – introduce your contacts that don’t know each other the same way. Once you help others make interesting, relevant connections, they will do the same for you.

If you have a connection to that person in some way, state it, even if it is having read something about them or something they’ve written.
“Grace has told me that you’re working on a really interesting restoration project.”
 “I read your article about attending the X event, but you didn’t mention who your favorite speaker was. Who would you go see speak again?”

Be Interested

Since the location or event where you meet someone is not always enough context to tell you about them, ask about someone’s job, hobbies, or education to give you a jumpstart on possible conversation topics. It also gives them a chance to explain future interests or something they’ve got going on right now. Not everyone knows how to explain what they’re looking for or what they do. Give them a chance by asking!

Some of my favorite questions that break the ice and give you something back, too are:

-What’s taking up all your free time lately?
-I’m looking for new sources of inspiration – what’s your favorite site for inspiration / how-to information / latest trends?
-What’s the best book you’ve read recently regarding (subject)?
-What’s the one thing you’ve read this week (online/offline) that has resonated with you and made you think?

Online tip: If you’re contacting a book or blog author, speak about how their blog speaks to you, even cite a favorite post. “Great blog” is a nice compliment but it gives very little information to the author about who you are and why you enjoy what they write. Be sincere – you can spot insincerity from a mile away.

Request Contact Information

Don’t be afraid to ask someone you find interesting for a business card, the spelling of their name, website address or Twitter handle and jot it in a notebook you should always have with you (a Moleskine notebook works great for this).

Make notes on the back of the business card when you meet someone to help you recall important details later – the event you met them at, what you talked about, what they’re interested in and if you promised to send them some information. If you’re not comfortable doing this while you’re still talking (I think it’s perfectly acceptable), make sure you take 10 seconds to jot it down after you’re done talking and before you forget.

With this information, when you get ready for the follow-up, the email will practically write itself.

Always be ready to network


Always have your business cards with you or another form of contact information. If you work full-time and design part-time, rather than writing another address on the back of your day-job business card, create another one entirely for your design networking.

As a designer, you can’t just leave them with a simple business card. It’s a great opportunity to leave them with a reminder that highlights your business as well. I carry my personal networking Moo Business/MiniCards with me at all times, personalized with my photography, and they are always conversation starters. If you haven’t found anything to talk about until then, let your business cards direct the conversation back to your work.

Follow-up

As mentioned in another Design*Sponge BizLadies post, follow-up is crucial. One of the biggest mistakes would-be networkers make is not following up with the contacts they make. Contact the people you meet, and start a dialogue after the event.

An email of “Thank you, nice to meet you” doesn’t prompt the reader to do anything. Pass them some information, ask a question, propose the next time and place for a meetup or a coffee, offer to buy them lunch if they wouldn’t mind chatting with you about X subject. Use this opportunity to offer to introduce this person to some people they don’t know if there’s an event coming up or if they expressed interest in a subject where you have some contacts. Make yourself useful before you “use” – people are more likely to respond to genuine interest.

Make sure you’re not the one “taking” in the situation, and be sure to follow up each request for help with a sincere and quick thank you, and perhaps even ask the person if they know something you can do to help in return. 

I met someone working on her masters’ thesis in interaction design. A few weeks later, I came across an article about her research topic and I immediately thought of her. I sent her an email with the link and a quick hello. What did that cost me? About 30 seconds of my time, and it was useful and personal to her. But more importantly, it demonstrated that I was interested in her and the things that interest her and willing to give a little of my time to her success.

Go Forth and Network

You have your own role to play, whether you are a trendsetter, guru, node or giver. But the most important thing to remember (because it all comes back to your business) is you need to play on your strengths as much as possible without eroding your potential for new, paying business.

 Don’t give away the farm, but definitely remember that you have information at your fingertips that it may take others a long time to find, filter and disseminate as worthy information. And, most importantly, a list of links or giving feedback on a color choice has an added value as it’s coming from you.

Love or hate networking? Any tips to add? Drop yours in the comments below.