Why Networking as a Freelancer Should Help You: 5 Benefits

Freelancers work alone… not! Quite the opposite! Actually, I think, only the starting ones and the unsuccessful ones do. There are loads of upsides to networking as a freelancer, connecting with your peers, and working with them in a mutually beneficial way.

Obviously, networking with groups where you might find clients is a good idea too. Grow your network and rock the world!

Here are tips for networking as a freelancer for those who:

• Are not getting enough clients
• Are not visible enough online
• Lack referrals
• Have trouble in some of the areas of running a business
• Lack perceived credibility or social validation
• Are building their personal brands without much success
• Lack social validation
• Experience moments of poor motivation from time to time

Let’s proceed using my favorite formula: how not to do it, and then, how to do it.

How not to network

You know these guys the moment you open your message inbox on any social media platform. It’s just hopeless self-centered bad advertising that leads to making no connection and doing no business. Don’t do it like this!

Spam, plain and simple

A person thinks sending a cold brainless pitch leads to sales. On social media, it doesn’t. Even if you got the keywords right, what reason is there for a person to react or even not use the Block function. A bad poorly-targeted pitch is like a horrible stench all around you: people want to make sure they never cross paths with you again.

The usual case is that the message is all about your service, then you list your services, then there’s a bit more about how your service is so great (without any evidence), and finally, you say you need a job. This is followed by contact info. People... [Click to continue reading]