Whether you’re a business owner or a copywriter, local in-person networking is a must.

You need to meet and get to know other business owners in your local area and region. When you do, you’ll develop power partners–people who need what you provide and provide what you need.

Even more important than the above, networking helps you get the word out about what you do to the people in your local networking community so they can talk intelligently about your expertise to the 250+ people (on average) that each of them knows. So look at it this way…

If you’re networking with just ten people your outreach can potentially be 2500 people when you take into account all of the people they know.

Imagine having ten pairs of ears (including your own) out and about in your local area listening for the needs within their spheres of influence. You may not be able to meet a particular need (yourself) when you hear it, but you’ll probably know someone you know and trust who can!

When you become the hub in a wheel with spokes reaching out to every kind of problem-solver, people will keep you uppermost in mind for when they have, or hear of, a need. And as the hub of your wheel, you’ll be in a position to have many more people referring potential clients back to you as the problem solver in your niche.

Just today I got an email from a friend I made at a political rally a few years ago. She is also a writer. She wanted to know what to charge to edit and copy-enhance a client’s website.  (She is normally a features writer for newspapers and other publications, not a copywriter. The website owner came to her with the request to enhance his site.)

I was able to send her a document about typical copy writing and editing rates, which are significantly higher than most other kinds of writing (except perhaps grant writing) because it earns a return many, many times the price a client pays for it. Its ROI (return on investment) is usually astronomical (providing the copy is stellar and does what it’s supposed to do).

When this woman and I met during the last political campaign in our state, I had no idea we’d be swapping writing wisdom in this way. But there you have it. You never know who you’re going to meet that will come to you as a source of wisdom or for another kind of solution.

Another networking story: One of my networking partners told me that she had been asked numerous times to have a one-to-one with  another woman in her group but had put off the meeting repeatedly, thinking she would never use her product and that a one-to-one with her wouldn’t benefit both parties.  Finally, after repeated requests for a one-to-one with the woman, she finally agreed to do it.

As soon as she did, the woman was on the phone (during the one-to-one!) calling people she knew and handing the phone over so she could immediately meet several people who became, and remain, her best clients to  date! She laughed as she concluded: “Needless to say, I bought her product!”

A power partner is usually someone whose product or service complements yours.

For example, Lisa Twining Taylor (http://dancinggoatwebdesign.com) and I are power partners: I write riveting copy: Lisa creates engaging, riveting WordPress websites.

Your power partner often shares your target audience but doesn’t compete with you.

For example, I could choose a marketing power partner and a promotional items partner: I’m not a graphics artist (the marketers I know are) or a branded keyring or t-shirt provider–and they aren’t copywriters. I could team with a printing power partner. I wouldn’t be competing: I’d be there as a resource for them just as they are a resource for me.  Get the picture?

And not all power partners have to be strict non-competitors. I have several copywriters and a couple of editors that I’ll refer potential clients to because they write in niches I don’t (e.g., fashion/style, academic editing, insurance, real estate, etc.). There is plenty of work to go around! There’s no need to behave like a selfish bore.

Again, become the hub in your wheel. You won’t get all the work, but you’ll get a lot more chances to be sent more work than you’ll ever get trying to be a rugged individualist. Networking works, but only when you do it in the right way.

Networking ABC’s

Networking isn’t a race to meet everyone in the room as fast as you can while exchanging business cards. Working this way will send your potential partners fleeing for the exits.

Givers gain. Expect to give quite a lot of your time and talent  before you make a dime from networking or you’ll be disappointed.

Look for networking groups with an array of potential power partners. I’ve seen too many newbies come into groups where their chances of succeeding are minimal because the people they should be meeting attend different kinds of networking groups.

If you live in the Tacoma area, get into a class with Joyce Singleton (The Bigger Sandbox, located near the Tacoma Mall).  If you don’t, get a couple of networking books: ‘Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty’ by Harvey Mackay and ‘Network Like a Pro’ by Ivan Misner.

Networking is a skill you develop over time. In the meantime, skip months of trial-and-error by taking advantage of the resources available (especially the ones I just mentioned).

I know you’ll thank me  later!