Remote Work Chronicles: Networking from Anywhere
We’re entering a new era. The rise and spread of the coronavirus may be temporary, but, like the virus, many aspects of this societal shift will stick around. More people will continue to work from home. Among many silver linings, studies show working from home saves businesses and people money. Though I err on the side of hope and positivity, I know there are negatives to this global debacle. In terms of careers, many believe that networking capabilities have and will continue to take hits. Whether you network to gain new clients for your business or to pursue new job opportunities, there’s hope.
For me, networking is a vital component of being successful. I will never discredit the power of the face-to-face meeting. Frankly, that’s how I make some of my strongest professional connections. However, I have been working from home for half a decade. I have a long list of clients, short-term gigs, and blog partners that came to be by way of the internet.
I’ve received many requests through my social media accounts about people who are looking for networking tips while they continue to social distance. Here are some of my best pieces of advice from my own experiences and experts I follow.
Get Active and Up-to-date on LinkedIn
This is tried and true. LinkedIn is a powerful tool. It’s worked for me in so many ways. I also know partners and peers who regularly connect and discover clients, projects and jobs on LinkedIn. There are a few things you can do to leverage the platform:
- Update your profile. Craft a moving personal statement that explains exactly what you’re good at and what kind of work you’re looking for. Link to any examples of your work, correct any errors, and add new positions and projects.
- Secondly, you can comment and share links and articles from your peers if you they are relevant to your line of work. Your peers will notice and new followers will start to learn more about you.
- Share updates and links about your own projects and successes. Showcase a campaign you’re proud of. Share a link to a client’s website you helped develop. Congratulate a partner on a joint success.
- Finally, share helpful tips! What expertise can you share that will help people in your network? Maybe you can share a Forbes article that spoke to you, or you can create your own blog post on Linked In or your own website. Whatever it is, showcase what you are best at!
Reach out to your previous clients and peers
You likely have a list of clients and former supervisors who haven’t heard from you in a while. Now is a great time to reach out by email or text. Plan your outreach approach. Make it personal. Keep business out of it at first. Ask about their children, their hobbies, their home. Genuinely and authentically connect. If you feel like there was an authentic response, invite them to a Zoom happy hour you’re attending or let them know about something a mutual friend is up to. Let them feel the warmth.
Eventually, a natural moment will come and you can talk business. Invite them to like your business page on Facebook. Share an idea you had and ask if they know of anyone who would want to collaborate–maybe it’s them maybe it’s not. Ask if they have any referrals. People want to help people. The key to connecting virtually, though, is to infuse genuine emotion. That’s what you are in danger of losing over text or email. Find ways to ignite that flame.
Give back with your network
Find a cause that could use some help. A few ideas: Making masks for CARITAS. Raising funds for ChildSavers. Collecting food for Feed More. Make sure you’re personally passionate about the cause. That will drive you and ensure you stay committed for the right reasons. Make a difference to make difference, not to network. Authenticity is crucial to making meaningful online connections.
Once you’ve picked your cause, make a list of people you think would want to help. Use SignUp Genius to get them to register. Start a Facebook group. Whatever tools you want to use, make sure they are easy for everyone. When you get going, message and reach out to your team to encourage them. Make them feel good. Tag them on social media. Collect and share images of your work together. Connect deeply.
Connect with people through their hearts. They’ll remember you for that. Later on, that connection make make a business-related talk much more relaxed and impactful.
Offer your expertise or a service for free
What’s something you can offer folks from your home? I’d recommend selecting a service or area of expertise that isn’t readily accessible. Find a way to remove a bit stress or solve a problem for people in your network. Review tax documents. Edit emails or other communications. Create a logo. Teach someone how to use Zoom. Walk a dog. Create a how-to guide. Whatever you do, do it 100%. Do it like they are a paying client. Impress them and make them feel taken care of and confident in your work. You’ll remind people what you do best. As a result, you’ll build trust. This mechanism of sharing expertise for free is also a core tenant of content marketing, which happens to be MY area of expertise. See this blog post as an example.
If you get a gig, do it well.
Nothing shines better than your work. If you turn in clean, polished and effective work, they’ll notice. In any role, I always feel like it’s my job to make my supervisor’s life easier. If I make them look good and worry less, they’ll remember that. They’ll want to come back and spread the love. Editors will pass your name on. Clients will remember glowing feedback from their customers. They’ll return for your work and refer your contact information to other people. Good work is the gift that never stops giving. It makes networking so much easier.
Show Off Your Work
How can you showcase your work? Photographs of a project in progress? A virtual tour of a website you created? Maybe you can create a graphic of numbers and stats about how many homes you sold last year or how much money you saved your last client. Now, where to showcase it? Everywhere. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, email, text message/ Whatever it takes, have fun and show off what you’re proud of. You don’t have to ask for referrals or clients when you share. Let your work speak for itself. Follow through when people leave comments or ask you questions. Be quick and informative. Open up the door to talk about what kind of jobs you’re looking for.
Shop some work from home essentials
Looking for more business and marketing help?
This article from my marketing firm shares 11 insightful and helpful links! It was a labor of love to put together and truly a helpful resource. Click here.
