Lessons

Lesson Info

Networking Etiquette

All right, so networking at a kit that we have with our clients were respectful of the answer no but don't necessarily considered no means millet may not be right now s o you could follow up but if you just didn't know I got to think about her I don't have time a week later follow up is probably not respectful maybe six, three, four months six months down the line because maybe like right now I'm super busy and I'll have time to call the main networks but in a couple weeks I may have more time, you know so and if you don't follow up I may not know that you're still interested so be respectful of their time such as the whole approach you don't want to come in germ prime business time, prime wedding season for florist and vendors and such a not good time you're going to get lost in the shuffle you're not respectful either being genuine, what you say you're going to do actually do it you know this is common sense I hear this a lot people get into these network networking, they're going to...

refer people and then they don't actually follow through well that is more damaging to you not following through that if you never bother trying to do it first place because a za business I'm not refer you to any other professional networks or to any of my clients at all be grateful I know that sounds so common sense, but this really be grateful. Thank them even if they're handwritten card even email of thanks, it's phenomenal! I've removed people off my referral list that I that it wasn't gonna feed from I just was good will, so I had a list for my clients and especially when I moved we moved a lot being military, but I've removed people off their for list simply because I felt like they're being ungrateful. It could be an omission they didn't put on their local lester globalist to dio I may have been an omission that they didn't thank me, but I felt like after a least five to ten referrals that's a good amount you could have at least just typed thank you in an email so it's a common sense and it's completely ruin and they're no longer my refer list and I still for that location exact when I'm thinking about I know lived in that location in two years, I still get I still have a big, strong client base there, so they still are asking referrals all that time that one person is never going get that list and they're one of the better photographers in the area, but because if they're going to treat me that way, how are they going to treat the clients because I've never been their client, so I'm going off on lee, the evidence that I have seen, how a lawyerly there I only going off what they're showing me, so don't tell yourself know what someone else do it for you. This is kind of the more feel good confidence stuff. It sounds a little harsh, but never outreach to someone are not outreach to someone simply because you think they're going to say no, you never know, they may look like they're in with the biggest wedding coordinator in town, they have been in that had winning corner, maybe me and couple more photographers to fill their less because they may not want to refer just one person or that one person they had on their is completely book that doesn't her no good, she needs to have you're going to be a valuable resource, so let them be the one that says no, and the same thing goes for clients when you are pursuing a client, don't look them be the one to tell you know, but that added into that lead list for later don't don't talk yourself out of it because sometimes our judgments or not good thing you know, we only have a limited amount to operate off of, and we may not know what we're going to go over. Or go through with someone all right so what are some other networking actions now that we've talked about places that we can go I want you to break him down and were all about breaking the stuff down on that list of hitting the payment online what other actions can you take to gain networking what do you hope to gain out of it so well these guys are thinking about internet they're wondering about like meet up groups and artist groups do you recommend those types of things as well? I mean obviously I'd check the credibility and reputation of the groups and the people that are in it but I think they're a fantastic resource we were all pretty much at least everyone here is probably a facebook group of other photographers right I mean it's a it's a free resource is the frequently free list it's gold right there to go ahead tap into but keeping in mind you may need to be guarded that you don't want to give away your secrets and get to know someone you never know if the switch will fled at any time cool and speaking of reputation how do you determine whether you want to work with another business center how do you kind of gauge their character how they interact with people I look at the road yeah I look at their interaction that's a huge one I look at the interaction on their social media are they responding to people on their page? Well, that could go either way if they're not responding is because they don't care or they just don't have time it's probably more of the latter, but it's still going to keep him back in my mind? Do they not care about audience engagement? Is that going to creep into how they approach their clients that I'm going to end up referring? I will look at the better business bureau and see if there's been any complaints I can check with the state as well and see if there's the geek and me coming out looking up legal stuff to see there are any legal issues, especially if I'm looking to network with professional licenses because you'll concert any time you should be doing that. If you're engaging the services and or for networking, you can find out if there's an issue I don't want to hitch this horse to someone else that has already had their car taken away by a professional board. Did you find that you built up a core group of people that you really knew liked interest, trusted and then kind of have kept in that your core? Or do you feel like you have kind of a scattered variety of people that you work with on a regular basis? Okay, well, because what? We've moved quite a bit so it's kind of right now I'm scattered because I'm relatively new to the area but in the past places I've been we all became a really poor grew because we started introducing everybody so we really started all becoming one big network and it became almost more business and everyone could handle because we're pulling all these networks so we had to keep growing as a network which is kind of what business does right you know you get bigger is the more client you have I really strongly recommend trying to get a core group but just be guarded as possible and make sure that you are able to define exactly what you're putting into it you're getting back because I think it's really easy that we feel like we don't want to eliminate a potential network so we allow them to take advantage on and you can really nicely say no and exit yourself without running and burning the bridge yeah, thank you. All right, so do you guys think of any other potential networking things that maybe you've been thinking at home and we can create a plan to dio yeah, so you're talking about you know, having the payment actually driving around but not going in um again I hang out in the you know, the forms and everything and I mostly just watch what people say um but I did see someone mentioned that one of the better ways tio approach um boutique owners because I've tried the whole emailing thing and never gotten even a response, but to be fair, I haven't followed up, which I'm not going to go dio but I've heard to go in and actually like shot these places and get to know the people and after, you know, a few visits when she felt a little report, how would you then approach them in person? Because I I hate calling on the phone I would much rather just like talks even persons, especially if it's something regarding business because, um, even, you know, it sounds about a social media, but I feel like even over the phone, like you may misinterpret something I say, and I can't see your face to gauge how you perceived it. So how would you go about like eating there's a specific time period or just kind of gauge the familiar? Well, I'm glad you asked, especially this a different plan of attack, so to speak, I mean, to have the most covert operation in becoming a client like so I like to do with her songs and spot because I know that I'm gonna target them, but I need to know how they actually treat an actual client so you're like a secret customer at that point on, I haven't done any outreach, they don't know who I am are anything s o but what I want to say when you drive around we don't go in I don't mean just find a place and walk right in with milk familiarity you say hey you want to network I know what you're busy time of the day you know you got engaged first the busy time if it's ah high like hair salons near christmas no you're doing by valentine's they know I'm not going to reach them or problems and homecoming times restaurants I'm not going to go during lunch and dinner those types of things just common sense times but yeah getting to know them is a great one eye always try to becoming client first of locations before actually engage them because I get the full inside scoop of how my clients are going to be treated and what up another client tell her like in there because a lot of times the facade may look like that it's a certain type away but you see a completely different clientele when you actually are in the trenches figuring it out so yeah I actually get you I think that actually in person is a lot but my mind set is I don't want you to cold walk into mice studio and start talking to me because I maybe get ready to get on the phone call I only have that little block of time and you put me in a really awkward situation to say no you know at least even if they never responded the email and you have a leg then to say hey send you an email a while back you're not just cold walking it kind of done intently already I would wait so after you do a follow up and then kind of do that just because if they didn't get the first one there's none of that familiarity built at all and a lot of times in businesses people some of those businesses are outsourcing their email so may have never gotten past the email keeper at all on and they're not the person that makes the decisions and really the one that you need to be networking with so going in could be a possibility on the flip side is that the owner may not be there you may not know when they're there and you may be wasting your time so it's why it's really good to try to phone and email as much as possible and find out you don't waste your time keep showing up and going over and over like the hair salon I'm planning on getting into that's where I go um I know she's not always there the owner and so I have to now I kind of have an idea because I've been going as a client um covert operations and sir yeah yeah promoting other businesses on facebook's who have like oh I just got the delicious dinner at blaine yes calling them out from your you know, business facebook page too, so just having like, an open social relationship with them, I guess that's a great one and that if you just start and it's funny as I can always know when a new business starts following me and they start liking my stuff, I feel they're gonna email in the next week and they dio because they don't know the cold emails and stuff don't necessarily working grease the wheels and I've done that a lot of times when I wanted to do client gets back, I identified the things that I wanted to include on guy started frequenting the business in this trial, sharing their statuses and so now I'm able toe to talk to because I was already on their page anyways, mines will do some while in there, then they're just reconnaissance yeah, I have a one that someone I know keamey way is rebranding no, I was thinking about doing a launch like a brand launch party and I hadn't even thought until you're talking a rebrand launch party. But I was thinking think about this until you're talking about it being a networking opportunity but is that perceived as selfish if a if a business comes to you and says, hey, we'd love to use your food and your clothes and your all of this and will promote you but it's for this particular businesses that kind of poor I actually always offered to pay I fully intend to pay when I'm going to do any event but when they offer even better because I don't want people to expect them getting something for free and want them to do and a lot of times they see the promotional benefit if you approach appropriately through these steps they'll offer that up for you I mean, I've had sometimes that I have mom paid out to florists and stuff kind of hoping that they know it's going to a magazine and stuff and hope that they would offer and they don't so I kind of like, you know, I still refer them, but I am kind of like who maybe they're not big into this net that's one of those factors and circumstances I want to look at are they really that into me? I mean but I guess because think how would you feel if someone wanted you to come shoot for free all the time that's kind of the way I look at it on my parents taught me that treat others in the same way so you kind of want see how would you want to be approached with that that's a great idea I like having a relaunch and that's good because I get you more stuff to put on the web site and get to know other vendors as well reach out to me and I was so turned off by it like if she had just come to me and said I'm trying to get a little more established in this area would you want to be part of it that way? Instead she approached it in such a kind of self glorification of how great she was in the followers in her block and let alone this is gonna be so good for my portfolio I'm like I don't need my portfolio and that she was just going on and on and to me it's such a turnoff versus just beings just straight up in the beginning like if you wanted it for free or you know I have this much so I think that was like I'm like, ok, I have to make sure how I approach this mess today there's a fine line you have to tell them you can't just expect I'm actually more offended if you expect for me to know who you are, who look at me but I can't you have to kind of lay out your credentials and the credibility and the benefits that they're going to receive what is that line between? Is it self glorification? You know and a lot of that is and this is a perfect place thing outsource she their people and write copy that can do this for you on dh then that template email um, I'm pretty sure there's one in there after check for you guys of outreach as well that works and walks that line and be available to emphasize this is what I do with this way I can provide because I'm not going to make a financial investment give you some for free, especially if I don't think I get any return that sounds bad I mean, sometimes I'll do goodwill, which leads me to another thought let's talk about charities donations here in the second it's not on the slide, but I just thought about that but you want to really try to always spin to benefit we still have to explain who you are and what you d'oh again though that's? Why phone? Maybe better when you get to that kind of that conversation? It's a stumbling blocks is a double edged sword if you don't tell me you are a doll and get to know you, but I may not be able to interpret it very well on email so you may end up meeting his mentor. You may decide to move forward with it, man, it means mentor and she is completely one hundred percent humble on legit but it just is the way of the email came across, you know, so don't want to be the be all and end all but keep it in the back of your mind if she is this way that maybe she does think full and she may not necessarily get back to me, but else good way do quite a few weddings, and so, hey, my bride has this list of vendors, so just future vendors that I'm gonna be working with, like out of state ones of hey, I'm gonna be working with you this fall and super excited meet you, so I think, you know, asking your bride so their vendors are too it's a whole new net one you want to talk about their weddings, so leaving more than willing to provide the information, is that it? Yeah, yeah, no, I'm so glad he said that I meant to bring that up on the vendor slide is that that also gives you something blogged about and reach out to people who could block for you running out of blogging ideas or I don't have my blog's set up right now reach out to some vendors he worked with and see if they'd be willing to block guest blogged for you that's, kind of some three, labor and get some some little promotional as well. Yeah, a lot of time I always try to leak everyone, even if I did pay for a product or service, I still try to give the goodwill. A because I'm probably going to get a question if someone asking where I got the flowers and so it wards off me having to have another email to answer but also it's does search engine optimization look at all these benefits and then it also was goodwill because even if I did pay for the flowers and the florist may see that I'm making attempts and it could move that relationship train forward inbounds to talk about charity charity is ok so approach into a business oh are approaching a charity is a little bit different I mean there's all sorts of donation tax law stuff that we could begin to but really when it comes to charities I firmly believe in good will give because you want to give if you get a benefit out of it fantastic if you don't least just still gave that's kind of that's my whole perspective that's the way it's always kind of worked you donate with a good heart you hope that it goes to those that they're saying that the money is going to or the product or service is going to especially for like silent auctions and those types of things I just hope that in the end at least I've done my part I really strongly recommend there I mean there is a little benefit to it that you could start opening doors to other businesses in the area by donating I still try to give back a cz muchas possible, no strings attached. Like I said, if it happens, it happens if it doesn't that's fine, I still did, and my business and I still fulfilled my freedom of choice to be able to do that on my business in the desire for being a small business owner like I'm a cancer survivor. So I try to get involved in cancer walks in those types of things as much as I can, and there are always looking for photographers on dh you can photograph and get your stuff out there and get to know want hands on to a lot of people as well. Another one potentially could be like for local seniors that may not really be able to afford having their photography done little harder line might try to reach out to guard guardian angels, guidance counselors, guardian angels to guidance counselors. I tried to reach out to them and it's a fine line of privacy information, but I say, hey, here's, my information here is the structure. If you know anybody, I want at least two I want to get back to two seniors. We're going to run it like a regular. They don't owe anything it's going to be this. I don't charge anything it's not gonna be oh, a sucker than men, and try to sell them anything. It's a legit here's your free session here's, what you're going to receive on then I let the guidance counselor kind of run with it. I do a follow up with them as well they don't require of information. I wait, this is one of those and I'm very passive about I let the parents of the students then come in contact me schools can't disclose that information added benefit to that it kind of gets me in the door with the guidance counselor who could talk to other teachers who they have families there, women, they do women, you know, they want photography, so kind of opens has that added benefit that doesn't happen? It doesn't matter. I've still offered the gesture that's an awesome idea. Sorry, I'm I have three high school kids are like, do you do through email phone or do you actually go visit the schools and see if you can meet them or combination? I got a call in or email actually what I did before I put it on my facebook page, I was in the kitchen and wait for the spaghetti sauce to finish cooking and I posted it and next thing I know it email inbox from a local guidance counselor, so they should the work was done forming, I posted said, hey, I want to get back to some local seniors. I need a guidance counselor in the area. Does anybody know of anyone good teacher friends? I didn't actually expect a guidance counselor to email me and she did on then we went from there and we were able to do it on dh. I don't identify it any different on my website and is this different session? Nobody knows the difference between the pain and the charity session because it kind of defeat the whole purpose. I mean, given it to them, they're going to be less likely to want to do it if I'm not marked them is a charity session. My goal is to give back, not to necessarily be praised for donating, but it opens at networks as an added benefit. It's fun to like in my business, a portion of my income goes to an organization in zambia on that search soldier with disabilities and it's really fun because it's like it's me giving it its my clients, so I engage them in that process pretty much like those. Candleholders one of the glassy babies like where you're saying your purchase? You know, a lot of businesses do that, but it's been a really fun talking point to where you can kind of engage the clients who engaged the kids and let them know, like your participation in this is, um, benefiting don't know, so and it doesn't have to be a continual thing. It could be like you for the month of, like, certain cancer awareness month. I've done that before, where all of the proceeds for that month, it was like a record month, but all of the profits for that month went to, and I actually have the documentation if anyone ever wanted to see to donate, but all of it went to that organization, and what did I get out of it? The good will and I still got referrals, so that was great from them, but overall, those clients just were able to give back and and value to it as well, same thing is always outlined. The duties that you guys were gonna have between the networks outlined the payment and is the relationship exclusive? Are you wanting to be the sole photographer? It's referred by this wedding coordinator that needs to be in there don't just want to assume because they may say, although the only photographer that I want to riff for that doesn't mean you're going to the only report that they are going to refer it means that may be the only one they want tio but they may need to see they need to expand their network by having multiple on let the client no as well it's really super important I think that you disclose and always tell people is my friend we've gotten to know them great business I wouldn't recommend them if I wasn't used them myself I'm straight up front about it and kind of what I told you guys I'm not gonna put my name on someone that I don't believe in and my clients will okay? I mean like they're really they're really question at that point they really go for it yes about the product is that are these kind of templates that we can adjuster so it gives us like the base and then we can tailor it to ours I have all I have one there's for target a specific there's also independent contractor ones whether they're assistant or a second shooter referral fee agreement all of them have optional provisions on that you can swap out everyone's business models a little different some have all inclusive collections some you pick her shoes all of those types of things on their own war documents even copy and paste to put into your gravity forms or sign now daki sign whatever you use do you have any tips for networking with wedding planners that you haven't worked with before? Same way that I would just reach out to other other businesses that I haven't, um, like she was talking about, you probably want to kind of get to know them know that is super important. I can't live in a province like get to know their business before you reach out to him, because you can have a familiarity like when you talk to someone you say someone's name, I mean, it's shown the develop more of a connection, same thing when you reach out to a wedding coordinator that you've never worked any business you never worked with before, make sure you're knowledgeable of what they d'oh don't just look at it, say jenny smith, wedding coordinator well, she may be a wedding query air for dete yourself under five hundred dollar weddings, and you're expecting three thousand dollar weddings. I mean, you want to make sure a for your time and so that you've also sound incredible and knowledgeable when you go in, but on top of that, it would just be the same outreaches anybody else I know try to find a benefit hey, we're looking to a style shoot if not, I still would love to have someone refer to a lot of my brides are looking for coordinators and would really benefit from your services that you provide. And I would pull this from their site. X, y and z. Whatever they say, they provide specifically on guy would start that with an email and then follow up on then, if they do have a brick and mortar store than probably go in.