As I mentioned in Part 1, when it comes to networking talent will only get you so far. Passion, confidence, and likability will take you a lot farther. There are some very talented artists whose careers are languishing because they lack these other qualities. Likewise, there are some very mediocre artists whose careers are thriving because they have those other qualities in abundance. I guess it’s just human nature. Who would you rather work with, a talented person who you enjoy being around, or a really talented person who is insecure, boring, or a jerk?

But what if you are not naturally bold and outgoing? What if you aren’t a great conversationalist? That’s ok. There aren’t too many people who come by those qualities naturally. You don’t have to be Mr. or Mrs. Popular. Just be yourself and then look for ways to gradually improve and grow. By nature I’m an introvert and I hate making small talk. But every time I force myself to get out there and mix it up, things get a little easier and I get a little more confident. Even if I strike out, I’m still better off as long as I learn from the experience.

I’m certainly no expert in this area, but here’s some networking tips I’ve picked up over the years:

1. Be authentic. Nobody likes a phony or a pretender. Besides, you won’t fool anyone. If you are trying to be something you aren’t, people can sense it pretty quickly.

2. Put the relationship ahead of the reward. Don’t get so caught up in finding a lead that you view the other person as a means to an end. People who network that way are really just using people, and nobody likes to be used. Treat people the way you’d want to be treated. I read about a young art student at Comic-Con who wanted to show is work to a leader in the industry. Instead of just walking up to the leader’s table and asking for a portfolio review, he offered to get him a drink or a sandwich from the concession stand. Of all the aspiring artists the leader talked to that day, guess which one he’s going to remember?

3. Focus on giving, not getting. Don’t make your main concern be what the other person can do for you (i.e. give you work and a paycheck). Instead, emphasize on what you can do for them (i.e. offer ideas, meet their budget and deadlines, etc.)

4. Follow every lead. Just because someone isn’t in the position to hire you doesn’t mean they can’t help you. People know other people, and the creative community is a lot smaller than you might think. If you make a good impression on a secretary, a website programmer, the bookkeeper, whomever…don’t brush it off. You never know whose ear they may have. Also, if someone gives you their business card don’t throw it away. Jot some notes down on the back about who they were, how/why you talked, or any other important info. If you network well at a conference or event you will come home with a fist full of business cards, and its easy to forget who was who. Make notes, keep track, and send everyone a follow-up email. A simple “thanks for chatting” or “it was nice to meet you” will suffice. Likewise, if someone gives you a name or a phone number of someone else to contact, treat it like gold. Those are the kind of leads that have the highest chance of turning into real work.

5. Be patient. Don’t get discouraged if you follow up on all your leads and nothing happens. Just because you don’t hear back doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve failed to make a good impression. People are busy, and it may be that they simply don’t have a need for you at that particular moment. Keep reminding them of your services through an occasional friendly phone call or e-mail (but don’t badger them). When the right project comes along, they’ll know who to call: You!

As a freelancer I’m always looking for my next paying gig. Unlike most people, I don’t have a steady paycheck to rely on (although the bills keep parading through my mailbox with military efficiency). To get new work I advertise on several illustration websites, I send out a quarterly e-mail to potential clients, and I occassionally do promotions through the mail. These are all good strategies, and for several years the combination of all three has helped provide a steady flow of new projects. But there are limitations to this kind of self-promotion.

First of all, such methods lack focus. With each strategy I am casting a broad net over hundreds or even thousands of potential clients in the hopes that a small handful will respond. And a few almost always do. But the results can be an unpredictable mish-mash of exciting projects, mediocre projects, and projects that are downright painful to work on (fortunately most are in the first category). I’d like to start fine-tuning my promotional efforts to target the specific clients and projects that I would really enjoy working on.

Which leads to the second problem with my current strategy: It is too generic and impersonal. I start by designing a postcard or webpage with a “one size fits all” mentality and then let the internet or the mailman find the matches for me. To land the projects I really want requires a more customized strategy that targets specific individuals and companies I want to work with.

Finally, I need to make sure I am getting out there to network and make connections. There are several agencies and corporations here in the Minneapolis area that would be a good fit for me but who may not even know I exist. To land the type of jobs that I really want, I need to start making some calls and promoting specifically to them. I also need to make sure I continue to attend conferences and events, because you never know where a connection might lead. I am currently working as a character designer for a cartoon series on NBC, and I can trace it all the way back to a trip to Comic-Con in 2003. During that trip an artist friend encouraged me to introduce myself and show my portfolio to a Disney animator (who is now one of the show’s directors).

But therein lies my biggest challenge: Meeting new people in person is out of my comfort zone. I like freelancing partly because it fits with my hermit-like tendencies. But if I want to advance professionally (and grow personally) I need to get out there and make some personal connections with the outside world and its inhabitants. And that means brushing up on my networking skills. More on that in part 2…