Don't Make These Networking Mistakes [Issue 012]

I recently asked this question on Twitter… Does anybody need help with networking? And I got a lot of replies and DMs.

After having about 40 conversations, here are some common mindset issues that I see holding people back from networking at their best.

Mindset Issue #1 - “I just don’t know who to reach out to or what to say.”

Here are a few ways to break through this perceived obstacle.

Who to network with:

• Go find someone who replied to my Networking Tweet and shoot them a DM. These are all people who are looking to network!

• Start with people you already know a little vs. searching the internet for new people.

• Find people who work at studios or companies you’d like to work for and follow them on Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn. Engage with their content for a while… then message them. This way you’re not sending a bunch of cold emails.

• You never know where your next opportunity is going to come from (jobs often come from loose connections). So don’t overthink this one. Get in the habit of reaching out to a couple of new people each week.

What to say:

• When sending a message to a fellow artist that you don’t know, start with a compliment. Be specific. What did you love about their latest project?

  • If you’re reaching out to someone with a large following, add “I know you’re busy, so no reply necessary” since they may get a lot of messages.

• When sending a message to a studio you’re interested in freelancing for:

  • Hi, I'm X, your work is incredible (I especially love Y and Z). If there's ever a project that you think I'd be a good fit for, I would be interested in collaborating one day.

  • Share links to your reel and 2 or 3 recent projects you've worked on.

  • Share what you're most interested in working on.

  • My availability starts on [insert date].

  • I know you're busy, so no reply necessary.

• See more details about how to use this technique to get and stay booked here.

Mindset Issue #2 - “I’ve tried networking, but it isn’t working.”

There are 3 elements that all need to be in place for networking to be effective.

• TIME. It can take a looong time to get job opportunities from networking. This takes tenacity.

• QUALITY. This could also mean you’re not networking with the right people (peers or potential clients).

  • Try varying up the types of people you reach out to and connect with.

  • And always expect nothing from the connections you make.

• QUANTITY. The thing is, you never know where your next job opportunity will come from, so there’s always a bit of a numbers game. While there’s no magic number, I encourage people to start their networking by reaching out to one person a day for 30 days. After that you can keep it going or throttle it back a bit if it’s overwhelming.

Mindset Issue #3 - “Imposter syndrome and lack of self confidence keep me from wanting to start networking.”

This one is easier said than done… but we all feel imposter syndrome. In fact 94% of people in my Twitter poll said they feel “not good enough” at least sometimes… and 47% feel not good enough all the time. It’s a sad stat, but we’re all in it together. From those just getting started to the best of the best, we all feel inadequate when we compare ourselves to others.

I like the way Elizabeth Gilbert talks about inviting fear along for the ride (this links to the middle of a 3min video that is very worth the watch). Fear is allowed in the van, but it has to sit in the back, cannot give her directions, and will not touch the radio. It’s a foolish ambition to try to eliminate fear completely (or act only when you have no fear), so you have to learn how to live with it.

So, when you feel like you’re not good enough, that is fear telling you something bad will happen if you reach out to someone. The reality is reaching out and doing things in the face of fear is what gives you confidence.

Mindset Issue #4 - “Networking sounds like a lot of work and video chats are exhausting... I’m an introvert.”

This doesn’t feel super fair to call it an “issue,” but I did hear this from several people, so I want to address it.

• Go at your own pace, but make sure you keep moving.

• DM people, but reserve video calls for people or groups that you feel really connected with.

• Introverts have a superpower to focus and listen. You may not bring the party, but you don’t have to :D

• It’s ok if you don’t hit it off with everyone you reach out to. You know how in a job interview, you should be interviewing them as much as they’re interviewing you? The same is true of networking. Some people you reach out to might turn into life-long friends, but the majority will be loose connections. As it should be. We only have “close friend energy” for a small number of people.

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