Getting Your Paws On The Ground For Networking

Guest Post by Blog Manager Robbi Hess

When I got Henrietta, one of my main reasons for getting a high maintenance pet was that I was going to be self-employed, working from home, and could have a dog of my own that I wouldn't have to leave home to fend for herself while I went to my day job. 

It has worked out well, other than her extreme separation anxiety on the days when I do leave the house... which leads me to the point of this piece. How often do your feet hit the ground at networking events? Do you think that because you're a pet blogger or pet writer, you don't have to go out and shake hands and meet and greet? You're wrong! If you want to gain a following, be known for who you are and what you do in the pet blogging realm, you need to go to networking events. Yes, I know you can network from the comfort of your keyboard, but you truly need to shake hands, build your brand, and put faces with names. 

I try to attend at least one networking event a week, sometimes I will make it to two but I won't let myself go a week without getting to at least one meeting. I introduce myself as a professional blogger and pet writer. The idea that someone is a "pet writer" sparks conversation and then I end up with more followers on Henrietta and Calico Zoe's Facebook page. 

Meeting business people at networking events has not only gained me more clients for my ghostwriting business but has helped me learn to hone my "elevator pitch," has opened me up to new business partners I'd never imagined and has also provided me with fodder for blog posts. It's a win-win.

When's the last time you attended a networking event? 

Comments

[Carol Bryant]

Super advice. I network at different events and feel the need to introduce myself and meet new people and grow my network both in person and in turn, online.