Marcell Puzsar Clear Viewfinder Photography Business Card

We’ve covered a lot of networking ground lately. As we bring this current series of articles to a close, I’d like to sum up what we’ve learned 10 commandments style. Feel free to begin your Charlton Heston impressions at any point. This two-part conclusion will outline 10 principles you can put into action right away.

These principles will help you keep a level head in any networking situation you may find yourself in.

A Little Beginners Luck

Some businesses seem to naturally network as they grow; others like a photographer have to network in order to grow. Despite our best efforts to appear nonchalant, our first experiences with networking might feel awkward, uncomfortable, or even futile. However, it’s important to remember; there is no it factor involved. This is a skill set that will develop and strengthen over time.

Commandment #1: Be a networking scout master. In other words, be prepared at all times. Have the right tools for the task at hand. These include:

An ID badge
Photography business cards from Plastic Printers
A promotional nutshell-material that covers the basics of your business. Think larger than your photography business cards, but smaller than a business plan; a brochure is the perfect compromise.
A pocket business card file so you can organize referrals and keep track of contacts

Plastic printers can help you with several items on this list to make sure you are always prepared no matter where your business takes you. Keeping track of contacts is very important. In fact, that leads us to:

Commandment #2: Be a goal-setter and a go-getter. You never know how big the pool of contacts is going to be from event to event; stay flexible. Depending on things like:

The size of the group
The relevancy of the event to your profession
Your mood

Set your contact goals accordingly. The best way to do this is to take a few minutes to read the room. Once you know approximately how many meet and greets you want to do, count out the number of photography business cards you’ll need. The next step is the hardest. Whether your goal is to clear 10 cards or 20; don’t stop till you’ve met it.

Be the Change You Want to See in the Room

Preparation and contact will start to come easier. When you start to hit a stride or a comfort zone, it’s time to embrace a new challenge.

Commandment #3: Be the host with the most. Networking takes on several different forms. It may not always appear in the form of a handshake and a one-on-one conversation. It can masquerade as an opportunity to greet people as they come in the door; taking the time and effort to make a wallflower feel more comfortable, or participating in an icebreaking activity. Whatever the even calls for, when opportunity knocks, you answer.

Commandment #4: Listen then ask. It’s been said that we have two ears and one mouth so that we listen twice as much as we talk. A good networker lives by this rule. Engage someone else in the conversation, then let them talk. Ask pertinent question so they know you’re interested and actively listening. When you get around to the subject of what you do, be informative, but brief. You will both leave the conversation with business cards. The details can always be filled in during a subsequent conversation. Handling the conversation this way keeps you on task and gives the professional relationship time to build.

Relationship building is really what professional networking is all about.

Commandment # 5: Be an ally, not a closer. Networking is rarely the forum for spin doctors and deal hounds. The end goal isn’t actually a sale; it’s cultivating a valuable relationship that has more than a one-dimensional pay off.

Actually, it’s a lot like your relationship with plastic printers. Speaking of: when you start a networking campaign, you can expect to work your way through a lot of those photography business cards. The good news is we’re here to print more where those came from. We can even update the look of your business cards as needed, so you’re always putting your best foot forward