The Power of Networking
It's all about NETWORKING. Nothing really beats face time, and I don't mean the Apple Inc. kind! I mean proper face-to-face contact with a client, for a brand. Going to events and making yourself known to brands, their PR, marketing or even friends of the brand is so important. People will keep you in the forefront of their minds if you have seen them recently and if an opportunity comes up, it may be a good way to book a job.
Social media definitely has its place in the world, you can always use it as a free promotional tool, but it's important not to get too caught up in living through your social media, and then having anxiety when you meet those people face to face. Instead, develop those interpersonal skills.
I can't tell you how many times I've booked a job just because I went out to an event and networked, I've chatted next to somebody on the plane and their friend owns a company, or some of my friends, who I've known for years have recommended me to someone who has started up a company and all of a sudden needs a model to be the face of a brand. This kind of contact and exposure helps you establish rapport with people directly and you can present yourself in all the aspects you want to be presented. You may surprise people with other talents they didn't know you had, like a dancing background, or TV presenting experience - far more than they'll find on your comp card or your Instagram account. Your social media channels may show one or two facets of your experience per post, but they don't really get a sense of who you are and what you're capable of until they can interact with you.
As many experts have shown, your non-verbal cues, your eye contact, your tone, register, pitch and even the way you listen are incredibly powerful within a conversation. These are what makes a conversation memorable, and you can also get a lot more covered in a 5 minute face-to-face chat than within 20 emails back and forth, any day. Being genuinely invested in a conversation, asking questions and being interested in who you are talking to will strengthen your relationships with people, practice your networking skills, create engaging experiences and maybe even make some new friends along the way.
Being involved in events is a great way to get in front of people and network so that you can connect with people within the same industry. You may end up meeting people in completely different industries, but in the end, it can only help. Industries get a lot of crossover and you never know when this could be of a benefit.
It's not all about getting free stuff from companies, it's about BOOKING WORK. When it comes down to it these days, you have to hustle for your work. Models and personalities who do what we do are a dime-a-dozen, and each person has their own unique selling point, but unless you're in front of these brands, you're not able to present that unique selling point as effectively.
Put yourself out there and be fearless. I would take a personal recommendation over a google search any day, and so would most people looking for a face of their brand.
If you have any questions or would like some more advice, please don't hesitate to get in touch! I'm always happy to help where I can.
Happy Networking! P.S. Take your business cards!
Lauren xoxox
