As your PhotoBiz Coach I talk a lot about networking and marketing your business. Success in business is build on the quality and longevity of your relationships. It is always about the people! A business relationship is no different than a personal one. You get out what you put it. Sometimes you are in the hot phase of courtship, sometimes it will take a more formal course and takes longer, sometimes the spark is just not there, and other times it’s simply not the right time. You can’t force the right project to magically appear. You have to continue to put yourself out there frequently enough so that when the right opportunity comes along the potential client remembers you.
The other day I received a request for a free business consultation from someone I met many years ago at an industry event. That was in 2006! He has kept my business card (see above proof in pristine condition) this entire time and waited for the right opportunity. In his case a whopping six years! After all this time he developed an idea and a project that he wants me to work on with him.
Once again my message to you is that you need to keep it up with your marketing and promotion. You don’t know how clients will find you when they are ready to hire. You are only the right person for some projects but not all of them. Stick to who you are, make sure your voice and branding is consistent, and keep promoting yourself consistently.
What’ is the longest time that a potential client took until they were ready to hire you?
Hi, I videotaped a client’s 50th birthday party in 2005 and she hired my company Wedding Khoncepts to videotape her son’s wedding June 2012!
I can relate to this. Time give me more perspective. At least in my mind, 2006 was not that long ago. A couple of years ago I went through my old box of business cards and it was disappointing to see some people had no online presence whatsoever. At that point I might throw the card in the trash. Some people just fall off the face of the Earth. But LinkedIn is usually the first place I look to connect once I have someone’s card.