I’m sure you’ve heard the following quotes before: “It’s not what you know, but who you know” or “your network is your net worth”. Now to a degree, these quotes have truth to them. Over time I have been able to gain a great amount of connections and community.
Not only friends I’ve made over the years from school but summer camps, social media & jobs I’ve worked. Also fellow creatives, entrepreneurs, business owners, executive directors, and many more. That has afforded me a great network of people who specialize in a variety of skills, abilities, and gifts.
I recently attended Cultivate Grand Rapids put on by Pirate Club & The Grand Rapids Art Museum Visionaries, a networking experience for creatives, entrepreneurs, and young professionals like me. Here are a few tips that I implemented myself & gained from that experience that you can take into consideration for attending future networking events.
1. Invite and bring friends whose personalities are the opposite of your own.
For the event I mentioned above I invited a bunch of friends, creatives and not, for two reasons.
So they could meet new people and make new connections themselves or through me. (I see myself as a connector)
I tend to slide slightly toward the introverted side than the extroverted side. So not only having more people that I knew there would provide comfortability for me but being around those more extroverted people would push me to be more so as well.
2. Get uncomfortable
Part of meeting new people is uncomfortable but especially in this kind-of-post-but-still-covid world we’re in. So pushing yourself to do that can sometimes be uncomfortable. But there is a reward in simply trying and introducing or sparking a conversation with someone you don’t know.
3. Pre-select the amount of new connections you want to make or new people you want to meet beforehand.
One of my housemates mentioned at the event that he had planned to try and meet at least 3 new people before the night was over. I think that was a great idea. It is totally fine to pre-select a number or have a set number of new people that you want to meet. I think having that pre-selected number can help to reduce anxiety one might feel going into a networking event. But even if you don’t reach the number, as long as you’re trying, that is ok as well.
4. Be Intentional: Ask the people you know or meet who they would suggest that you meet.
“Who should I know or meet here”.
While attending this event I reconnected with someone who was instantly like, “Hey I met someone tonight who I think you should meet”. Part of that was because they knew the type of work that I do, hence the connection being ideal for me. That form of cross-networking is super helpful. It makes the process of meeting someone new much easier because there is already an established common ground.
From social media to in-person.
I’m sure some of us have made or created connections via social media but then when you see that person in person it might be awkward or you or they might not say anything. At this event, I was very intentional of making sure to say hi to a few people & fellow creatives I had connected with via social media but hadn’t met in person till that night.
5. Be yourself & have fun
Networking events can be nerve-wracking for some. So remember to not compromise who you are and what you stand for. Bring yourself to the table or high-tables in this case. Also, enjoy yourself. The event I attended had a myriad amount of entertainment. Things like a DJ, a panel discussion, artists creating live, raffles, open bar & a panel discussion (probably not your typical networking event right??). However, be sure to enjoy your time and don’t be too hard on yourself.
6. Honorable Mention: Follow Up
One of the major keys i’ve learned, actually, when I was a tutor coordinator is follow up. I got a few cards (yes people still pass out cards lol) from connections I made. I made sure that following day to email to reintroduce myself follow up on our conversation. So don’t forget to follow up with the connections that you made.
Networking for me isn’t just attending networking events and meeting new people. I see it almost as something that is part of your life. Most of the network I have & vast amount of people I know hasn’t come from just networking events. They have come through the many offerings of life, from school, jobs you’ve worked, and organizations you’ve been a part of. So I hope you can not only take these tips and apply them to actual networking events but to your life as well.
Alfield Reeves
Originally from Liberia, West Africa, Alfield Reeves is a self-taught freelance editorial and portrait photographer based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He specializes in creating work that encourages self-reflection and expression, promotes equitable action and showcases the identity and culture of black & brown people. His images are warm, quiet and bold. They bridge traditional divides between photojournalism, portraiture and fashion.
His work is featured in magazines and online platforms like Vogue Greece, Grand Rapids Magazine, Grand Rapids Business Journal, ProPublica, and The Trace to name a few. His work has been part of numerous exhibitions locally and statewide.
Link to his work below: