Why Networking isn’t as Important in Freelancing as You Think
As a very happy introvert, whenever someone mentions networking*, I can’t help but cringe. Forced conversations between businesspeople who are all just looking for ways to use each other (they call it “helping,” but come on)? Count me out.
Yet some freelancers claim that networking is one of the only ways to be successful in the freelancing game. It’s how you meet editors and/or potential clients.
If you’re an introvert considering going full-time freelance, I’m here to tell you: it’s not as cut and dry as this. Your freelance success is NOT dependent on your ability to network.
Here’s why.
1. At the end of the day, your value, not your connections, is what feeds you.
This is the absolute top reason why networking is not going to put food on your table. If you’re not bringing any value to your clients’ tables, it doesn’t matter who knows you.
Before going full-time freelance, I worked as an editor at multiple publications and I worked with tons of freelancers, hiring, assigning and, in some cases, firing. The ones who wanted to call me up and discuss their work, or set up a meeting or lunch, were the ones I avoided. The ones who realized that meetings with every freelance writer I hired was a waste of my time and that all I wanted from them was high-quality, on-time work were the ones who got the most assignments.
If you can’t bring value to your clients, networking is useless.
Notice I say “value” and I don’t say “skills.” Your success isn’t always going to be based on how skilled you are at whatever service you’re offering. There might be a competing freelancer who’s a better writer/designer/marketer. But you may be more in-line with the client’s values; you might be more suited for working on tight deadlines; you might be able to better manage the client’s expectations.
Before you try networking your way to success, focus on increasing the value you bring to every client.
2. A cold email or pitch often works just as well as networking, but in a fraction of the time.
Looking for new clients? You could go to that networking event and spend a few hours rubbing elbows with people who might need your help.
Or, you could take those few hours, do some research on some folks who you know need your help, and then you could send those individuals a cold email or pitch.
Choosing the latter has worked in my favor 100% of the time. After all, why would you not spend your energy going after the work you’re most likely to get? Of course, you do have to choose your targets wisely in order to see success, but once you’ve narrowed down potential clients that are most likely to respond and you have a basic pitch/intro email that you know gets results, the process becomes fairly easy and formulaic.
I’ve found some of my best clients, clients that I’ve worked with consistently for years, via cold emails. I can’t say the same for networking.
3. Networking often requires in-person connections, and for many freelancers, those in-person connections are difficult to come by.
Those who find a high level of success via networking alone often see that success because they’re “in” their industry’s inner circle. They’re not networking at local chamber of commerce events. They’re networking at high-profile publishing or university events, or at parties or conferences where an invite is required.
For many freelancers, getting into those events is near-impossible. First, you have to get around the gatekeepers. Then, you have to actually pay to show up — pay the conference fee, pay the travel costs, pay the application fee to be considered for the professional society.
If you began freelancing because you like the freedom it gives you to live in a more remote area or to travel consistently or to take care of a family member or any of the other myriad reasons people love the freedom of freelancing, then you may find it difficult to balance these freelancing perks with establishing and then maintaining these in-person connections.
Plus, again, those in-person connections don’t even necessarily guarantee work or consistent work. A lot of the clients I’ve met via networking have merely needed one-off projects, which, while I’m always glad to have, isn’t the best-case scenario.
Freelance success without networking is possible.
If you want to begin freelancing, but you’re worried you don’t have the networking skills, stop. There’s no need to worry. You can have success from behind your computer screen. All it takes is value and the occasional cold email.
*For the purpose of this article, I’m discussing good ol’fashioned networking events, not the more recent forms of networking via social media and other tech.
Holly Riddle is a freelance travel, lifestyle and food journalist and copywriter who dabbles in fiction. She can be reached at holly.ridd@gmail.com. Her website is hollyriddle.org and her twitter handle is @TheHollyRiddle.
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