Marketing by walking around...

It's an axiom in business that the best way to get in the door is to know someone inside it. To that end I have begun the arduous task of contacting as many people as I can that I know in almost every business and asking them for meetings. This is one of the things my dad taught me and one that I have resisted until now. It's hard, is why. It feels like I'm imposing on my friends and acquaintances. It's not fair. Does everyone have to do this?

Short answer: Yes. Getting in front of people is what makes business work. I've been working on other things like this website for weeks and I have exactly one thing to show for it. This website. No jobs. At the same time I have started in the last few days to get out of my office and talk to people. It's amazing how much it has paid off. I may not have jobs flying into my inbox but the connections and contacts are helping me to understand my world and market better than the Internet ever could. You can't google for that. You have to get out and see people.

Right now I am waiting for a meeting to start. I'm sitting in a parking lot and getting ready to meet with someone who has no budget for a job that will in all truth take hundreds of hours to complete. It's my job to find a way to offer what I can and try to win some actual paying business from them. It's a tough job, but one that is made easier by my enthusiasm and passion for what I do for a living. It's all a matter of persistence and passion that goes toward converting a client from one who is "just looking" to one who is willing to spend money for a project. That and a good relationship with the producer.

So it's time to get off the couch and walk into those businesses and talk to people.