I Know You’re Out There My Friends!
Posted November 28, 2007 in Lifestyle
I just read one brilliant post titled ‘freelancer’s guide to sales: making friends‘. You guessed it right, the article is about building relationships and making friends, and it really is worth reading.
Here’s a quick excerpt from Shane’s article:
Most of our gigs don’t land on the initial contact, nor the second, not even the third. They come from having built a relationship with someone and being top of mind.
Think about it, how often do you get a gig ‘just like that‘? It didn’t happen to me really often. All the contracts I got, I got them because I took the time to network, make friends and build relationships, not even thinking about the business. Like Shane wrote in his post: sales is making friends.
So true!
I really don’t care if someone I meet, whether it’s online, at Starbucks or at a conference, becomes a client or not. I just want to make friends, leave a positive impression, and hopefully learn something from that person (the ‘learning’ part is extremely important to me). Then maybe someday this person will become a client or a business partner, and if not, it’s fine.
How do I make friends?
Online: I blog. Offline: I listen.
Now, how do YOU make friends?
Please take a minute to go and read the article on Shane’s blog, leave a comment, join the conversation, make friends .
Jon
:)
******
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About the author: Jon Phillips is a full-time freelancer, designer and blogger, he loves WordPress and plays guitar in a heavy act. He's also the founder of Freelance Folder. Oh and he'd be pleased if you would follow him on Twitter. :)
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13 Comments
Mrs. Micah
November 28th, 2007 at 7:35 amOnline I blog and I listen by commenting…
Ritu
November 28th, 2007 at 9:53 amThanx for the link Jon. I agree with you on making friends to land the gig. A lot of times we make friends and as they already know us and our services it is most viable for them to get services from us.
And Jon, yes you do listen and hopefully someday we will have something to work on together. You will go a long ways because of the fact that you take time to listen, make friends and help them out.
Once again, thanx for the link
GetSmart
November 28th, 2007 at 12:55 pmHi Jon,
I read and like your post. My thoughts on this topic is that it is one of the most effective way to sell a product is through networking and making friends. It is very easy for me to talk because I used to be a hairstylist for over 23 years, since the age of 19. I haven’t read the guide yet, but I wanted to point out that it is an effective way to making sales is by making friends first. Thanks and so lets become friends. ;)wink
Luann
Rebecca
November 28th, 2007 at 2:12 pmI have found that the blogging world is made up of some of the nices people. They leave comments, and are generally very sincere people. I spend a lot of time networking for my blogs and always leave a blog owner with a positive messsage. I find it brings them back to visit my blogs again and again.
Eric
November 28th, 2007 at 3:47 pmOnline: I blog and comment.
Offline: I volunteer.
Luis Sopelana
November 29th, 2007 at 2:11 amI love how this totally kills that fallacy about how “getting a job through your friends” is a bad thing. There’s a ting of sour grapes every time I hear that one. Now, keeping that job even if you’re terrible at it because of your friends IS bad.
Me? I’ve been lucky enough to land a few things here and there because of getting along with the “right” people, who just happened to be people with whom I share a lot of viewpoints and ideals. My offline friends are made through making them laugh when they least expect it. Online… I try to be interesting, especially when introducing myself somewhere.
Hi, by the way.
My problem, from what I’ve gathered, is not following up as much as I should, so, thanks for the link, it was very helpful.
erin
November 29th, 2007 at 11:45 amgreat post, jon. i talk to strangers. not bad strangers offering me candy or weirdos on myspace, but strangers waiting in line next to me at the post office. strangers in my tennis league. strangers waiting for a table in a restaurant. strangers sitting next to me on a bench. strangers blogging about something i think is interesting. you never know who you are going to meet.
Charlie
November 29th, 2007 at 1:21 pmExcellent, Jon!
Over the past couple weeks I’ve been up to my eyeballs in client emails. These are always sort of ho-hum.
Also over the last couple weeks I’ve received random emails from people I’m starting to adore, like Naomi and Shane, who stop by to say “Hi” or to tell me my comment form is busted :) This is the good stuff to me.
I doubt these budding relationships will ever lead to work, but they don’t need to. The friendship and feeling of camaraderie are payment enough for me.
Mark Abucayon
November 29th, 2007 at 9:25 pmExcellent post right there jon- I bookmark it already, In fact I read it twice, yes we really can get more works from our friend through referring us. Two thumbs up right there jon.
Jon
November 30th, 2007 at 5:17 amWelcome my friends, nice to meet you! :)
Mark Abucayon
November 30th, 2007 at 12:06 pmYoure welcome jon- keep posting articles jon I love your article so nice. great job
Grace Smith
November 30th, 2007 at 4:34 pmI really enjoyed reading Shane’s article. I think its important as Shane points out that you shouldn’t meet people with the mindset of ‘i wonder how i can use this person or what can i get from this person’. You should try to build relationships, as Jon expresses – leave a good impression and find common ground, if in the future this person becomes a client then thats a fantastic bonus!
It is just so true sales is about making friends and building a solid foundation for the future. Its not a one way channel, they may be able to help you as much as you may be able to help them!
Prix Dekanun
December 1st, 2007 at 9:00 pmMake friends? Oh God, I’m terrible at that. For now, I’m just trying to learn how to receive coments/critics without feeling my warming up my blood. I hope after that I’ll be able to deal with this concept of “making friends” – :D