Effortless Networking Strategies for Design & Remodeling Professionals

Can networking feel daunting, especially if you're not a social butterfly? Imagine turning casual conversations into powerful business opportunities without stepping too far out of your comfort zone. Join Jason, Maria, and Miriam on this episode of Designer Discussions as we unravel the secrets of networking tailored for design professionals. Whether it's leveraging LinkedIn connections, engaging with professional organizations like ASID and NKBA, or even educating your own family and friends about your work, we offer practical strategies to expand your reach effortlessly.

We didn’t just meet by chance; our professional bonds were forged online, illustrating that meaningful relationships can start with a simple message. Tune in as we share personal stories about unexpected networking hotspots, from college alumni events to sports watch parties. Even if you experience social anxiety or have a packed schedule, we’ve got you covered with tips on making every interaction count. Learn how to harness the power of your immediate network and discover that networking success is more accessible than you think.

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• https://www.designerdiscussions.com/episodes/episode-123-The-Importance-of-Networking

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Designer Discussions is a partnership of three experts: Jason Lockhart, CEO of KABMS; Maria Martin, founder of DesignAppy; and Mirjam Lippuner, founder of Get Ink DIY

Episode Transcript

Mirjam Lippuner (00:00):
Welcome to Designer Discussions with Jason
Maria and Miriam.
Today we are going to talkabout the power of networking.
Welcome to the DesignerDiscussions podcast with Jason
Maria and Miriam Tune in eachweek, where we talk about

(00:20):
marketing, pr and businessadvice for design professionals.
Talk about marketing, PR andbusiness advice for design
professionals.

Jason Lockhart (00:25):
This is a good topic, miriam, because
oftentimes, as small businessowners, we're often in our own
little world and one of the bestways to grow your business is
to network.
You hear this a lot, butoftentimes people think that
they have to go out to a meetingand meet people.

(00:45):
We don't have Maria on today,but she had talked about how
she's not very social, but thereare ways that you can network
without having to be out there.
One of the ways that we allknow about is social media.
That's one of the ways that weall met.
Actually, we had met onLinkedIn and just by having
conversations and talking we hadmet and then we connected.

(01:07):
We saw that we had a lot ofthings in common and then from
there we have built a businessrelationship.
So that's just one way tonetwork where you don't have to
be out there meeting others ifyou have social anxiety, so
obviously you want to.
At the heart of whatever it is,you want to be involved in your

(01:29):
local groups, whether that beASID, whether that be NKBA, aia,
nari, any of the organizationsthat are national.
They usually have a localchapter and all of these
chapters have either monthlymeetings, quarterly meetings or
some type of meetings that youcan go to and be around

(01:51):
like-minded people.
Oftentimes you'll connect withothers that you have things in
common with, and I've met othersat AIA meetings or NKBA
meetings that we've had thingsin common and we've actually
done work together.
We've done joint projects.
From that networking, you canalso meet at a lot of these

(02:14):
local or regional groups.
You'll often have alliedprofessions at these meetings as
well, where, if you listen toany of our past episodes about
social media, you'll hear how wetalked about if you do like a
live event or if you doInstagram live or whatever, you
could tag people.
If you tag any of the allyprofessions or the vendors that

(02:38):
you work with and they areeither on it or they like it,
you now open yourself up totheir audience.
That's an aspect of networking.
So networking is just one ofthose aspects that you want to
get into, especially as a smallbusiness owner, because business
development is a big part ofgrowing the business and

(02:59):
networking is a part of that.
So we had talked about socialmedia.
Networking is a part of that.
So we had talked about socialmedia.
We had talked about joining oneof your local organizations.
You can also think aboutnetworking with your immediate
audience, your family andfriends, letting them know what
you do.
Oftentimes I'll hear that myuncle or my aunt has no idea

(03:22):
what I do and I'll say why dothey not know?
Because if they knew now, ifthey meet people that may be
interested in what you offer now, that can help to grow your
network.
So just talking to your ownfamily and friends, letting them
know what you do, how you do it, then they're more

(03:43):
knowledgeable.
So if they're out networking orif they're out talking to other
people now, they can refer youor reference others to you,
either as a network, as a clientor as a as a colleague.
What you do is very important,because I can't tell you how

(04:07):
many times I'm at networkingevents and I'll hear people say
my brother has no idea what I do, my mom has no idea what I do,
and I'll say why is that?
Because you don't know who theyknow or who they may come in
contact with.
And by having them know whatyou do, like I said, it just
opens up your network.
So that's just a simple way.

(04:29):
Where you went to college,that's a simple.
Oftentimes colleges havenetworking events or if you're
not living in the same areawhere you went to college.
You can get access to thedirectory to see where they have
local events.
So I'm a huge Ohio State fanand they are always having watch
parties.
So every time I head to a watchparty I'm meeting new people,

(04:53):
even though it's not around thebusiness that I do, it's around
what we all love Ohio Statefootball.
But in that meeting we'retalking to, and I'm talking to,
other professionals in otherprofessions and we're networking
.
They're learning about what Ido, I'm learning about what they
do.
So if I happen to come acrossanybody in that industry, or

(05:15):
vice versa, it's helping to growmy network yeah, I think you
covered really most of the thebest ways to network.

Mirjam Lippuner (05:24):
the one I would add is and you mentioned a
little bit too but go intoactual events, like for me,
whenever I go to KBIS or anothertrade show, it's a really great
way to network with otherindustry professionals, be it
like in in the construction anddesign industry and, for me,

(05:46):
with media, because all themedia are always at the big
trade shows.
So, if you have an audience, ifyou you think about your um
target audience of of potentialclients or just people that are
important um stakeholders in inyour business, like go and
attend the events where thosepeople are, because there's

(06:08):
really nothing like networkingin person.
I'm like it's great to networkon LinkedIn or in Facebook
groups or wherever that may be,but there's really no nothing
that compares to talking tosomebody live.
So I would say, whenever youcan, you know, try to it's it's

(06:30):
we're not always motivated to dothat Um, I think a lot of
people are not.
You know, it's like Jason's,like the very outgoing type you
know, maria is the more um lesslikely to put ourself out there.
I'm somewhere in the middle,you know.
So I kind of have to makemyself do these things, but then
when I'm there I really enjoyit.

(06:52):
So I really try to do that asmuch as I can.
So I'd definitely say liveevents, don't neglect those.

Jason Lockhart (07:02):
Miriam just said that I'm more outgoing.
Honestly, if you knew me inhigh school, I would not have
been.
I would classify myself more ofan introvert.
Extrovert and there's actually aterm for this Ambivert,
ambivert, that's what it was,yeah, so where you're an
introvert at heart, but whenyou're around others or you're
more of an extrovert and,honestly, that happened because

(07:25):
I am a business owner and it'sjust a a part of.
If you want to grow yourbusiness, you have to.
It's just an aspect ofnetworking, so that's how that
grew out of that.
One of the things I want totouch on as as we end this is
that at any networking eventwhether you're at a live event,
whether you're on social media,whether, I had said earlier,

(07:47):
talking to family or friends,you're at one of your college
events or whatever, whatever itis however, you're networking
make sure you follow up.
That's vital because you'regoing to meet a lot of people
just in life, just by networking, just in general.
Anyone that's interested or hasinterest in what you have to

(08:09):
offer, interest in what you said, or anybody that was referred
to you make sure you follow upwith them.
We deal with a lot of theclients we work with on the
marketing side, where a lot ofdeals are lost, are on the
follow up.
So making sure you follow upwith them, whether it's through
email, whether it's through call, whether it's through X message

(08:31):
, however it may be, followingup is one of the best ways that
you can make sure thatconnection lasts and it turns
into a professional connection.
Whether it turns into a client,whether it converts, following
up is vital.
Those are just a few things wewant to talk about in terms of
networking, and I wanted toaddress this topic because, as a

(08:54):
small business owner, like Isaid, networking is vital for
you to grow, whether it'slocally, regionally or
nationally.
Networking should be an aspectof what you do to grow your
business.
This is just one of the thingswe want to talk about today and
we hope to hear and see you allin two weeks on Designer
Discussions.

Maria Martin (09:15):
Did you know that your client learns 80% of what
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(09:38):
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(10:00):
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