Artwork by Marisa Haedike: http://www.creativethursday.com/blog/



I've been thinking a lot about networking lately. And how different it is for creatives. What can make it unique for someone living off their talents as opposed to other business people?

• We're promoting ourselves, which can feel odd although it's vital


• We're not sure where to network--industry organizations can get too competitive and we wonder if we can compete with the big guys


• We are focused on doing everything online--is LinkedIn it?


• We don't have a solid elevator pitch


• We tend to be isolated and sometimes shy or all too eager to get out of the house


• We're still not sure we need networking to help our business


• We don't care about the business aspect--we just want social interaction


• We don't want to spend money without a secure ROI

There are no black-and-white answers when it comes to this. How do you know where to go? What will you say? Will you be able to compete against the big guys? There are tons of questions that many creatives have when it comes to this, and I am included. As someone who has done a little bit of networking, I realize its importance. However, I'm not sure I found the right outlets in the past, so I'm on the lookout for new opportunities and trying to seize them. It's hard.

That's why I'm interested to hear what you have to say about networking. How can creatives network despite the unique challenges we face--and what are the advantages?

Sound off!

CSE NEWS:

Snaps to the gals at Startup Princess, now an awesome webzine!