Will Network for Work

Article Transcript

On a flight some years ago when I first started out in the retail caricature business, I recall being pestered to no end about my job and what I did for a living as I flew back to Georgia after a holiday break to Nebraska. A guy sitting next to me on the plane started in about what he did for a living and handed me one of his business cards and told me to call him about me creating some artwork for him in that coming year or the next. I must say that at the time, I was rather put off by such social meetings on airplanes, or while I’d be at lunch just trying to enjoy a good burger, or while standing at the then Kinko’s making photo copies. What I would learn from my older brother, a banker, was that this was a fairly common practice in the professional world; it was called “networking.”

Fast forward twenty years, and I find myself networking like crazy to stay busy with my live party and gift caricature business. It is very important to make contacts and get your business card, website, and Facebook business page out in front of as many current, past and future clients as possible to keep our phones ringing and to have our email mailboxes filled weekly with customers and/or leads to get jobs.

If your focus is on retail or theme parks you still can benefit from some networking tips. If you’re in the live party caricature arena then it can’t hurt to do some simple networking. I have met many a caricature artist who simply hated the idea of selling themselves to the Joe Plumbers out there. I certainly was reluctant early on in my caricature career. Although not the only place out there, one place to start is at your local chamber of commerce. Like any type of advertising you do for your business, the phonebook listings, internet, postcards, business cards, etc., there are going to be some costs involved monetarily. Membership in a chamber will set you back a few hundred dollars. This is usually a yearly renewal to join but what you’ll get is lists of business groups that meet for breakfast, lunch, or happy hour and last from 1-1/2 hours on average once a week. You’ll be listed on the chamber website and in their newsletters. They also have leads events and mixers in the evenings where twenty or more businesses each have tables to pitch their product or service for 2-3 minutes at time.

Does it work? Actually, yes! You might be surprised how easy it is to stand out in a group, when you consider that you are likely the ONLY caricature artist within the group or the first time any of the usual crowd of insurance agents, financial planners, lawyers, IT companies, sign makers, and window cleaners have ever learned that live party and gift caricatures artists exist in their business area. I attend a midweek lunch leads group. As most of my party events occur in the evenings and on weekends, this time slot works into my schedule quite nicely. At each lunch I get to pitch a 1-3 minute elevator commercial about my business and build business relationships that will generate leads for them and for myself.

Some call this prospecting. In the past three years I’ve come up with some basic ways to get more leads for my caricature business.

Here are my five tips for networking success!

1. Write an Elevator Pitch
We need to create our 30 second commercial to quickly introduce ourselves when we come in contact with Joe Public. Here is a sample: I’m Your Name with Your company name . My clients are typically companies/ people who are (Insert target prospect here ). Typically they choose to work with me/us because (Insert emotion and prob - lem state ment here ). For me, my target prospects are hosting parties that need entertainment or party favors. And my emotion and problem statement is that because I like my job, I can bring enthusiasm and an uplifting attitude that will put the clients/guests into a good mood or put a smile on their faces.

Use your elevator pitch whenever someone asks you about what you do for a living. I find most folks are very interested in getting to know more about our line of business and genuinely want more info and want to relate to folks who do something they enjoy for their careers.

2. Branding Your Business or Service
If you haven’t done so already, start by creating a logo or self-caricature and put it on your business card and website. Having a business card with your self-caricature, allows you to send a sample of your work home with the potential clients ASAP! It should have your URL, phone and email listed for easy follow up. Branding can be expanded to gig dress shirts/ball caps and jacket you wear while you’re on the job or out marketing it. Another tip I picked up at leads groups is having a name tag and a magnetic sign for your vehicle doors.

Since I started wearing my logo on my shirts and jackets, it is often an ice breaker for people to ask about my line of work. And yes, tag lines like “line of work” or “How’s my drawing,” can be incorporated into your brand and can be effective in making a lasting first impression with potential clients.

3. Join Leads Groups and Begin Prospecting
Where can you find places to pick up leads or prospect for future jobs? Some of the ways to get leads are through your local chamber of commerce, school functions, churches, fairs and festivals, word of mouth, quinceanera expos, mitzvah fests, wedding shows, pet shows, and party and industry trade shows.

I have picked up many jobs at events where I set up and drew free caricatures with my contact info on the pre-printed paper and passing out my cards. When you draw someone or visit with them one-on-one, it gives you time to tell these potential clients all about your services. They can see just how cordial and entertaining you are with them, and it shows them how you would be with their colleagues, friends, family and the guests that would come to their party.

4. Join Trade Organizations/Share and or Volunteer Your Artwork with Groups
This is an obvious one, but joining ISCA, and attending the annual ISCA convention is a great place to get together with other caricature artists and an opportunity to network with its members. Starting a local ISCA chapter or having get-togethers with artists in your area is another way. Here in Dallas, a group of caricature artists started an informal drawing night once a month. We meet at one another’s homes or nearby restaurants/pubs to draw, eat, drink libations, and to network with each other away from the gig scene. Many art museums have open houses once a week or month. Non-profits, junior or small colleges provide places to share your caricature art leading to jobs leads. Another great way to get more work is to connect with local and nationwide party planners. ISCA is lucky to have several members who have websites that you can list with to get bookings for party and gift caricatures: The Nose, About Faces Entertainment and Goofy Faces are excellent planners to connect with to get more work.

I have participated in elementary, junior and high school career days over the years volunteering one day a year, often resulting in coming back out to earn some money at school art days that promote the visual arts and pick up some gift commissions. All of these avenues provide me a way to connect with the community and to —GASP— network for jobs.

5. Social Networking
Putting an ad in the yellow pages/ telephone book doesn’t hurt, but nearly ALL of our new and established clients are finding artists online these days! Identifying your target audience and connecting with them means having an internet presence. A website, blog, ISCA website profile, a business Facebook page, Twitter, LinkedIn are all places to put your focus. Its up to you to promote these sites and pages in your marketing.

Telling everyone about your social networking tools while you’re out visiting with other businesses and when you’re at your gigs, fairs, and social events can give your service or party caricatures a boost and keep everyone excited about your work and jobs you’re doing each month. Keeping active with blogs and Facebook posts can keep other artists and customers culling through your work to see what is happening and provides a buzz about your work.

Let’s face it, staying busy is something all of us need to do to survive as caricature artists! I hope this article is helpful to finding at least a few new prospects and helps generate some new leads for your caricature business, whether you’re looking for some extra income or if you make your full-time living doing caricatures. I know for myself, I wish I’d started the networking process 25 years earlier, when that guy first bugged me on that flight back to Atlanta. What I’ve learned in the past few years has really opened up many doors and roads to more jobs, contacts, and has gotten me to develop my marketing skills.

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