Relational Marketing, Side Hustles, and Coaching for Freelancers

Last week, I took a seminar around “relational marketing”. There’s lots of different kinds of marketing: inbound, outbound, direct mail, digital….but I hadn’t heard about relational marketing. Until I realized I actually WAS doing this.

Relational marketing is establishing relationships with others, in order to stay top of mind, and to build a relationship…that hopefully will result in a sale at some point, but is not promised.

Relational marketing is how the executive director of a local chamber of commerce finally won my membership after 3 years.

Relational marketing is how I won a contract with a local non-profit.

Relational marketing is how you get called each year when a recurring job comes up.

Relational marketing is how you get others to refer you on to jobs you weren’t aware of.

How can you start ensuring you’re doing relational marketing? Make a list of 10 people you’re connected with on LinkedIn that you’d like to work with or work for. Each day, take 10 minutes, and if applicable, comment on their posts. Ensure that you are also creating LinkedIn posts regularly. Participate in networking events where you can meet the people you might want to work with, whether they are online or in-person events. Make a call or send an email, or send a LinkedIn message to check in with people and ask how they are doing (rather than “what work do you have for me?”).

This newsletter is also a way for me to stay in touch with YOU! So while I have your attention, don’t forget to refer me to anyone looking for a teleprompter owner/operator, or an events camera operator, as a start. Reply back to this email and let me know what you’re up to these days so I can return the favor!

And at 4 pm today, you’re invited to attend a 30 minute exploration into optimizing the return on investment of your networking time, sponsored by Nexco. Join here.

Ah, fall is finally here. Don’t get me wrong, I love summer. Summer parties, music festivals, pool time, cookouts, biking—I love all those things. But you know what I DON’T like? How my work slows down….but the bills keep coming! What to do? Pull out those side hustles. Here’s the side hustles I had going on this summer (and will keep doing when work is too slow for my tastes): Uber Eats driver, Mystery Shopper, Party Helper, and Collections for other businesses’ deadbeat clients.

Hubspot’s come out with a list of 100 ideas on what you might consider for a side hustle that you can download here.

I recently was talking to another video producer, who works with a lot of younger freelancers, and he told me that the biggest need the freelancers have is for business advice. That doesn’t shock me. He also told me that the lack of professionalism and business etiquette is HIS biggest struggle with younger freelancers!

If you’re new to freelancing, or are a veteran freelancer evolving in a new direction, there’s help out there for you on Wednesdays! Freelancers Union hosts free 1:1 sessions to help you chart your freelancing endeavors. Walk away with new perspectives and renewed energy to make the most of your freelancing endeavors.

If you’re open and willing to share your challenges and aspirations, this kind of conversation is meant for you. Get suggestions around dynamic tools, resources, and people that can accelerate your craft to take you further. Click here to book a session. Each Wednesday, new slots will open up so check the link another day, if slots aren’t open when you check.