Be businesslike
Join your local chamber of commerce. These organizations are business-oriented and provide the opportunity to connect with others in the business community. Since membership is usually open to anyone, you’ll meet people from every kind of industry. Chambers usually hold monthly meetings and a number of less structured events where everyone mingles. They may also offer presentations by members or guest speakers on business topics or community issues. You can learn from these speakers and potentially become one.
If you live in a large city consider joining a small, “neighborhood” chamber of commerce. It’s easy for a solo professional to get lost in a chamber that has thousands of members and caters to multi-million-dollar companies. But smaller chambers tend to be friendly, informal, and filled with “solopreneurs” like you. It’s easier to make personal connections at small events and programs geared to the needs of small business owners. Word-of-mouth referrals are common.
Be professional
Join your industry’s professional or trade association. These organizations provide excellent opportunities to exchange information and ideas, and to keep up to date with industry practices. Look for other professionals in your industry who are not directly competitive due to geography or specialty, and see if you can join forces in some way. You may be able to refer business to one another or complement each other’s products or services.
Be where the action is
Join a group that your ideal clients already belong to.The easiest way to meet potential clients is to go where they go. So if your ideal client is a creative person who needs help managing the financial aspects of his or her business, join an organization whose members are writers, designers, and photographers—even though you may be an accountant.
Be active
Whenever you join a group, volunteer for a committee and participate in activities. Find some area you’re genuinely interested in, and you’ll find others who share your interest. Working on projects in small groups always makes it easy to get to know people. Change committees every year to meet different members.
When you meet someone interesting at an event, suggest you meet for coffee or lunch and learn more about each other’s businesses. Such meetings are a bit more personal and tend to move the relationship forward. Come prepared with specific questions or comments, or ask how you can get involved in whatever it is your new acquaintance is doing that interests you. Most people will be pleased that you reached out to them.
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