Go to the Business Rather Than Waiting for it to Come to You

I used to work for a boss who would fly to Europe just to sit in a three-hour meeting and then fly back.  The reason?  Out of sight, out of mind.  In other words, he felt that if he wasn’t there representing us, we would be forgotten about.

I just got back from another business trip myself yesterday.  Granted, if you’ve read enough of my blogs and/or if you receive the weekly e-newsletter, you know that I do a lot on the speaking circuit.  So yes, I was speaking at an event out-of-town last week.

Today and tomorrow, therefore, are the days when I’ll be going through the business cards I obtained and looking through the notes I took.  The follow-up on those contacts and the follow-through on all that I wrote down are important actions to “complete the trip.”

Earlier this month I went on a short business trip (day-wise, not distance-wise) that resulted in my coming back with one-and-a-half new clients and a speaking engagement next April.

The point here is that whether you’re a solopreneur or a solo performer, “you need to get out more,” to cite an expression often used with a negative tone.  Sure, I love how much one can do on their own, working from a home office.  However, to get out and press the flesh is so very valuable.

For performers I’m often heard saying that if you’re a songwriter, at some point you’ve got to get out and perform your songs in front of an audience rather than just sit and play them at home.  I know you’ll say, “Why?  I can just upload them to SoundCloud and wait for feedback.”  The key word there is ‘wait.’  When you go to a writers’ night or an Open Mic, there is an immediate return.  People will approach you and you’ll know how the song(s) is(are) right away.

For solopreneurs, how will you meet people that could help your business if you never get out?  How will you expose your business to potential new clients?  And please don’t tell me LinkedIn connections and Facebook ads, respectively.

I work to make the people that I interview for “Now Hear This Entertainment” contacts and not just guests.  One of the ways I do that is to try to meet as many of them – here it comes – in-person whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Whether it’s a networking event or a conference/seminar in your industry that’s relevant and beneficial to your business, get out there to see and be seen.  Although I’ve had a display for my business set up at two-and-a-half of the last four speaking engagements that I’ve done, you don’t need to get that elaborate just yet.  To quote the character portrayed by Richard Dreyfuss in the movie, “What About Bob,” which also starred Bill Murray, “Baby steps.”

There’s a saying, “You don’t know what you don’t know.”  I might suggest an offshoot of that, being, “You don’t know who you don’t know.”  Get out there and find out.

Where have you found success by getting outside your normal four walls?  When and how did you get results by not staying in your home or office?  Share your experiences with others in our Facebook group!