Confession: I didn’t start networking because I’d heard it was the newest fad in self-promotion, or because I was looking to increase my business. Nope. I started networking because I’d just had a baby, and those once-a-week networking lunches gave me an excuse to get out of the house, and get some much-needed adult conversation.

So…once a week, I’d get dressed up nice in my post-maternity outfit (which, by the way, looked an awful lot like my actual maternity outfits!), and go spend 90 minutes eating good food and talking about grown-up stuff…with a little business talk thrown in for good measure.

See, because my main priority was something other than business, I didn’t have to wear my salesperson hat. Instead, I focused on learning about the members of the group, and building relationships with them. And wouldn’t ya know it? Over time, as the people in the group got to know me, I began getting business. It was then that I realized the remarkable power behind building a professional network, and that to make networking WORK, I had to build relationships!

Since that first networking experience way back when, I’ve gone from a reluctant networker to an avid networker, and now I even run my own monthly networking group. For me, networking is not – and has never been – about selling…otherwise it would be called “net-selling” or “sell-working” (both of which evoke images of over-aggressive used-car salesmen types.) Maybe a more apt term would be “relationship working,” or better yet, “relationship building,” because ultimately that’s what successful networkers are doing: building a network of professionals with whom they have a relationship or connection with.

So the next time someone mentions networking, or invites you to an event, leave your salesperson hat at home. Go meet some people, be yourself and have fun! Eventually, what you do for a living will come up…but by that time, they’ll already love you, and will be more than happy to start sending business your way!

Join me next time, as I continue my journey Out of the Bedroom,
Tamar Wallace | Principal, TAMAR Graphics

Wow. I always get a bit nostalgic when a year ends and a new one begins. And as I close out 2007, I thought it only fitting that I revisit the goals I set for myself right here, six months ago, and see what got checked off…and what didn’t (whoops!)

As a reminder, here are the goals I listed in my July 3, 2007 post:

• Spend one hour each day working on marketing my business
• Finish and submit book proposal
• Write a press release regarding this column for Create Magazine’s Fall issue
• Finish bulk of website update
• Begin focusing marketing efforts on my niche areas
• Connect with one prospect per week
• Join my local Chamber of Commerce
• Develop e-newsletter
• Develop and write out my official “process” and put together marketing packets
• Write one press release per month
• Continue with monthly networking group, and add one more networking event per month
• Win a Design Award

Alrighty then. Let’s see what’s been accomplished, what hasn’t, and what will be continued into 2008.

Goal #1: Spend one hour each day working on marketing my business.
Outcome: I’m sorry to say that this has been a tough one to implement into my daily routine. I know how important it is, but sometimes those paying projects come first…or household chores…or family obligations. I will continue to work on this, but will start out smaller – maybe one hour per week.

Goal #2: Finish and submit book proposal.
Outcome: This was a top priority at one time, but has since fallen to the bottom. It’s still something I want to accomplish, but I found myself spread extremely thin the last three months of the year, and I don’t want to over-extend myself with yet another project. I’ll add this to my 2008 goals, but as something to be done during a slow period.

Goal #3: Write a press release regarding this column for Create Magazine’s Fall issue.
Outcome: This goal gets a big, fat check mark. Not only did I write and submit the press release, but I (and the column) got a mention in the Scoop section of Create Magazine Northeast Sept/Oct 2007 issue.

Goal #4: Finish bulk of website update.
Outcome: Don’t get me wrong, there’s still much I want (and need) to do to my website, but I’ve got all the important bits up there. So…maybe I’ll give this one a half of a check mark.

Goal #5: Connect with one prospect per week.
Outcome: I’ll admit I have not been as diligent as I should have been with this one. I have definitely been keeping up with prospects, but not on a weekly basis. I’ll keep this one on my goal list for 2008, though, as I think it’s a very good goal to work towards.

Goal #6: Join my local Chamber of Commerce.
Outcome: I have not yet committed to joining a chamber, but I am involved with my local one, as I hold my monthly networking meetings there. There are several different Chambers I’m considering, though, and I expect to make a decision and join one during the first quarter of 2008.

Goal #7: Develop e-newsletter.
Outcome: Wow. Yet again, another goal that I can’t check off my list. Sheesh! Did I get ANYTHING accomplished this year?!? An e-newsletter just was not a priority these last few months.

Goal #8: Develop and write out my official “process” and put together marketing packets
Outcome: This is not finished, but I have been working on refining my process, and getting it down on paper. I’ve also started working on items to include in my marketing packets – I just need to finish it all and then put it together.

Goal #9: Write one press release per month.
Outcome: FINALLY! A goal I can check off my list! Fortunately, I’ve had a lot of good stuff to write about, so I have been able to get out my press releases pretty regularly.

Goal #10: Continue with monthly networking group, and add one more networking event per month.
Outcome: While I haven’t added one regular monthly event, I’ve been attending a wide variety of networking opportunities, both online and off. I’ve made some very solid connections and will continue this throughout the New Year.

Goal #11: Win a Design award.
Outcome: I am very happy to say that my diligence and hard work has paid off, and in 2007, I was the recipient of not one, but three design awards (two 2007 American Graphic Design Awards, and a Creativity 37 Silver Award.)

Okay. Those were my official goals. While I may not have accomplished as many of them as I would have liked, I have accomplished much that wasn’t on my list:

• Joined a goal accountability group that has really helped keep me on track.
• Joined quarterlife.com as the contributing Graphic Design Expert.
• Went back to school, and got an A-average my first term back.
• Landed several large clients with some really exciting projects.
• Had my work published in numerous Graphic Design compilations.
• Started an online store with items specifically for graphic designers and creative professionals.
• Witnessed my beloved Red Sox 2nd World Series Championship in four years.
• Rooted my New England Patriots on to their best-ever regular season…and hopefully another Super Bowl win. (Okay, I know neither of these last two “accomplishments” are mine, and certainly have nothing to do with my business goals, but as an avid sports fan living in the Boston area, they have definitely been a big part of my year, and deserve mention.)
• Overall, just had one of the best years in a long time, both personally and professionally.

And there you have it. I’m still a ways away from my ultimate goal – getting out of the bedroom – but I’m a lot closer than I was just six months ago. So, what can I say? It’s the end of the year as we know it, and I feel fine…And I’m looking forward to an even better 2008!

Join me next time, as I continue my journey Out of the Bedroom,
Tamar Wallace | Principal, TAMAR Graphics

No, I’m not going to wax philosophical, or debate religion. And I am not referring to clients – although it wouldn’t be much of a stretch…

What I do want to talk about, though, is how inspiration can strike anytime…and - pardon the cliché - especially when you least expect it.

One night recently, while in bed reading one of my NY Times Bestsellers, I came across this, “Remembrance was a Buddhist philosopher’s trick. Rather than asking [your] mind to search for a solution to a potentially impossible challenge, [you] ask [your] mind simply to remember it. The presupposition that one once knew the answer created the mindset that the answer must exist…thus eliminating the crippling conception of hopelessness.”

Now, I have no idea if this little “trick” is, in fact, based on a Buddhist philosopher (and yes, I did do a brief search online, to no avail), but my initial thought was that this would be a great technique for solving problems of any type…even creative ones.

Since I first read that quote, I’ve had numerous opportunities to put it to the test. I’ve used the “remembrance” technique to help determine how to bid on a project I hadn’t done before. I also used it to help me come up with concepts for a logo that I was struggling with – I came up with one concept easily, but I needed two more. So rather than sitting there, staring at my blank sketchbook, wondering what the heck I was going to do for those other two concepts, I decided that I had just forgotten what the other two concepts were going to be, and all I needed to do was to remember them!

Now, I’d be lying if I said that the answers came to me immediately, but once I changed how I was approaching the problem, the next time I sat down with my sketchbook, the ideas just flowed. And I was able to come up with two more concepts to present to my client.

I even used the remembrance trick to help me “remember” a layout concept for a website design I was recently working on. I’d come up with three design concepts, but I wasn’t happy with one of them – it was very similar to one of the other versions. Right around that time, I had an appointment to get to, and was forced to step away from the computer, allowing me to focus on the problem with only my head. Again, I changed how I was viewing the problem, and tried to just remember a better design solution. By the time I reached my destination, I was able to sketch out a new website layout on a piece of scrap paper I found in my purse (okay, if you really must know, it was the back of my grocery list…but I digress.)

So on three separate occasions, I was able to put this Buddhist philosopher’s trick to the test, and it worked. In fact, anytime I get stuck on something now, I use this technique before anything else.

Sometimes, all it takes is a little memory jog to clear our heads of those Angels and Demons, and get back to business.

Join me next time, as I continue my journey Out of the Bedroom,
Tamar Wallace | Principal, TAMAR Graphics