Sometimes being a writer in a home office means writing, writing, writing. Interviews often take place by telephone, and files go back and forth by e-mail. If it weren’t for the fact that I have a dog, I might not even get outside, especially in winter! But by joining different networking groups, I make sure to get out and meet new people or reconnect with colleagues.

Looks like February is following the frantic pace of January when it comes to networking. Tonight I’m out with a communicator I am mentoring, plus another IABC colleague. Tomorrow and Monday, I’m having lunch with friends. And I am signed up for these events:

February 10, 6:30 - 9 p.m.
HPCA presents: Encore Improv
Peel Village golf course, 29A Hartford Trail, Brampton, ON
Whether you are negotiating, meeting with a client for the first time or fielding questions, being quick on your feet is an essential business skill for independent communicators. Learn from the Second City style of improv comedy how to respond in the moment, spark your creativity and sharpen your listening skills. Free to Halton-Peel Communications Association members; $20 for non-members. Sign up at www.hpcaonline.com. (Note: If there is still small print that says the event is closed, ignore it; it’s not. Register with Mary Harvey.)

Feb. 11, 6-8:30 p.m
IABC/AIP presents: Show Your Love for the Planet
Haworth Toronto Showroom, 55 University Avenue, Toronto, ON
IABC and its Alliance of Independent Practitioners offer a “sustainable” munch & mingle. Learn about sustainable approaches to communications while you network. Participate in a “green footprint” icebreaker and have a chance to win eco-friendly door prizes. IABC members pay $30, non-members $40. Register online.

Feb. 23, 6:30-8 p.m.
IABC/Toronto Westend networking event
Wendel Clark’s Classic Grill & Sports Lounge, Oakville, ON
Strictly networking fun for $25. Register by e-mail.

Feb. 25, 6-8 p.m.
IABC presents: Successful Communications in a 2.0 World with Steve Crescenzo
Sutton Place Hotel, 955 Bay Street, Toronto, ON
Steve Crescenzo is one of the U.S.’s leading experts in employee communications. He comes equipped with dozens of case studies and best practices in Creative Communications from both small and large organizations in Canada and the U.S. He’ll show you how to use multimedia tools such as podcasts and video without blowing the budget, and five things you can do to turn intranets and websites from electronic wastelands to powerhouse communication tools.  IABC members $45, non-members $65. Register online.

How is your networking going so far this year? Are you getting out there?

I’ve talked before about how referrals magically help you diversify your business, and how networking can lead to the connections, the trust and the work that leads to referrals. December is a busy month, but I’m more likely to be meeting with friends and family than building my business network. January is a different story, and I’m gearing up for three networking and professional development events in the next two weeks:

Wednesday, January 20, 6:30-9 p.m.
Halton-Peel Communications Association (HPCA)
“What’s your behaviour style?”
Location: Glen Abbey Library, 1415 Third Line, Oakville, ON
Paula Hope of the Referral Institute will walk you through how to evaluate your network and relationships, create messages to build on those relationships for business, and understand behaviour styles so you know how to get your message across. In short, WHO are you talking to, WHAT are you saying, and HOW are you going to say it? (Note: If there is still small print that says the event is closed, ignore it; it’s not. If the button does not work, register with Marnie Hughes.)

Thursday, January 21, 6-8:15 p.m.
International Association of Business Communicators (IABC)
“The secret to engaging employees: How to bridge the great divide and get your employees’ buy-in”
Location: Sutton Place Hotel, 955 Bay Street, Toronto, ON
Never before has there been such a diverse workforce driving business. Each generation is hearing your message through their own generational filter. Each generation has different issues that are important and wants to hear the message in their own way — text, video, email, phone call or face-to-face. Now add in weak management practices and the reluctance of the C-suite to be more forthcoming, and you have difficulties that intensify during times of change and turmoil. The panel includes:
*  Laurie Smith, who will discuss how to prepare your leadership team and communicate during times of challenge and change.
*  Leah Reynolds, who will present the business rationale for adapting communication practices to be in line with changing generational perspectives, and discuss the steps that communicators need to take to stay in step with these changing times.
*  Donna Papacosta, who will take you on a quick tour of the ways in which Web 2.0 is transforming employee communications.
(Note the IABC member/earlybird fee of $45 ends Jan. 14.)

Wednesday, January 27, 6-8:55 p.m.
IABC/Toronto’s Alliance of Independent Practitioners (AIP)
“Successful independent practitioners 101: How they got where they are now”
Location: The Assembly Hall, 1 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Drive (Kipling/Lakeshore), Toronto, ON
This panel discussion will cover how to market yourself to attract the clients you want, how to grow your business to achieve your financial goals and how to avoid pitfalls standing in the way of your success. Learn insights and tips from these entrepreneurs:
*  Paul Lima, freelance writer and author of Six-Figure Freelancer: How to Find, Price and Manage Corporate Writing Assignments
*  Diana Degan Robinson, president of Diana Robinson & Associates and winner of IABC/Toronto’s 2009 Award of Distinction for Independent and Small Agency of the Year
*  Ken Cherney, ABC, APR, MC, award-winning senior communications practitioner at Ken Cherney and Associates Inc.
*  Annette Martel, ABC, MC, award-winning independent consulting associate, TWI Surveys Inc. and frequent guest speaker at IABC world conferences.

Have you started up your networking engine yet in 2010? Will I see you at one of these events?

At two recent networking events, someone commented that I am always well-dressed. A translator I once worked with was surprised to find, when we finally met in person, that I wasn’t the scruffy, unwashed writer he had expected.

People imagine that independents sit around in our bathrobes and fuzzy slippers, and therefore we don’t know how to clean up real nice.

First of all, I do not work in my bathrobe. I shower, put on makeup, get dressed (usually in jeans and a t-shirt or sweatshirt) and am at my desk by 9 a.m. Freelance writers may have freedom, but they must also be disciplined and professional.

Second, I usually work with and for corporate communications people. They are a well-dressed crowd. I am part of that crowd, even though my office is at home. So when I leave my office to meet other people, I like to look the part, and that means a jacket over a skirt or pants, if not a suit. Even if the event involves other independents, not corporate communicators, I like to look professional. If I know the group, I might wear jeans (dark wash or black), but I’ll still have a jacket on top.

In fact, a nice jacket — like the red one that gives my blog its name — is pretty much the independent gal’s secret weapon. Throw a jacket on, with perhaps a striking necklace and lipstick, and people will always think you are well-dressed.

It isn’t frivolous fashion. You are marketing yourself even before you open your mouth, and image and appearance matter if you want to be taken seriously.

Last night, the Halton-Peel Communications Association (HPCA) hosted a hands-on social media event for members and guests, and what fun it was.

I joined organizer and HPCA member Donna Papacosta and fellow members Rob Clark and Joan Vinall-Cox in talking about and demonstrating how to use LinkedIn (here’s Donna’s summary), blogs, audio and video on the web (and Joan’s), and Twitter. Guests had a chance to sit in at each table for a set amount of time, ask questions, discuss the uses and value of the tool and see it in action before moving to the next table. It seemed to go well, and I’m just sorry that as a presenter, I didn’t have a chance to visit all the tables, too!

I joked to Donna about the presenters that “one of these things is not like the other things, one of these things just doesn’t belong here” as the Sesame Street gang used to sing. But even though I am later joining Twitter than she and the others, I felt qualified to walk others through. Here’s what I talked about:

Why you should be on Twitter:

• To be part of the conversation.
• To find resources and get answers quickly.
• To meet others, build relationships, build your brand, earn referrals.
• To be visible, share resources, build a reputation, drive traffic to your blog or web site.

Where to start:

• Sign up at www.Twitter.com > “join the conversation.” Choose a variation of your name or one that ties in with your brand/company.
• Put relevant facts about you in your profile, to help people decide if you might have common interests. Upload a photo that is close enough to see your face. Include a link to your web page, if you have one.
• Write a couple of tweets before you start following others. Twitter notifies you by e-mail when someone follows you, and people typically check out the follower’s profile before deciding whether to follow back or not. (You don’t have to, but it’s polite.) So seeing what you’re talking about may help them learn something about you. More on what to tweet about below.
• Use “@” before a person’s name and “http://” before a URL to make these clickable links.
• You can tweet from Twitter.com (go to “home”) but it’s easier if you use a Twitter management system like TweetDeck, Twhirl or TweetGrid. They organize the tweets so it’s easier to see if someone mentions you and makes it easy to retweet (RT), or forward another person’s tweet that you think is useful or interesting.
• To RT, either write “RT @username” in the comment line and copy and paste the tweet, or use the TweetDeck or other system shortcut.

What to tweet about:

• Twitter asks you, “What are you doing?” but don’t answer this. Even your best friend probably doesn’t want to hear that you’re eating a sandwich or you’re in line at Starbucks. Try to add value. Talk about what’s got your attention. Share links to interesting content you’ve found, share your knowledge or advice on your area of specialty, promote an event, reply to comments.
• Once in a while, post a link to your own content, like a blog post of interest to others. But spend more time promoting others or engaging with others than you do promoting yourself. You don’t want to be like a pushy salesperson at a party.
• You have 140 characters, and Twitter counts down how many you have left as you write. If you hope someone will retweet  it, make sure you keep to about 100-120 characters, to leave room for others to comment as they RT. Thank people for RTing.

Building Twitter followers:

• Follow people you already know personally or through their blogs.
• See who they follow and look for people who fit your interests.
• When someone follows you, check out their profile. If interesting and there’s a connection, follow them back.
• Watch out for the profiles that show a provocative photo, one tweet that contains a link, thousands of people followed and only a handful of followers; it’s spam. There’s a button where you can and should block and report the person as spam.

Several people who came to the Twitter table asked about time, and it’s true you can spend all kinds of time scrolling through all the tweets and following links. I think those who have iPhones and other mobile devices are better able to dip into the Twitter stream at odd moments, but you can do the same from your desk as long as you are disciplined. Set a timer if you have to!

Some people remained unconvinced that Twitter is as great as it’s made out to be, and as I said to the group, you can have that opinion. But as a communications person, you need to make sure it’s an informed opinion. Make your decision that it’s not for you after having tried it and spent some time using it. And even then, it may not be for you personally, but your client or your employer might have or need to be aware of some valid, useful, innovative ways of using Twitter.

Oh, I forgot: I’m @Sue_Horner.

Here are more Twitter resources:

Newbie’s guide to Twitter: http://news.cnet.com/newbies-guide-to-twitter/

10 easy steps for Twitter beginners:  http://bitly.com/3kbYI9

Mashable’s Twitter guide book: http://mashable.com/guidebook/twitter/

Blogging, Twitter, LinkedIn, audio and video on Web sites – what are they all about and why should you care? For starters, these tools can help you get noticed, get remembered and get business. Last spring, the Halton-Peel Communications Association (HPCA) sponsored a successful meeting about social media, with Dave Fleet as our guest speaker. Dave’s presentation sparked interest among many members who wanted to learn more about social media in a hands-on environment.

Now it’s time for the follow-up hands-on meeting! At 7 p.m. next Wednesday, October 28, 2009, at the Monte Carlo Inn in Oakville, you can experience blogging, Twitter and LinkedIn, plus the use of audio and video on Web sites, in a relaxed, supportive environment. Your facilitators are:

·       Rob Clark – blogging
·       Sue Horner – Twitter
·       Donna Papacosta – LinkedIn
·       Joan Vinall-Cox – audio and video
Each will demonstrate the particular tool at a table. You will have a chance to visit each table, depending on your interest, ask question and walk through what you need to know. Please bring your own laptop computer, if you have one.

Because of the hands-on nature of this meeting, space is limited. Register today by emailing Donna Papacosta at Donna AT Trafcom DOT com. HPCA members can attend for free; guests pay $20.

Sandwiches and beverages will be served. See you there?

Les Potter, communications guru and visiting instructor at Towson University, blogged the other day about the loneliness of the solo communicator and the importance of regular social interaction with fellow professionals. He quotes a couple of songs (”One is the loneliest number”) and then after a few comments, both on the blog and off, posts his own hilarious “Sole proprieter blues.”

Woke up this morning
Lord I felt so bad
Another day alone
Done billed all the work I had…

(Enjoy the full verse in the comments on his original post.)

Les makes a good point. It can be lonely as an independent. You do need to work on developing ways to make up for the lack of on-site colleagues that come with working for a company. And you do need to be able to handle all that time working alone.

When I launched my solo business about 17 years ago, I deliberately looked for like-minded people in IABC and another association geographically close to me. I’ve been active with both, particularly in the area of member communications. These days, indies have targeted support with IABC/Toronto’s Alliance of Independent Practitioners. Those of us living and/or working west of Toronto can network closer to home with another sub-group, IABC/Toronto Westend. I highly recommend both!

The discussion Les and I had highlights another way today’s solo artists can overcome the feeling of loneliness: interacting with others on blogs, social networking sites, discussion boards and other online spots. So really, you have no excuse for feeling isolated and alone in a home office. Get out and network in person every chance you get, and network online in between. Go for it!

One of the things I encourage new freelancers to do is get out and network. Established freelancers, too! Working in a home office can be as lonely as it is liberating. Just as you should spend some time every week on marketing your business, even when you are already busy, you should spend time making contact with others.

This is easier than ever with all the social networks out there: MyRagan, Melcrum, IABC’s MemberSpeak and local discussion boards, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. (And how did I forget Twitter?) Then there are blogs to visit and comment on, e-mail messages to say “I’m thinking of you” or “I’m bouncing off the walls, want to meet for coffee?” and phone calls doing the same. And what good is being your own boss if you can’t get out and meet a friend, colleague or client for lunch once in a while?

This week I attended a networking session of my local IABC chapter’s Alliance of Independent Practitioners. This is a group of about 100 Toronto-area communicators, all with our own businesses. The group meets monthly, except for a summer break in July and August. AIP’s monthly meetings always address topics of interest to independents, but I would say that we all get just as much out of making a personal connection with other like-minded people.

The session this week was particularly effective. About 20 of us worked on our “elevator speeches,” those short and snappy summaries of what we do to have on hand when meeting someone new. Afterwards, we went to a nearby pub and continued the conversations. I met some terrific new people and connected with several others I already knew but haven’t seen for a while.

It was refreshing, and good practice for two weeks from now when I’ll be attending IABC’s annual international conference in New York. Who else is going? Will I see you there?

Networking gets a bad rap. Really, if you go about it the right way, you don’t have to break into a cold sweat. Forget the (bad) advice to go in and give out as many business cards as possible. Instead, look on each networking opportunity as a chance to make a connection with someone else.

Making those connections is one of the secrets to success promoted by Keith Ferrazzi in a book I just finished, Never Eat Alone And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time. He suggests going in with the idea of helping friends connect with other friends. The spirit of generosity recognizes that you may not get anything in return immediately, but you will build the relationships that encourage others to think warmly of you. Among his other suggestions:

Don’t keep score (just help someone if you can without expecting an immediate payback).

“Ping” constantly (keep in touch).

Never eat alone (he says “invisibility” is a fate worse than failure).

I agree with much of his advice, perhaps because I thrive on relationships myself. A great day recently featured three hugs — two from friends/colleagues I had met through a networking group but hadn’t seen in several months, and one from an IABC member I had just met for coffee, after sharing ideas on her new freelance business. A couple of long-time clients regularly greet me with a hug, too.

I wonder if some of this hugginess is due to being a “woman of a certain age” (in the polite sense of no longer young, but not yet old), with a a good sense of the importance of friendships/relationships?

Son #2 asked me the other day about networking. He is interested in business and it seems he has been told that networking involves spraying the room with your business card (I’m paraphrasing, but you get the idea!). I’m glad to say he is not only uncomfortable with this suggestion but knows instinctively that it won’t work. I shared with him how it really works, in that I was at an event, introduced myself to the woman beside me and we chatted a bit about her company and what she does. She asked me where I worked and I told her about my company and what I do. She was very interested to find out that I work in employee communications and - BING! - that was the point where we exchanged business cards.

There’s no point in forcing your card on someone who will only pocket it now to throw it out later. Better to make a connection first, so there’s a reason you may want to keep the card. As I told my son, networking is all about establishing relationships, not striking immediate deals.

Now excuse me but the sun is shining, it’s a beautiful day in southern Ontario, and I’m going outside to take advantage of it!

Many people are intimidated by the thought of networking. They feel they need to have a properly rehearsed elevator speech summing up what they do, and a pocketful of business cards that must be handed out. They expect to sell their company or their business, or maybe their boss expects that to justify paying for the event.

Networking doesn’t have to be as formal as that. Really, it’s just making a connection with another person. And that’s just what about 15 members of IABC/Toronto’s Westend group did yesterday at a lovely place called The Victorian Garden Tea Room. Over tea (a choice of 20 different varieties) served in china pots along with individual two-decker trays of tiny sandwiches and dainty desserts, we talked about a whole range of business and personal topics. Although most of us, with a few exceptions, had not met before this lunch, we parted with warm feelings. I heard from several people later that they enjoyed the lunch as much as I did.

I don’t think a single business card changed hands, although as one of the organizers I sent everyone a follow-up note with the list of attendees and their e-mail addresses, as a reminder of who was there.