Subscribe Feed (RSS)Outside My Comfort Zone
July 22nd, 2009 by Lauren | Filed under Business Building.As a WAHM, I have a circle of WAHM friends that I have met online. We share in our successes, offer advice when we get stuck and we’re there for each other whenever any of us have a bad day. We understand and support each other as we each live life as a work at home mom.
However, to grow as a person and a business professional, I’m thinking I’m going to have to step outside of my WAHM comfort zone here pretty soon. You may be asking “You own an online greeting card business, why on Earth would you want to do that?” Well, there are a couple of reasons.
I have been a WAHM now for 4 years, and so far I’ve been able to conduct all of my business online. But now that I’m looking at both kids being in school for the first time this Fall, I’m looking at ways to take advantage of the business in my own ‘backyard’! That’s right – I’m branching out offline.
I’ve already checked the local paper for the times and locations for meetings of business networking groups, and plan to call our local Chamber of Commerce to find out when they hold their meetings. (Hopefully this won’t conflict with my youngest’s school schedule – don’t know if he is in morning or afternoon Kindergarten yet.)
Let’s say I go to the next meeting and there are 30 people there; statistics show that the average person knows 250 people…. Well, if each of those 30 people in this networking group knows 250 people, who knows how many of them may need my greeting card service?
By showing up regularly for meetings and events, eventually I will get to know the other members. The conversation will eventually lead to the subject of what each of I do for a living. When they, or someone they know, are in need of my services, I will be the first person they think of to ask for help.
Besides, it might be nice to get dressed up and get out of the house!
As part of that circle of friends [[hugs]] I say YES, you are right and NO, don’t forget to ask those you already surround yourself with.
One big thing about working online is we forget that people have lives offline. Yes, we hear about them, but we don’t correlate it as much in how we can use it.
I have my online biz’s, but my major money still comes from offline
WORK IT BABY! Get out of the house, you’ll be so much better for it. Get involved!
Thanks for that Val! Knowing that I’ll have either mornings or afternoons free for the first time in 8+ years, I’m coming up with all sorts of marketing ideas and ways to combine my online business with offline contacts, etc. It’ll be fun to put them into action!
I think it’s awesome that you are branching out. I am one of those people who are afraid of doing business face to face. I do much better working online. I hope you keep us updated!
Hi Jessica –
Thanks for your comment – I too feel that I do better working online, but having started to get active with my kids’ school, I’m starting to feel more comfortable with the face to face. Now that school has started I have time to get my plan into action – still working that out, but I’ll definitely be doing a follow-up post as I go along.