{Handmade Business in 31 Days — Day 17, How to network via email.}

Day 17// The entire time I’ve been running the Gussy Sews blog + shop I’ve used email to help me network with other bloggers, crafters + like-minded women. Four years ago it acted as my second paddle — no, more as my lifeline — as I was so new to the blogging community. I hadn’t attended a conference yet nor did I know many bloggers in real life and I truly relied on it’s instant connection power. Without email I wouldn’t have been able to introduce myself/share with as many people as I have what Gussy Sews is all about, I’m confident of this.

However, email is a tricky one to understand, because…

• Not all who use email love using it, and the reverse is true, too
• Not all who use email use it the same way their neighbor uses it
• And, not all who use email rely on it the same way another may rely on it

via Pineapple

To network via email you must entertain these three points. I also think you need to know who you are outside of your business {don’t spend every waking moment on the computer, working on your business. Be sure to give yourself time to breathe.} — have some confidence + believe in yourself, girl! And remember, when you network you’re taking a moment to share who you are in exchange for wanting to learn more about others. It’s a give-and-take experience, but totally in an unselfish way.

Want even more advice?

5 TIPS ON HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY NETWORK VIA EMAIL:

• Be considerate of those you email. With every email you write be polite, share your personality, and keep it professional
• Be concise with your words. Managing your inbox is just one part of owning a handmade business, and when that gets out of control it can be hard to feel like you have everything else under control. Perhaps you’ve seen the Sentenc.es site, encouraging users to write only two, three, four or five sentences when replying to an email? That’s something I always have in the back of my mind when replying {and even sending} to emails
• Don’t ask for anything. Send an email and say hello to simply do just that, say hello. Remember, right now you’re trying to network, NOT sell something, NOT ask a business question, NOT ask where a certain material was ordered from
• Include a link to your site. What good does taking the time to introduce yourself do if this person doesn’t know where to find you?
• Email people outside of your niche. There’s no reason to stay within your pretty brown kraft box. Explore other niches of bloggers + business owners and welcome new ideas that come your way

…and that’s it. I really don’t think there’s some crazy, secretive, complicated tip on how to successfully network via email. I do firmly believe in the five tips above — and of course testing an idea, then seeing how it works for you. Sometimes we just need to allow ourselves a little more trial + error in life :)

When you email: say hello!, share a teeny bit about yourself, include a link to your site/blog/shop, and include something complimentary that also aligns with WHY you are emailing them.

Homework// Email three different people by the end of this week + introduce yourself. Next week email five more people. Continue to do this for the next few weeks, then take some time to evaluate what you’ve learned + process the response you received.

…are you taking notes? click here to read the series.