So back to our top ten list of what every photography student should have. By now, you should have your business cards designed and ready for print. Or maybe you have them in hand and you’re ready to put them to use!

Well, now it’s time to make that small piece of information go a long way. Networking is key to having a good business. Although there are many aspects to having a successful business, you have to learn how to network.

So good luck, and let me know your results! You can do it, I have faith in you!:)

Meeting new people is always good, because they may be of great value to you in the future. They may put you in front of the person who publishes your first picture, or maybe they want to hire you for a shoot, you never know!

I have met so many people through networking, that it’s become second nature to me. I never leave the house without my business cards and haven’t regretted it thus far.

If you’re not comfortable talking to strangers or don’t quite know how to spark a conversation, you may have to think outside the box. Meeting new people can be a lot of fun, there are all kinds of places to do so.

Even here online, can be a great place to meet people. Myspace, Facebook, etc. When you change the way you look at something, ideas will come to you, until you don’t even have to think about it.

I’ve met some of the most valuable people, who have helped me in my career in some of the most random places. Target, Jamba Juice, Borders Bookstore, Coffee Bean. The list goes on, and like I said, you never know who you might meet.

A great place to network with other photographers, and/or business-minded people is a website called MeetUp. You can find different groups that meet up on a weekly or monthly basis in your city, or somewhere nearby. You can even start a group yourself!

Colleges and universities, of course, are also great places to meet new people, and you don’t always have to be a student at that school to join. Join the photography and entrepreneurs’s club. You may meet someone who needs your services or someone who knows someone who needs some photography done.

The sky is the limit, and I encourage you to network as often as you can. Try giving yourself a goal, maybe stick to meeting one new person a day, or exchanging 3 business cards every day. By the end of the week, you’ll be surprised at how many new contacts you made!

Also, make sure to contact those people after meeting them, maybe via e-mail. There’s no sense in having a handful of business cards and not putting them to use. So try it! You may get some new business, it works for me, and I’m sure you can make it work for you!

Just remember, if you have a dream, it may not simply fall in your lap as you wish. Sometimes you have to go out there and MAKE it happen! You may be pleasantly surprised when you take action!:)

So good luck, and I’d love to hear your results! You can do it, I have faith in you!:)

Now let’s talk about becoming a freelance photographer >