If a “meet cute” is a scene in a film where two people destined to become a romantic couple meet for the first time, it’s up to us to create more real-life meet cutes for our businesses, so that a pipeline of future collaborations is always being formed.  

The truth is, if you want more meet cutes in your professional life, you need to get more strategic about physically networking your brand. 

If you’re placing significant emphasis on daily social media postings in hopes of attracting new clients/customers, and yet you’re not placing equal importance on attending workshops, conferences, and community events, you’re likely missing out on potential business opportunities. 

Networking your brand isn’t a one-stop shop. Tools like Instagram are the genesis of countless successful collaboration, but Instagram has one billion users who spend an average of 116 minutes online daily, so we should expect success! 

The top three content marketing tactics for online meet cutes are social media at 83%, blogs at 80% and email newsletters at 77%. 

But what about in-person meet cutes?

One of my top goals in 2019 is to be more intentional about face-to-face networking. I set a monthly goal of attending at least two networking events, regardless of how busy my schedule already is. Besides, like a lot of folks, I draw energy from other people, especially if they’re creative, authentic, and somewhat interesting. 

In the past two and a half months, I’ve attended eight different organized events with the intention of growing my network, enhancing my skills, or identifying possible collaborations. It takes time, effort, and money, but being proactive opens more doors than sticking to just one strategy. 

Strategies for physically networking your brand

• Schedule time on your calendar to research, register, and plan for key events related to your area of interest or expertise. 
• Identify opportunities to physically network with your target audience or peers.
• Seek meetings with brands you admire and ask for advice.
• Host a pop-up, sponsor an event, or volunteer to present at an organized meeting. 
• Develop a prestige marketing piece to hand out in lieu of business cards and include information about your business and what sets it apart. 

Whatever you do, don’t stop striving for meet cutes. You never know when you just might find “the one.”