Hey everyone,
I was recently talking to someone about networking and how important it is not only as an Entrepreneur but also as a journalist/writer/director/actress.
A lot of people outside of this industry can't understand why I go out so often - I go to at least four events a week, sometimes four in one day, and while a lot of the time I'm wrecked and I'd rather be in my pyjamas, there is a reason I go to nearly every event I'm invited to.
I know most people would say it's for the free booze (and that is obviously) a plus. But genuinely I go to network.
Whether that's talking to business owners, journalists, the manager of the venue or meeting new people.
I always think in this business especially that relationships are give and take - give advice, give help, give contacts, share knowledge and you get the same in return.
When I started out in this industry (working for the Evening Herald) my job was to go to events pretty much every night, and I couldn't leave a party without getting a story. So I learned the power of networking pretty quickly.
The nicer I was to people, the more I effort I made to attend events and talk to the right people - the more stories I got.
Now I don't seek out stories, although thanks to the network of contacts I have now I still get a tip off nearly everytime I'm out.
But going to events now for me is all about talking to the right people re business and advertising.
The best advice I can give is to say yes to invites. Even if an event or a launch looks boring or has nothing to do with your own interests you never know who you are going to meet.
I have five great examples of this.
1. Networking saved me at the Cannes Film Festival
I went to Cannes last year completely on my own and I booked myself in for about a week.
Someone I had only met once or twice told me I should fly over and go to as many things as possible...so I said YES.
Once I got there I realised most people only go for two or three days, mainly the weekend the Irish Film Board party was on.
And also 24 hours in my accommodation completely fell through, so I had nowhere to stay...
After about two days there I was finding it hard trawling around the place on my own the whole time, it was frantic over there so I was really tired and I hadn't really talked to too many people.
I ended up sleeping on a floor one night and I was ready to go home.
I called a friend back in Dublin and said I was going to change my flights and come home early. I had come to make contacts in the film industry, meet producers/directors and pitch a new project to Irish film producers.
Thankfully he persuaded me to stay. And the next day I went out and tried to talk to as many people as possible.
Within the next 24 hours the Mail newspaper in the UK asked me to do some work for them (see number 4 for how networking helped me with that).
I found myself at a very lavish party thrown by Pamela Anderson on the beach - also attended by Vivienne Westwood.
Not only was it a great party, but I got a world exclusive interview with Pamela herself, that was cool.
Then I went to two Harvey Weinstein parties back to back and got to have a little dance with James McAvoy.
By the end of the week I had pitched my new project, started talks with production companies and I met an entrepreneur who has not only given me great advice regarding my business but has been a huge support to me and we still keep in touch now.
2. Daytime launches are always worth it
Another important business contact I have I met randomly at a daytime launch about three years ago.
It was back in my Herald days and I had no real interest in the event I was at. But since I was out to get a story I started talking to everyone.
I helped him out with a story at the time and I kept in contact every few weeks, helping him with coverage for his business and in return he helped me out with lots of stories and introduced me to lots of important people.
Now three years later we're still great friends and not only that he's become a fantastic business mentor to me, I'm so glad I went up that day and simply said "Hi, I'm Ali."
The same thing happened with a global company I have just done a deal with on Goss.ie.
It was another day time event, and I was up to my eyes in articles and emails but I went across town and made the effort to go.
Same thing again I just said hello to the right person and that turned into one of the biggest sales deals we've ever done on the site.
Morning launches can be such an effort as well, but I always go. And sometimes you get nothing from them - no contacts, no stories.
But every other time you will. One morning launch I went to there was no other journalists there but me, and a well known Irish TV presenter was there.
She pointed out that I was the only journalist that made the effort to come in person, instead of writing about it and never attending.
We had a long chat about the industry and what was going on in her station at the time - she's been a great contact ever since and has always given me the heads up on big stories that I broke exclusively in the papers I was in.
3. I opened so many new doors in LA
Another time I jetted off completely on my own was when I covered the Oscars for the Mail on Sunday the year before last.
I was hell bent on going over and attending the infamous Oscar parties but again I knew absolutely no one.
The only thing I could do over there was network or else I never would have got a story and I wouldn't have met the people I did.
I had an actress friend of mine with me and she introduced me to her circle of acting and producing friends - and that started my plan to move to LA full time.
On Oscars night itself we went to an Oscars Viewing Party in an Irish bar on Sunset and I met so many Irish actors there, including a director who is a huge name now, we just chatted about a movie he had wrapped, and it turned out to be one of the biggest blockbusters recently...
But when it came to the Oscar parties, the huge events...I was all on my own.
Landing there a few hours I was already on my way to the Oscar Wilde party (thanks to my contacts) and while I didn't stay at that one I went across town to an even BETTER event called the Unite4:Hood.
I had got on the press lists for so many events over there but this was an important one.
I had been in contact with the fabulous Marissa Carter before I went over because Cocoa Brown Tan were tanning the A-listers ahead of the Oscars at the amazing Oscar Pamper Suite.
Marissa had told me she was going to the event too, but I never thought we'd find each other. Once I got inside we were sat right by the stage.
It was a really small event so we were right beside stars like Alicia Keys, Selena Gomez, Adrian Grenier, Demi Lovato, Katherine Heigl, Robert De Niro and even Bill Clinton.
The second night I was in LA I was so jet-lagged and just wanted to sleep a few extra hours but I pushed myself to go to an event ran by InStyle.
Again I was so thankful I made the effort and I met Carmen Electra, Kate Meara and most importantly I got chatting to some US acting agents over there, and got a real insight into the industry.
It was also thanks to Marissa Carter that I got to enjoy the Pre-Oscar pamper suite in the Beverly Hilton.
A few great things happened thanks to that trip - my plan to move to LA, awesome interviews which meant great coverage in the Mail, long term relationships with PRs in California which meant AMAZING invites to Oscar parties this year, relationships with journalists over there and also a great relationship with Marissa.
Cocoa Brown sponsored our 1st year Goss Birthday Party and she's also joining us at our first event event Goss Meets LIVE! - all because I made the effort to meet all these people and networked my ass off.
4. Networking was VITAL for me in London
While I was working for the Mail I was asked to edit the Showbiz Diary over in the London Mail offices - of course I said yes.
The first few days there though the editors wanted me to find my footing and show them what I had to offer - so about one hour after landing I was asked to list the exclusive stories I had for them.
One hour after landing - and I'd only been to London once, and I had absolutely no contacts there whatsoever.
So the networking hat was back on...we all had a list of all the events happening in London and I went to nearly every single one of them.
I went out of my way to meet the PRs at every event, every company and I stayed for hours and hours at events instead of going home so I could make relationships that would last.
By day two I had done an exclusive interview with Billy Zane, I had been to four events and I was the only journalist to get quotes from Jonathan Rhys Meyers at a launch where everyone was told they couldn't interview him.
Johnny was standing outside the venue we were at having a cigarette. While journalists were told an interview was not going to happen I walked right up to him and turned on the Irish charm, told him I had to run but could I get a quick word.
Once he heard the accent I was in.
Not only did I get great interviews that time I made relationships again with PRs and journalists that are still going strong.
I have written pieces for various UK publications since I worked over there and I still get invites to huge events there.
On top of that I caught up with a friend I had met in college, Meghann Scully, who is now one of my best friends and a full time reporter at Goss.ie.
5. Networking got me my entire production crew on my TV pilot
I have so many more examples of how networking was key to making situations a success - but one in particular was how I got my production team together for the TV pilot I shot last year.
I met a producer through a friend one time and had discussed the project with him. I randomly bumped into him at film events and luckily at a party an actor friend of mine was throwing we met again.
It's so easy to just pretend you don't see people, especially when you don't know them that well, but that night I went up and said hi and I told him we were pushing forward with the show.
He loved the concept and said he would get me in touch with the right people.
That same very night I actually met two of the actors I ended up casting in the pilot (both well known) and through word of mouth they had heard the script was good (another power of networking).
Two weeks later I was sitting down with a producer who was recommended by the other producer, and within a month we had the TV pilot ready to go.
He got the entire crew together and found people who believed in the project and believed in me.
They were the best crew I have ever worked with, and I know we will work together again.
Obviously working hard and talent is a huge part of getting places, and all of that can get you to the right doors, but sometimes networking is the key to unlocking the doors and getting inside.
My pilot has already been seen by top Irish TV producers, channel controllers as well as heads of stations...and that's thanks to knowing the right people.
Obviously they wouldn't have looked at it if the script was crap, but if I didn't know the right people there probably wouldn't be a script for them to look at because I wouldn't have known who to give it to.
Also the places I filmed, the people I filmed with were all at no cost because I had good relationships with people. Venues, brands and people themselves were happy to help.
And like I said it's give and take in this industry.
I have helped people land roles in movies, get a modelling campaign, get their story in a paper, feature on a TV show...you name it, and it's all thanks to networking.
So...
My point with this post is just to say always say yes, go to the event that sounds crap, go alone to that party that has no really important guests at it, jump on a flight even if it means being on your own for days and always, always go up to people and say hello.
You never know who you are going to meet, and how they are going to impact your life.
Ali
x
Dreaming, Believing and SERIOUSLY Werking...
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