Networking.
It might sound scary, but it doesn’t have to be.
Sure, stepping into a room full of strangers and embracing social awkwardness can be overwhelming — but by putting yourself out there, you can make a huge difference in the success of your business.
Imagine this.
A sales executive who just didn’t have the time was told by her boss to go to a networking event. She grumbled, but she went. Just as she thought, it was awkward at first — she didn’t know anybody and didn’t see how this applied to her selling market. The group she was placed in wasn’t very relevant, but she helped break the ice. Then, they started connecting.
They spent an hour in conversation over coffee, and while she didn’t meet her new best friend, she did strike gold for her company. She found a fulfillment company that did the exact kind of packaging her company needed, and they needed her brand of sales consultation.
They exchanged services. Both companies saved thousands of dollars.
It’s a happy ending, but what does this mean for you as a quilt shop owner? What can networking really do for you that you don’t already get with your marketing efforts?
First, you need to realize that you (and those around you) have a valuable skill set. It’s also relatively rare, and someone out there is looking for it. And that someone has something you need.
Related Read: Opening a Quilting and Fabric Business: 6 Things To Know
But, Why Do Quilt Store Owners Need To Network?
Maybe you’d rather do hard labor than go out and meet new people.
Think of it this way: Networking is like playing in the mud. When you think about it, it’s not so appealing. The mud is dirty — it gets gritty between your fingers and toes when it dries, and it feels bad under your fingernails. But when you’re actually playing in it, it’s fun.
So is networking — you just have to get through that initial awkwardness. The good stuff is worth the journey.
Let’s explore a few examples.
Example #1
You attend a local business roundtable discussion promoted by your Chamber of Commerce. You sound off (with the rest of your community) about the local issues that are important to you — along the way, you meet a print shop owner who always wanted to learn how to make quilts.
After finding some common ground and clicking as new friends, you offer her and any of her interested employees free quilting classes. She offers you some free print work, and you both save a ton of money.
Related Read: Quilting Classes for Beginners: How To Host Them in 4 Steps
Example #2
On International Firefighters Day (May 4th), you visit your local fire station to meet the team and tour the facilities. Inspired by the amazing folks at Quilts of Valor, you chat with the chief and offer to replace their scratchy emergency blankets with some simple quilted blankets you can make from scraps.
It’s a win-win: The fire department ends up with comfy blankets for the people they serve, and you get a tax writeoff and bask in some local newspaper promotion as a supporter of the fire department. You host a free class to create the blankets and attract several new students to your business.
Example #3
You make a small investment in a booth at your local Saturday farmer’s market and discover another stream of revenue selling handmade quilted potholders, oven mitts, and decorative wall-hangings. You meet many new people and make several connections, one of which is with a nonprofit organization that asks you to host a basic sewing class for special-needs children. You immediately see a spike in foot traffic and class signups from your community.
Examples #4, #5, #6…
Or you attend a Chamber of Commerce breakfast and exchange some free tarp-seam repair on your longarm quilting machine for free pressure-washing of your brick-and-mortar by a local painting contractor.
Or you submit a quilt for your county fair, and while mingling with other participants, you make a lifelong friend who helps you start a quilting retreat at a mountain lodge owned by a relative.
Or you become active in a local online discussion group and meet an accountant whose wife wants to learn some advanced quilting techniques in exchange for help with your taxes…
The possibilities are endless.
Related Read: 5 Top Software Options for Sewing Machine Vendors
5 Networking Tips for Quilt Store Owners
The truth is, personally networking yourself is exactly like NASA doing research: It’ll pay off, and usually in ways you’d never guess. NASA didn’t set out to invent Tang or Velcro, but those are just a couple of the benefits their research created.
There’s no telling what you can gain from personally networking, but here are five tips to help you make a difference.
1. Exchange Services
Today, it’s easy to buy whatever you need, whenever you need it — which means the art of barter has lost its touch. Think of all the third-party services you use to run your business and how much they cost you. What if one or more of these could be free (or discounted) in exchange for your services? Keeping an eye out for service exchange opportunities and making a practice of steering your conversations in that direction can pay off in unexpected ways.
2. Create Local Awareness
Passersby might think of your quilt store as a place they could some day visit. But what if they saw your business and recognized you as the quilt shop owner who helped out the fire department, or who taught a free class for the kids, or who sells those amazing handmade hotpads and oven mitts at the farmer’s market?
Making yourself visible in your community also makes your quilt store more visible. This means more bodies walking through your door and buying what you sell. The more you’re involved in the community, the more you’ll mean to the people in your area.
3. Build Beneficial Relationships
Have you ever lost an opportunity because somebody else knew the right person? Sometimes life can slap us in the face with the cold reality that what you know often matters less than who you know. Luckily, you can turn that situation around and do it on your own terms — all you need to do is network. The people you get to know are growing their own careers. Before you know it, you’re bumping elbows and working on projects with your community leaders. Who knows? You might just become one yourself.
4. Offer Employee Perks
The benefits of networking for quilt store owners don’t just apply to you — they make your store a more wonderful place to work. Networking in your area attracts the best talent, and the resulting opportunities can help your employees grow their careers. The best and brightest want to be where the action is, and that’s the kind of store you’ve always wanted. Prioritizing your employees’ needs also builds loyalty that can lead to the best kind of long-term keepers for your team.
5. Get Word-of-Mouth Recommendations
When you go the extra mile, your customers will want to come back — and if you’ve done your job correctly, they’ll not only come back, they’ll spread the word. Word-of-mouth recommendation is the holy grail of marketing, and is one of the most powerful benefits of these networking tips for quilt store owners. You compete in a world of solid service, so one of the best things people can say is how much of a difference you’re making in the community. When you get involved, this happens naturally.
But, Where Do I Network?
All of this sounds great — but where do you start?
This might seem overwhelming, but it’s worth it. You just need to take it one step at a time.
Start with a conversation. The more premier groups do charge a fee, but there are free options. And if you just want to get your feet wet, you can always look for community outreach opportunities that cost zilch.
Chambers of Commerce
Your local Chamber of Commerce is a great place to start when looking for your first networking conversations. Sign up. Go to an event. Enjoy the keynotes or whatever the event features — but be sure to jump in on casual conversations with the people around you. Keep an open mind about what you have to offer, and be on the lookout for community activities you can help with.
Business Networking Organizations
Look at the larger players for the networking organizations in your area, like Business Networking International and ProMatcher. There are also likely many local business networking organizations in your area, so remember to check those out.
It might take a few visits to find the right fit for you, but don’t give up — the benefits can be great. Networking group directories like Networkr are great resources, too.
Get Started With These Networking Tips for Quilt Store Owners
What kind of journey do you want your quilt store career to take? Are you happy with the standard daily grind, just moseying along and sometimes struggling to make it work?
There’s security and comfort in that easy street kind of life, but don’t settle. Aim higher.
Take the first step. Go to that first event. Talk to that first person. See what success can look like for you and your business. Put yourself out there, and see what comes back to you.
We hope these networking tips for quilt store owners encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and take your business to the next level.
Pro tip: If you really want to amp up your operations, it’s time to invest in an industry-specific point of sale (POS) system.
Like Sew is an all-in-one POS solution designed specifically for quilt shops. We’ve helped thousands of quilt shops, and we’d love to help you.
To learn more, schedule your free demo today!
