I’ve had a lot of time to reflect lately on exactly what piece I need to bring in right now in my business. Over the past year, I’ve focused on tactics: website, social media presence, article marketing, you name it. My spirit-rich focus has been on building a vessel to receive the business through which I am in service to my community. I’ve worked on my mindset, and have come to see money as the flow of love and abundance constituting a resource through which we can all help more people. And that’s all working.

But something is missing, something so intrinsic it has given me a real crisis of faith. The growth of my community has slowed. As a marketing and public relations professional, I’ve tried a number of inbound marketing strategies, and they’ve all worked to add numbers to my list. Nonetheless, my list does not currently support me. One day it will, and I’m not giving it up. I publish my newsletter weekly, and faithfully. I send nifty unannounced freebies and special offers and gifts. I love my peeps and they love me, or so their higher than average level of engagement would suggest.

So what would I tell me to do if I was my client? I’d tell me the truth: I need to get off my duff and get out there, meet my clients where they are. Literally.

In the past few weeks, I’ve begun to look for opportunities to physically show up in the space with my ideal clients and say hello. I follow up with each contact. In some cases, we meet for tea or coffee and get to know one another. In other cases, we see instant connections and we open a dialogue with an eye to working collaboratively in the future. In yet others, we’re building on an established relationship to talk about joint ventures or affiliations.

It’s a sign of the times that I’ve had to re-learn to network in new ways, working backward from the lessons of social media and applying them to the real world. But in the past week, I’ve helped and supported a lot of people, holding space for their vision and offering whatever I can to help make it real. I’ve received the same support in return. It’s a beautiful thing.

But to connnect with a community of like-minded folks, I had to get off my duff and go where they are hanging out. Of the MANY individuals I’ve met in the past month, only two contacted me. In most cases, I initiated the follow-up – which led to an exciting array of conversations, phone calls, social media connections, and potential one-on-one meetings. After all, people still do business with people who know the people they know.

Need clients? Get off your duff, figure out where they’re meeting, and go there. Breathe new energy into your business and life. It works.