Entrepreneurship
Fashion and Creative Business

FAS6-A2. Networking to boost your creativity and efficiency

Topic
Materials

TIMING/LENGTH (IN MINUTES): 35’

DESCRIPTION

In this activity, you will learn how to target needs, and work as a team through networking. We will focus on why working with your partners, and networking, stimulates creativity and production.

DEVELOPMENT/ METHODOLOGY

LEARN

In order to be successful in networking, it is essential to “correctly target the people you want to get in touch with”, says Margaux Cosnier, a co-incubation director. “There are no rules to absolutely follow, you have to know what the purpose of your networking is. One you are sure about it, you will target the channels better

In the fashion industry, the main targets remain potential influencers, suppliers and financiers. You have to know how to defend, convince and present your project but also how to work with these potential partners to boost your creativity and efficiency.

Networking is not only an effort to build up your contacts from nothing, to gain more business opportunities. It is also a way to help you to improve your productivity and creative thinking potential. Indeed, you can receive feedbacks, advices, and technical help from others.

Cooperation might be the key to a successful activity.

3 tips to improve your creativity thanks to networking:

1.    Call a former colleague: Some studies show that entrepreneurs launching new businesses—those whose ideas came primarily from weak ties—were more innovative and then those whose business ideas came from strong ties like close friends or family.

2.    “Think out of the box”: A series of studies carried out by Bukus has shown that company managers who discussed company issues with people from outside the structure were much more likely to have valuable ideas for improvement.

3.    Shake up your teams, in this case work with new people. Indeed, shaking up teams and creating new ones minimizes he misunderstanding between groups.

To learn more about:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/adventures-in-divergent-thinking/201901/creativity-and-your-network

DO

Now it’s your turn to boost your creativity thanks to networking.

You are now convinced that networking is essential, especially in the Fashion Industry. Now you need to practice networking. How? Go to event, seminars about Fashion.

Target the people you want to get in touch with, according to your need.

Set a goal of partners to contact

Use the techniques presented to contact partners

Meet them, talk to them about your activity – Make a feedback on how to approach these partners