raw authenticity and a huge mirror

Last week, I went to my monthly women’s networking event. Because I so love what I do, I enjoy these events thoroughly (really, can you believe I never tire of talking about myself?) This particular event was called ‘speed networking’ – a whirlwind of loudness as we all shouted our greatest hits to each other within the allotted 5 minutes. That said, I made several strong contacts…one in particular.

She’s in the business of Innovative Entertainment Marketing (independent, cause-themed films), and as we talked, we realized we had some very strong outside links to each other that ended up making our tête-à-tête more of a reunion than a first meet. We also have a mutual close friend that has been talking us up to each other for months, so we already felt like we knew each other.

Raw Authenticity

Anyway, when she found out what I do (copywriting, marketing, blogging, social media – in case you forgot), she said immediately, “I need to hire you. I hire bloggers/writers for every film.”

And then, I hugged her.

At the time it was a totally natural response, raw authenticity. Our conversation had been one big love fest. She hugged me back, we were all giddy, the conversation continued.

But, when I got into bed later that night…it started to nag torment me. Why did I hug her? What was I thinking? The voice over of the video playing repeatedly in my head (what I imagined the recipient of my hug must have been thinking): ‘Julie Roads is so desperate for work she actually hugs people that consider hiring her.’

Let’s have a realty recap: 1. I almost have more business than I can handle – but, hey – nice insecurity, Julie! 2. I was hugging her because it was my reaction to another notch in our ‘look at all that we have in common’ belt. 3. She hugged me back and kept on talking about the work.

A Huge Mirror

I woke up the next morning to a new voicemail, not from my huggee, but from a woman that I had serendipitously met a week earlier. Long story short: her family was playing on our community playset, we started talking, she got very excited when she heard about my work, took my card.

Her voicemail message was a bit of a love letter: “…have read your site and your blog, everything is so amazing, can’t wait to work with you, we met at exactly the right time…” We talked a few hours later and the love fest continued. In fact, she told me she had a crush on me and the idea of all that we would do together.

Now that is raw authenticity. No holds barred. She didn’t mean that she literally wanted me. Just that everything was converging in her life, I was a final piece, she couldn’t get over the synchronicity – her glee felt like a crush. More or less, she leapt through the phone and gave me a hug.

And as the receiver of this hug, it felt great. I found myself admiring her ability to be so authentic, not thinking she was a desperate, psychotic freak.

And then, I got it. There is it was, like a big, huge mirror right in front of my face.

So? I embraced my hug from the night before, and then, I let it go. It was just me being me, after all.

Filed under How To, Marketing, Networking, Social Media | Tags: Blogging, client rela, client relations, copywriting, marketing writer, Networking | Comments (10)