The most magnetic person at a networking event usually isn’t the one talking the most. Our returning guest, Mel Barfield, copywriter and Managing Partner at Copy Or Die, joined Fab ahead of Business of Marketing with a career philosophy that’s less about polish and more about paying attention.
About Mel Barfield
Mel is a freelance copywriter and Managing Partner and Brand Voice Lead at Copy Or Die, the copywriting agency for brands who wanna live forever.
She also hosts the indie business club podcast for freelancers, founders and business owners, talking about all the issues that face people doing their own thing. Mel’s a qualified careers advisor, event speaker and Freelancer Magazine columnist. She lives with her family in Northamptonshire, far too far from the sea.
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Being Interested Beats Trying To Be Interesting
Walk into a room with a list of things to say about yourself and the conversation stays shallow. Walk in with questions and you create actual connection.
“People go to events trying to be interesting, when they should be trying to be interested.”
Mel Barfield
- Curiosity makes you notice how other people think, spot patterns faster, and come across as engaging without trying so hard
- Nobody remembers the person who talked at them for ten minutes. They remember the one who listened
Your Career Is A Zigzag, Not A Ladder
Upward isn’t the only kind of progress. A sideways move, a pause, or even a step down can be the smartest thing you do for a season.
“If something keeps winking at you, it’s probably worth paying attention.”
Mel Barfield
- Ignoring your gut is a mistake, your intuition probably knows before your logic does
- You don’t need a fully mapped-out plan. You need to keep paying attention to what you’re actually learning from
You’re Always At Least One Week Ahead Of Someone
You don’t need to be an expert to be useful. If you learned something last week, someone else needs it this week.
- Learn the skills sitting next to yours, not just your own lane. A copywriter who understands design writes better briefs, a strategist who understands execution gives better direction
- Content and visibility work better as service than performance. You’re not posting to prove you’re brilliant, you’re sharing what you know so someone else can move faster
You are always at least one week ahead of someone who needs what you already know.
Catch Mel live at the Business of Marketing on 13 November.