An Online Networking How-To

Think Quality — Not Quantity

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Everyone needs to network: entrepreneurs, small business owners, even job seekers. But not everyone maximizes the benefits of networking. Networking builds relationships for leads and exposure. Networking is not a numbers game, yet that’s what you’ll often see online with social sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Effective networking focuses on quality — not quantity, because out of the 300 or 400 fans and followers, you gotta question how many will follow-up with a significant reason.  Here are some tips on how to maximize the benefits of online networking.

• Know your goals. Are you networking for leads, partners, new clients, services?
• Have an effective 15 to 30 second elevator pitch and learn how to sell yourself before your services or products. People want to hear about you first, and then (and only then) when they know you and trust you, they may buy your services or refer you to someone else.
• Have your .pdf brochure and/or a website links ready. People will probably want to hear more about your business later, so give them the opportunity to get the information they are looking for.
• Ask people about their business or services. Be genuinely curious and listen to their answers.
• Be a problem solver. People will be more interested in you if you tell them how you can solve their problem.
• Seek out others; don’t wait for them to come to you. (Someone has to make the first move!)
• Attend online events. Participate in things like online chats, webinars, forums, etc. and introduce yourself to others.
• Send a thank you email to new contacts. Thank them for their time and reintroduce yourself in a few lines. People meet tons of others during social events and they may not remember you. Reinforce your introduction in your follow-up.
• In your follow up, give people the link to your website. Tell them about your newsletter if you have one to stay in touch on a regular basis.
• Schedule follow-up meetings with people you had a good connection with, or  you think that you can help.
• Do it again and again. Networking will expand your contacts and ultimately help grow your business.