Networking, iNetworking, What Is The First Rule?

Networking on the Internet is the same as networking inperson, or is it? Let's take a conversational tour togetheron this topic.

At an in-person networking event you wouldn't just attendnot to network. Or would you? Normally everyone is therefor a purpose, even if they haven't totally defined thatpurpose, they have a vague idea why they are there.Wouldn't that work the same for iNetworking? Yep.

Yet...

Weekly I receive emails and phone calls how someone wants toconnect with me in some way.

Yet...

They have no idea on what. No suggestions, no inklings, nopossible thoughts, nada. I'm always baffled when I receivethese. I don't have time to educate people because theysurely do need it. A few emails even add their web site URLlink or suggest that I visit their web site to learn whatthey do and "figure it out for them."

For the folks reading this who have done this and wonderedwhy their email doesn't get a response or gets a quickresponse of "sounds great," or "you can sell my new productor become my affiliate if you'd like" -- knock, knock,anyone home up there. People have told me that when theyreceive get these responses back, it confuses them. Talkabout confused, how about the person receiving them.

It's so much easier to either don't write or say what youreally mean. Simply, say why you are writing, this is whatyou do, this is what I do, and here are some possibilitiesfor us? You can even set this up in a signature file inOutlook and make it a quick send.

Everything is a mirror. If you want to iNetwork state whoyou are, what you offer, or give clues and ideas ofpossibilities. Don't place the burden on the receiver tofigure it out.

This brings us to rule number one in iNetworking. Beprepared. Don't be the one that has a great service orproduct but doesn't know who the gatekeepers are or who thebuyers and strategic partners are for your products orservices. Gatekeepers are people that know your more ofyour buyers, strategic partners are people that you aregoing to do something joint and temporary with to providebetter value for both your customers.

If you went to an in-person networking event you wouldn'tforget your business cards, or would you? If you attendedan in-person networking event would you not bring the flyersfor your next workshop, not know the benefits of yourproduct or service, or not know who is your ideal client.If you did, it would be a social event and not a networkingevent.

The same holds true with iNetworking. Have your businesscard set up for an easy email send, set a signature file inOutlook or whatever email software you use, have yourworkshop flyer in pdf (Adobe) format, in an auto responder,designed for a embedded text email and HTML email (embeddedmeans not as an attachment but as the email itself). Inother words, have all the same materials that you wouldcreate for an in-person networking event available fordeliver via the Internet in multiple delivery formats.

Last week I was at the Women's Business Center networkingbreakfast event. A woman stood up and apologized for nothaving her workshop flyer and business cards. She forgotthem on the kitchen counter. Not to be unkind but if thishappens, turn your car around and go back home either to getthe information or do something else more productive. I toohave on occasion during my 20 years in business left thingsbehind, it only took me once to attend and not have thenecessary material and its embarrassment to learn to neverdo that again.

Making a pitch via email to someone that can be a possiblegatekeeper, prospect, or strategic partner is important, ifyou don't have the time to put into a well written andclearly presented email, turn the car around and do it whenyou do have time. If you never seem to find the time, thenlook at your priorities, they sound a little off kilter tome.

I'm not saying you need everything perfect nor have all theanswers but I am saying that you need to know what you wantand say it.

iNetworking isn't any different than in-person networking inmany respects. In both, you are building a relationship,it's just not in person, nor local, it's international inmany cases. You wouldn't say in the first three minutes atan in-person networking event that you want them to be youraffiliate, or would you?

iNetworking is about building relationships. I've developedsome wonderful networking buddies on the Internet over theyears and they watch my back and I theirs. It isn't allabout sales. Yet, each of us knows we need to scratch eachother's back. And we do. But not until after the initialtime together.

Let's summarize these points for clarity. iNetworking isthe same as in-person networking in that you need to have aclear intention or purpose for making contact, even if thereason is to get to know what each of you do. iNetworkingworks its magic best when it includes at least one phonecall after the initial contact.

Since I write Internet articles, I set up many relationshipswith publishers and editors. I don't hesitate to writethem. I compliment them on what they are doing right andsometimes give them an idea or two on what other sites aredoing to support their writers. They are always gratefulbecause they don't have the time to do this. And therelationship grows from there. I prefer to follow it up witha phone call or two. I learn about their challenges and Ishare the same.

It doesn't matter who calls whom, be ready with your spiel.What you do or provide and how you some possible workingarrangements. There is a list of 100 by my phone. Allowtime to iNetwork but look for people who are ready.

Don't make people guess. Spit it out clearly in your email,edit and edit again if need be. Sometimes I go through sixor seven edits to make sure mine are clear. Give others theopportunity to network with you. Here's my challenge toyou. Who can you reach out to at this exact moment andbegin iNetworking? They are waiting to hear from you.

(C) Copyright, Catherine Franz. All rights reserved.

Catherine Franz is an avid iNetworker. She's made manymistakes over the year and now sees others making the samemistakes. That is her mission in life, to share informationthat will help make the world a better place. For more:http://www.abundancecenter.com or Catherine's blog:http://abundance.blogs.com .