Making online networking work for your business
As modern life gets busier and work/life balance becomes more of
an issue for everyone, the Internet has really come into its
own. We shop online, we chat online - and, if you're a business
owner, there's even the opportunity to network online.
In terms of flexibility, online networking has traditional
networking well and truly beat. No longer are business owners
forced to take time out from their businesses to fend of the
advances of a dozen, business-card-wielding serial networkers at
some military-style event. Now we can just log on to one of the
many discussion forums dedicated to entrepreneur ship and be
winning friends and influencing people in the click of a mouse.
In this respect, online networking is truly good news. With the
freedom offered by the Internet, however, comes a whole new set
of rules, the flouting of which can end up doing your business
more harm than good. Here are just a few of them:
1. Don't be too blatant
Online networking is far subtler than its offline counterpart.
It's just not the done thing to blaze into a business forum
trailing promises of instant riches and dropping your URL like a
scud missile. The trick is to try and integrate yourself into
the community, offering advice where it's required and joining
in the discussion. By positioning yourself as an expert in your
field you'll gain more business in the long-term than blatant
self promotion. And speaking of blatant self-promotion...
2. Don't spam
In terms of Internet discussion boards, spamming is defined as
posting the same message on more than one board. Just as
annoying as the type of spam which clutters your email inbox
every day, this type of behaviour is more likely to loose you
business than gain it. Resit!
3. You only get back what you give
There are some business owners who shudder at the very thought
of giving their advice or help for free. These are the business
owners who aren't making much of a success of online networking.
The rule is simple: what you get out of it is roughly
proportional to what you put in. Show yourself willing to offer
your expertise to those who need it, and you'll be repaid in
terms of referrals and more business from the people who see
your posts.
4. Don't say anything you wouldn't be happy to say in front of
your clients
Online networking differs from "normal" discussion board use in
that it's rarely anonymous. If you want to make the most of the
experience, you'll need to tell people who you are, and use your
URL in your signature. What that means, though, is that anything
you say on the discussion board can be traced back to you - and
could be seen by your clients. Stick to the rule of never saying
on a discussion board what you wouldn't say in the boardroom and
this shouldn't be a problem.
5. Don't be rude
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This one should really go without saying, but an unfortunate
side-effect of Internet discussion boards is that they often
make people feel braver than they really are. Protected by the
relative anonymity of a screen name, some people will take the
opportunity to show their true colours - even when those colours
are less than flattering. Remember rule number 4, though: on
this kind of forum, you're never anonymous. If your business is
identified, then you are too. More importantly, your behaviour
will be seen as a reflection on your business. When you come
across people whose opinions and pronouncements anger you, then,
take a deep breath and step away from the keyboard before you
end up saying something you'll regret.
6. Use your signature
Although blatant promotion is a big no-no in the world of online
business networking, you still need to promote your business
somehow. The place to do that is in your signature file, with a
subtle but informative description of your business, and link to
your website.
About the author:
Amber McNaught is an owner of http://www.businessbuzz.org, an
online business networking group based in Scotland. She is also
a professional writer, offering affordable copywriting and SEO
articles through her own business, Hot Igloo Productions Ltd. -
http://www.hotigloo.co.uk
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