By: Susan Finco, President, Leonard & Finco Public Relations
During the past month, I’ve been interviewed by business
media, as well as given a presentation at a leadership conference, about online
networking. Everyone wants to know the
secret to successful online networking.
When I make the point that online networking is really no
different from in-person networking I will inevitably get perplexed looks or
comments along the line of: “But they’re
so different. I don’t understand how they’re the same.” The point is, despite the fact that they take
place in very different environments, they really are the same. It’s all about relationship building.
You would never hand your business card to someone at an
event and then just walk away. The same is true for networking on social media. Your LinkedIn request, if all you do is go
with the standard, “I’d like to connect with you on LinkedIn,” is no more
likely to lead to a discussion or a relationship than handing over your
business card and walking away.
Before you ask to connect, do a little research about the
person. Do you know someone in common, are they involved in the type of
work you want to know about, or did they go to the same college or university
you attended? Asking about someone’s
area of expertise is always a good door-opener.
See what groups they belong to on social media and become a part of a
group that might further your knowledge or connections. It provides even more
reasons to have a conversation.
And like many things in life, networking is not about quantity,
it’s about quality. To build a quality
network, build high quality relationships. That’s the kind of network that will be valuable to you and to those
you’re connected with.
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