networking—is about making connections and lasting relationships. You can gain an introduction to another person on-line, but it takes face-to-face contact to go beyond the status of acquaintance.
Business-Centered Networking Websites
| Site | Position For Impact |
| ecadamy ecadamy.com | For entrepreneurs, good for seeking business connections outside US. Think carefully about how to position your business as vibrant, responsive and useful to a broad audience. Answer “What’s in it for me?” to appeal to fellow entrepreneurs. Helpful to business consultants. US-based activities not well developed yet. |
| Ryze ryze.com | With your own web page, plan carefully how to present a compelling picture of what you do and why it is important. Use as a way to reach other members. Join industry groups and exchange ideas, make networking connections. |
| Viadeo viadeo.com | Your success rests on building your own network and allowing it to spread. Pick network invitees carefully so you get maximum leverage. Always follow up with connections who might introduce you by offering help for them. As appropriate, offer your help to them first. |
| XING xing.com | Offer to help contacts you meet first. Then ask for their help and follow up to keep them informed of your progress. |
| Blue Chip Exec bluechipexec.com | Membership is sponsored by current members. |
| Konnects konnects.com | N/A |
| Network2Connect Networktoconnect.com | Position your company/service to set up your expertise. Aim to attract fellow networkers looking for your advice and counsel, etc. Use contacts and relationships you build to network among a broader audience. |
| Networking for Professionals Networkingforprofessionals.com | A mostly social-business network. Attend events to build relationships leading to networking interactions. |
| Brazen Careerist brazencareerist.com | Plan carefully, how you would sell yourself to important recruiters in five-minute online sessions. Meet potential networking partners through online discussion. Join events and learn as you develop and find your career and networking focus. |
“Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day; Teach that person to use the internet and they won’t bother you for weeks.”
–Author unknown
Chapter 2
DECIDING TO
EMBRACE
NETWORKING
Mostly due to limited time and the pervasive popularity of the internet as a communications medium, people often discount the value of personal contact. Many believe that they simply don’t have the time, and in some cases people don’t want to expose themselves to scrutiny of others; they feel more comfortable pursuing arms-length relationships than face-to-face contact. The simple truth is that there is no substitute for face-to-face contact in networking. If you have avoided face-to-face networking, you need to examine your reasons. Perhaps you have an image of networking as pushy and manipulative: “too complicated,” “too much of a hard-core relentless pursuit.”
Perhaps one of the best ways to embrace face-face networking is to first understand what it is not. Think of someone you know who is considered a good networker, and make a mental note of what characteristics of that person’s style you would have trouble mimicking if you wanted to network like he does. My guess would be the attitudes and behaviors that might turn you off to networking would be misconceptions like these:
Some Misconceptions About Networking
I’m not going to pretend that people don’t exist who exhibit some or all of the above characteristics. Some do. And perhaps your friend or acquaintance is one of them. However, I can relate to you most assuredly that highly aggressive users’ networking activities are usually restricted to a specific group of contacts who exhibit similar “user” characteristics. The code among this group is: “I’ll use you, then you use me. I’m keeping score so make sure you don’t ask, if you haven’t given back.” This intense approach works among this group of individuals because the rules, as you can see, are rigidly observed and enforced. However, they could never sustain this networking style in a broader, business-savvy community—where the give and take of interpersonal relationships is much less intense and more oriented to a relaxed collegiality, mutual caring and sincere interest in one another.
However, just like the intense form of give-and-take networking described above, there are simple rules that make networking between individuals and small groups of people sustainable and effective. The rules are:
Some Rules for Networking
Now that’s not so hard, is it? Let’s explore them, one by one.
Be Prepared
There’s a simple reason for being prepared. How would you feel if you met someone for lunch (supposedly to network together) and the other person asked for your help, but had no idea what he wanted to accomplish, what kind of a person should be contacted on his behalf, what he could do with that person if they were to meet, or what would represent a successful outcome? In short, this “networking” lunch companion meets with you and expects that you will do all his thinking for him, as he hasn’t a clue where to start. In most cases, I expect this would be the last networking lunch you will have with this individual, who has exhibited a lazy behavior, disregard for your time and attention, and clearly seeks to “use” you to think for him.
Be Specific
Successful networkers do their homework before every networking encounter. They think about what they want to accomplish and get the information they need to make it a productive meeting that focuses on mutual benefit. The more you know about the interests and needs of your networking partners, the better you can determine how they can help you and what you can do for them. And making
