Digital Networking

Networking in a Digital World

I’ve decided to open with this chain of posts because it’s the number 1 area that my clients have gained serious tangible value from. There’s so much to say that one could write a book on this topic alone – Oh wait, I am! Copyright protected the work. Currently in talks with a publisher. Hope to have the book on shelves by the end of this year.

Your Network, or the Network you haven’t fully developed yet, is your number 1 asset in business.

Whether you’re launching a career search, considering job relocation, identifying new customers, looking into hiring, or locating an agency – your network is or will be the first step in the process.

Today, the internet helps you multiply your networking potential exponentially… that is if you choose to take advantage of the resource. Let’s talk about how to move your network to new digital heights!

Stage 1 – Being Reachable

You.com!

There’s no excuse for not having your own webpage. There are many hosting and domain registration options that can get you a digital address and server space for your site in under an hour for far less than $100 per year! How much do you pay for rent or mortgage a year? (Godaddy.com is a great starter service with solid support that will get you moving Today!)

At the very least, a flat color background with your name and information (ex: info that you would put on a business card) will make an effective placeholder site until something more detailed that fits your direction can be built. And even MS Word can be used to build a basic starter site. And again, there are so many other free accessible programs that can help the process.

You@You.com

Once you’ve set up a hosting package, it usually comes with at least one e-mail address. If there is no e-mail account or server space allocated for your e-mail address, set up an e-mail forwarding option to your free hotmail or gmail account.

Also, remember to set up a clear automatic signature that includes your website address and/or the link to your main profile page (example LinkedIn or a profile specific area of your website).

Stage 2 – Being Professional

Once you have a professional e-mail address and URL to point interested parties to, you will need to start networking!

Professional Networking: LinkedIn.com, Naymz.com, etc.

Sign up for LinkedIn or another profession networking service. Most are free and they are a fantastic way to keep connected with the professionals you work with or have worked with in the past.

Digital Resumes: CareerBuilder, Monster, Hot Jobs, etc.

Your resume clearly highlighting current successes should be updated and posted on all of these sites – even if you’re not looking for a job! Remove your name and your current employer’s name if need be. Register for the site, Post the resume, and update on a reasonable basis.

Stage 3 – Being Social

Now that you have a professional presence on the internet both at “home” (your website), and at “the office” (ex: your LinkedIn profile), you should make friends and have fun digitally!

Social Networking: Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, Delicious, Plurk, etc.

Build however many social profiles you feel comfortable with, but remember – it’s recommended that you update them on a reasonably often basis. So going crazy and starting 20 profiles this month might be overdoing it a bit.

Also, it’s recommended that your “net personality” is relatively consistent among all your sites.

Key: Unless you’re looking for a job in cool hunting, or for promoting street teams – you work in the professional world. In the professional word, people judge you in less than 3 seconds online. While you play, play as though your parents or your boss could walk in the room at anytime.

In other words, think hard before posting all those pictures of your drunken ramblings in Vegas last weekend on your myspace account - when you know your boss or your coworkers can easily see it in their profile update mail Monday morning.

Photo Networking: see site listing above

I actually consider sharing your profile and text about yourself to be separate than Photographic sharing.

Always be careful what you share in terms of photos. Again it’s like posting a 11x17 photo on a big bulletin board in Central Park NY. Everybody can and will see them at some point or another.

But; I still strongly suggest posting photos. The key is honesty. In the age of the internet, people don’t really know you’re real or that you are who you say you are unless there’s a photo to prove it.

Think of the early days of cyber-dating on AOL or the vast personal ad/profiles posted on eharmony.com today – if you don’t post a photo, you’re considered not really in the game. And it typically is (9 times out of 10) the first question anyone asks you for anyway.

Thus, post something professional on LinkedIn and something (at least mildly) respectable on your social sites. But post at least a few photos. Make sure people know you’re real, and not a cyber spammer!

Stage 4 – Being Valuable

Now that you have an address, communication methods, a digital professional and personal life… Let’s start providing value. These are the methods to bring more positive attention to you and your digital world. Benefits include but are not limited to; more professional interest, higher perceived tangible value, a method for getting your creativity out in the world and a wonderful way to help people. The good news is: if you do these things regularly they can and will lead you to a great deal of money!

To start – think two words: content generation!

Your e-mail list

You should own a list. Most people do in some form or fashion. Even if it’s just in your head. You find something funny or interesting online, suddenly there’s an e-mail open and we’re typing away friend’s names, family names, coworkers and more… Let’s organize this a bit. Use a service or program (MS outlook contacts, etc.) to categorize these lists and make them accessible.

Key: Always remember to keep your list(s) private! No one wants their phone number written on the bathroom wall.

E-blast updates

Short personal/professional update e-mails sent to your lists potentially regarding your blog, newsletter, recent successes, etc. Its purpose is to quickly keep your network up to date on what’s going on in your world. Don’t treat it or think of it as bragging (as many people do). Think more in terms of sending an update to a family member that you don’t talk with often. Or like when businesses send their best customers flowers or a fruit basket four times a year to say thanks. Depending on the e-mail list you’re sending it to (professional, personal, family, etc.) will depend on the type of information you write. This can be sent through e-mails or by using services on said social/professional sites listed above.

Your Blog

You’re reading one of mine right now. Find it useful? E-mail it to your e-mail lists! Comment about it on your own blog. Add it to your bookmarks. Sign up for RSS. Most are shocked when they find out how far and how fast your content can travel in the digital world.

I know you have something to say. We all do. There are numerous free methods of starting blogs today. Have a Gmail account? Blogger will help you get a blog started in less than five minutes!

Key: Consider cyber “space” and cyber “time” when blogging.

People have very different spans of attention online versus the real world. Business or professional content should be clear, concise and shorter than you’d initially think (unless you’re an author or poet, etc.).

Your Newsletter

Your “newsletter” can be as simple as a monthly e-blast highlighting your blog updates. Or it can be as robust as covering a wider breadth of content that you didn’t feel you had enough time and space for in your blog. There are many different methods of writing, physically designing and sending a newsletter. Don’t drown from informational overload. Start off with something simple that provides the value you want to send. Just send it as an e-mail to your lists. Then build up from there.

Key: Be careful not to spam people.

Stage 5 – Being Real

To really maximize the value of the infinite opportunities that flow through our lives, it’s a good idea to make the real world reflect your digital self. And vice versa. Thus having hard copies of your tools are always handy.

You ~ seven - twenty four

-Business cards/unique take home item (reflecting your own profile – not necessarily your day job)

-Resume (always good to have hard copies)

-Portfolio/professional profile

-Elevator speech (written on a note card to practice)

Store these in your car and at home.

Final Key: remember there is such a thing as going overboard. Do all steps as they pertain to you and your lifestyle. Having 20 social sites that are never updated is not effective. Typically speaking, your network should be more weighted towards quality than quantity.

Networking is the #1 asset in business. Do it. Automate it. Keep it updated. Keep it unique!