Madison Who’s Who Blog

The N-word! Networking - we all know the value of effective global networking and we feel we should be doing more of it. Unfortunately, for too many of us the very thought of attending an event where we have to mix and mingle with total strangers is enough to drive us into hiding until it’s all over! What a pity we often force ourselves to go to a potentially great conference, but we’re so busy worrying about the networking part that we forget to enjoy the event!

But achieving effective global networking is like so many other activities in life- it’s easy when you know how. But so many times as we attend networking events, there are certain obstacles that most people face.  Here are a couple of common obstacles along with solutions for overcoming them.

Breaking into conversation groups

One of the questions most often asked during networking workshops is about how to break into groups and join conversations in progress. To deal with this situation, you must master the fine art of “hovering”. First, choose a group you’d like to join. Now, move towards the group, but stop a yard or so from the edge just close enough for someone to see you there and look interested in the conversation. Nod and smile as everyone else does, and before long someone will see you and invite you into the group.

What you do next is important. If someone is speaking, you don’t want to be the cause of disruption. Simply say, “Don’t stop your story, Stan I’d like to hear the rest of it too.” Then, when Stan is finished speaking, you can introduce yourself and now you are part of the group! Wasn’t that simple?

Moving On

I’ve seen people twist themselves into knots looking for an excuse to end a conversation and move on. They’ll suddenly notice someone they’ve been frantically searching for, or they’ll remember they absolutely must make a phone call they’ll even wave over the other person’s shoulder to an imaginary acquaintance! Well here’s a flash for you: you don’t need an excuse to move on because that’s the whole purpose of networking!

Say something like, “Well Janice, I’ve enjoyed meeting you and we should probably both move on and do some more mingling. I hope you enjoy the conference, and perhaps we’ll meet up again later on.” That’s it. By giving her an opportunity to meet others too, you’ve removed any suggestion that you are abandoning her.

Following these principles will help you get the most out of the networking events you attend, thus growing and maximizing the potential that these events provide. 

It appears that those wanting to achieve effective global networking are turning to their mobile devices. This is according to a report posted by mmetrics.com which gives a glimpse of the mobile social networking market globally.  Of particular interest is the US audience which is traditionally hesitant to use the Web browser on their mobile handsets. However it’s the US market that is the largest volume of mobile subscribers accessing a social networking site with their mobile device.  Following the US were Italy, the UK, Spain, Germany and France respectively.

The US and UK audiences were college-aged (18 - 24) whereas the consumers in the other countries were younger (13 - 18). Not surprisingly, the most popular sites accessed via mobile were MySpace and Facebook, followed by YouTube in the US and Bebo in the UK.

If mobile social networks can generate a regular audience anywhere near the size of its PC-based visitors, the revenue potential for all those involved would be enormous.  It appears that effective global networking is going mobile. 

It appears that those wanting to achieve effective global networking are turning to their mobile devices. This is according to a report posted by mmetrics.com which gives a glimpse of the mobile social networking market globally.  Of particular interest is the US audience which is traditionally hesitant to use the Web browser on their mobile handsets. However it’s the US market that is the largest volume of mobile subscribers accessing a social networking site with their mobile device.  Following the US were Italy, the UK, Spain, Germany and France respectively.

The US and UK audiences were college-aged (18 - 24) whereas the consumers in the other countries were younger (13 - 18). Not surprisingly, the most popular sites accessed via mobile were MySpace and Facebook, followed by YouTube in the US and Bebo in the UK.

If mobile social networks can generate a regular audience anywhere near the size of its PC-based visitors, the revenue potential for all those involved would be enormous.  It appears that effective global networking is going mobile.

With the information age that has been ushered in by the internet, effective global networking is literally at your fingertips.  There are enough social networking websites available now that it could really give you a headache trying to sort through them all.  So, how do you choose one that meets your needs?  Here are some things to consider:

- Introductions come first.  Never launch into a sales pitch right away. This tends to turn people off. Sometimes we get so excited about sharing our business that we forget one key fact. Networking is about establishing relationships first and making sales later.

- Consider your target audience.  Your target audience can vary greatly depending on what your business offers.  Consider those who will be interested in your products or services.  Who are they? What are their likes?  Where do they like to hang out?  Answering these questions can help you network with members of your target audience.

- Choose a networking group that’s relevant to your line of business.  To have an effective global networking strategy, you must be involved with groups who are interested in what you have to offer.  Choose those groups who share an interest in your business.

Finding effective global networking groups not only helps extend your reach to new customers.  It can also be fun. Imagine that, work that is actually enjoyable!

When The New Yorker published its famous cartoon “On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog” in 1993, effective global networking was something that was carried out in person at cocktail parties and the like. Now, online social networking truly seems to to be going to the dogs in Europe, where United Dogs & Cats Ltd. has raised an undisclosed round of funding.

The funding comes from Ambient Sound Investments, the investment group established by the co-founding engineers of Skype. ASI has acquired a 15% stake in the Estonia-based start-up. The company is developing effective global networking sites such as Uniteddogs.com that unite people based on their interests rather than connecting users with the people they already know. The company aims to create a global network of localized web sites and grow the number of active users, according to a release. The Web sites allow users to make a free homepage for a pet, upload and comment on photos and videos, keep pet blogs and share stories with other pet owners. So, perhaps effective networking really is “going to the dogs.”

Anywhere between 70 to 80 percent of all job vacancies are filled by people that employers hear about through word-of-mouth. Getting the most out of the relationships that you have taken the time to build is essential to effective global networking. The larger you make your personal network the more likely you are to find out about any positions and opportunities as soon as they become available. The following tips can help you achieve effective global networking for both your self, and for your business.

To be successful at networking, try the following few things:

•Tell every one of your friends and colleagues, as well as business associates and peers that you are looking for either a new position or a consulting project, or some new clients. Try to be as specific as you can while describing exactly what you want.

•Come up with a practiced short sales pitch that can tell people you meet, who you are, and what you are looking for. Let them know, without being over-aggressive and how they can help.

•Go to the professional association meeting, social event, civic or alumni meets. They are good places to network. Don’t forget to bring your business cards, masses of them.

•Always make sure you let your contacts know, early in the call or the letter, that you are calling/writing because you are looking for help. Don’t waste their time going through a long letter or conversation only to find that they are unable or unwilling to do what you want.

•If you have called someone you only know through referral, for the first time, and get an answering machine or voice mail, hang up. Call back later. Leaving a message, trying to explain who you are and what you want can be quite awkward.

•Even when you can get nothing else from a contact, try to at least get one or two names and numbers of people you might contact and permission to use their names as references.

These tips will help you expand your network of associates, who can quickly spread the word about your qualifications and what you’re looking for.

Whether you are sole proprietor, a small start up, a locally grown business or an international conglomerate, effective global networking forms a backdrop to and is an essential component of a prospering business.

The sole proprietor of a decade ago, or even five years ago, when initially setting up his business model probably didn’t think in terms of effective global networking.  Prior to today’s technological and telecommunications cornucopia, effective global networking was the concern of the internationals or the rare local business who had commerce outside of the country.

Effective global networking has also totally transformed the expat experience with families undertaking international assignments now able to arrange schools, search for staff and familiarize themselves with more ease to their new host country.  Effective global networking allows for that same family to keep consistent communications with friends and family in their home countries.

Effective global networking is as integral to the continuity and free flow of commerce today as was the telephone and telegraph one century ago.

There is no excuse at all for attending a networking event without business cards, and yet people do it all the time. If you want to achieve effective global networking, business cards are an important tool. Excuses range from forgetfulness to new jobs and having left them in the car in the parking lot. If you tell people you forgot your cards, many will assume you are as lax in your business habits and you might lose opportunities. Even if you dont have your new cards yet, you can easily produce a temporary supply on your computer. When you give them to people you can mention that they are temporary and offer to send them your new one when you have it. That, of course, is a built-in reason to contact people again! A business card is an essential networking tool. Make sure you have a supply with you at all times.  I’ve had people contact me about jobs from a business card I handed out more than a year ago.  You’ll never know when someone will need your services, or have an opportunity for you, but one thing is certain.  If they don’t have your business card…they won’t be calling.

A few years ago small startup companies were really quite limited to working with investors and partners in their general geographical area.  However, because of the global age that we live in, the internet provides many opportunities for expanding our reach beyond geographical lines. Business partners in a small start-up company that may have planned on only networking locally in years past are now able to implement a plan for an effective global networking strategy as well.  Are your products or services marketable overseas and at what juncture do you envision expanding globally?  Is your service executable via effective global networking and what are the implications for your business if you deal on an international level?

Businesses a decade ago, or even five years ago probably didn’t think in terms of effective global networking.  Prior to today’s technological and telecommunications capabilities, effective global networking was the concern of the internationals or the rare local business that had commerce outside of the country

For those who take the time to make the cyber world their own, networking globally is almost standard practice.  The web designer might live in India, but be designing a site for a Florida based business, while the content for the site is being written by someone in Canada.  Because of the possibilities of effective global networking, it is possible for these three parties never to meet in person and yet execute a complete and successful project.

Lately security industry leaders such as Sophos are working to protect social networkers.  They are warning users of the dangers of allowing strangers to gain access to their online profiles.  This comes following new research into the risks of identity and information theft occurring through social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook.

While these sites can help achieve effective global networking, recent research shows that 41 percent of users will share their personal information with a complete stranger.  Information such as email address, date of birth and phone number are bits of information that ID thieves love to get their slimy hands on.  Freely giving strangers access to this information greatly increases a person’s susceptibility to ID theft. While there are few documented cases of ID theft occurring from social networking sites, given their popularity it won’t be long before thieves are fully exploiting them.  Protect yourself by limiting the amount of personal information you divulge to strangers.