Madison Who’s Who Blog

With the advent of the internet comes all types of different ways to network with clients both far and near, along with this comes social, and peer networking sites. Peer networking sites have been a great asset to having a successful online business. However, the networking sites and how to utilize them confuse many people. Below, you will find a list of the my favorite networking sites for business and what you should and shouldn’t do on them.

For each different site there is a couple of general rules to follow such as do not post a picture of you in a bikini, swimwear, speedos etc. Do not post something to just spark an argument or if there is an argument going on, don’t add flame to the fire it will only look bad on you. Don’t forget, your posts and profiles will be indexed by the search engines and if you are seen as argumentative and non-professional it will hurt your business. It only takes a short time to get a bad reputation and a lifetime to regain a good reputation.

Facebook- This is a site that was started mainly as a personal networking site where you can find old friends and classmates it has since also become a great business networking site. You can keep your colleagues up to date about what you have been doing so that they can get to know you better. It does take some time to fill out a profile and find some “friends” to connect with but it is very useful. Do update your status consistently that is one of the only ways that people get to know you. Don’t add every single application that is available on the site such as hugs, kisses, gifts, etc only add the ones that you feel will be beneficial to business. There are still people on slow connections that if your profile doesn’t load quickly, you may have just lost your best client because they won’t hang around or come back to get to know you better.

Ryze-This site has always been a business networking site. This site is unique because it has many different networks and much more interaction between members that makes it easy to get to know people and their business. You can sign their guestbooks, participate in conversations etc. Do participate as much as possible. Do fill in your profile and make it look professional but also put a little something in there about yourself personally. Don’t private message somebody with a business opportunity unless they specifically ask for it on one of the forums. Don’t spam guestbooks. A simple hi and comment on something about their profile or one of their posts will suffice.

Twitter- This is one of the easiest social networking sites there is. You simply answer the question, what are you doing and update it periodically throughout the day. You find other people you may know and become “followers” of their posts. This gives you the opportunity to get to know about their business and what they are doing. Do talk about your business without spamming. Do not just say hey, check out my website. Give them a reason to go to your website.

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Networking with other professionals, both locally, and online can be a daunting task for most professionals.  However, there are some key elements of networking that will help you start your peer networking.  Most important, if you are a health professional, the first thing you have to do is learn how to create an effective audio logo. Another term is elevator speech. This is a very short, but succinct explanation of what you offer to others. Example, if you were a Registered Dietitian, you could tell people you are a Registered Dietitian and Personal Fitness Trainer. People might kindly look at you and nod with what might appear to be recognition… then walk away without a CLUE what you actually do! Of course; you told them what you ARE. How does that help them? Try telling them what you do, rather than what you are.  This will help them make a connection with you and how your services benefit other professionals.  I have since been working with clients with my same background to help them learn how to create an effective audio logo, so that when people hear what they do, they are able to relate and say to themselves, or out loud, ‘wow, that’s what I need! As I decided to network more, the thought of it would send a shudder down my spine. But then I started to realize that the biggest advantage to enjoying the networking experience wasn’t what I got from it, but what I could offer to others. Once I stopped focusing on me and started to focus on other people, my anxiety dissolved. My biggest fear was running out of things to talk about. However, if you focus on the other person, and ask them to tell you about them, conversation just flows. This is the same when you network electronically. Be selective in your posts, but always focus more on offering help/answers, rather than just conversation. People will remember you when you offer your time and support.

The popularity of peer to peer networking (social networking) sites appears to be dependent on the audience’s geographic region. Here is the breakdown of how social networking site rate based on geographic regions.

• North America.  Both MySpace and Facebook attract predominately North American audiences, around two-thirds according to comScore.

• Europe.  Bebo is the choice of European social networkers with 63 percent of its users coming from that region and

• Asia-Pacific Islands.  Friendster attracts 89 percent of its audience from Asia-Pacific.

• Latin America.  Orkut is the darling of users in the Latin American countries.

Peer to peer networks are growing in popularity on a global scale. So, it would appear that social networking is not the fad it was once thought to be but rather an activity that is being woven into the very fabric of the global internet.

If you’ve heard of the term “peer to peer network” you probably associate it with a network of computers that share information.  However, the term peer networking, or peer to peer network is also becoming synonymous with a social networking or virtual communities.
A virtual community, e-community, or online community is a group of people that primarily interact via some form of mechanism such as letters, telephone, email or other social networking site rather than face to face. If the mechanism is a computer network, it is called an online community. Virtual and online communities have also become a supplemental form of communication between people who know each other primarily in real life. A computer-mediated community uses social software to regulate the activities of participants. Significant socio-technical change has resulted from the proliferation of Internet-based social networks.
In fact, social peer to peer networks are so important to business that many marketing experts agree that businesses that ignore this new form of social marketing do so at their own peril.

If you’re wanting to use peer networking to grow your business, meet professionals in your field, or find new people to partner with, you need to make a great first impression.  Consider this - Within the first three seconds of a new encounter, you are evaluated… even if it is just a glance.

People appraise your visual and behavioral appearance from head to toe. They observe your demeanor, mannerisms, and body language and even assess your grooming and accessories – watch, handbag, briefcase. Within only three seconds, you make an indelible impression. You may intrigue some and disenchant others. If your goal is peer networking, you obviously need to be able to be more intriging than disenchanting.

Within the first few seconds, people pass judgment on you – looking for common surface clues. Once the first impression is made, it is virtually irreversible.

The process works like this:

* If you appear to be of comparable business or social level, you are considered suitable for further interaction.
* If you appear to be of higher business or social status, you are admired and cultivated as a valuable contact.
* If you appear to be of lower business or social standing, you are tolerated but kept at arm’s length.
* If you are in an interview situation, you can either appear to match the corporate culture or not, ultimately affecting the outcome.

It is human nature to constantly make these appraisals, in business and social environments. You may hardly have said a word, however once this three-second evaluation is over, the content of your speech will not change it. When you make the best possible first impression, you have your audience in the palm of your hand. When you make a poor first impression, you lose your audience’s attention, no matter how hard you scramble to recover it.

You can learn to make a positive and lasting first impression, modify it to suit any situation, and come out a winner. Doing so requires you to assess and identify your personality, physical appearance, lifestyle and goals. Those who do will have the advantage.

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So, have you decided to do some global networking?  Maybe you’ve even signed up to attend a business luncheon, or perhaps you want to share more on the professional social networks you belong to. But, as you head into that luncheon, you freeze. What ever could you have to offer? And, when you read the various postings on your business networking sites, you ask yourself why would anyone want to read YOUR post?

Welcome to effective global networking. When creating a new business, or expanding a current business, entrepreneurs are always in need of support and guidance. None of us can succeed on our own. This is why having quality professionals to network with is key. One way to find other professionals to network with is through who’s who directories such as Madison Who’s Who.  If you ask almost any professional what one of the major keys to his or her success is, they will almost always tell you that professional networking has played a large role in their success.

There is no excuse at all for attending a peer to peer networking event without business cards, and yet people do it all the time. 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 don”t 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.

For many people, the most difficult aspect of a conference is speaking to people they don”t know, and walking into a room full of strangers can certainly be intimidating. We”ve all stood inside the door looking at hundreds of people busily engaged in conversation, feeling as if everyone knows everyone else except us! Here’s a secret: the only difference between you and all those others is that they arrived five minutes ahead of you and they have found one person to speak to! So how can you break into that buzz?

In working with businesses over the years, people have often told me they don’t “do”peer networking any more because it doesn”t work. When I hear this, I know that person has committed at least one, and perhaps both of the cardinal sins of peer to peer networking.

1. The first cardinal sin of networking is selling. Perhaps you that that is that what you thought networking was all about? Well, although networking can be an integral part of the selling process, the two are distinctly different. Have you ever been circulating happily at a networking event (even at one of your own conferences or tradeshows), when suddenly someone has you backed into a corner trying to sell you mutual funds? That”s the cardinal sin!

If you meet someone who seems to be a good prospect for your services, tell the person you have some information they might find useful and would like to meet or speak on the phone later to discuss it. If the person seems open to this, be sure to get their business card and make the call as arranged. That”s the time to go into selling mode.

2. The second cardinal sin of networking is asking for or offering someone a job. Certainly, job hunting is another reason for active networking, but once again it”s only part of the process. If you meet someone who seems a good candidate for a position you need to fill, follow the same process I”ve described above. If you begin discussing the job opportunity in detail, neither you nor the other person will have an opportunity to mix and meet others, which is the reason you are there.

The New Jersey attorney general asked a dozen Internet social and peer networking sites to find out whether convicted New Jersey sex offenders have created profiles on their sites.  The request comes after the state found at least 269 convicted New Jersey sex offenders registered on the popular Internet social networking site MySpace.com.  MySpace.com found 29,000 total profiles created by convicted sex offenders, which clearly violates the conditions of parole for such offenders.
Among the peer to peer network sites that received the request from New Jersey’s AG were Xanga.com, Facebook, Community Connect, TagWorld, Bebo, MyYearbook.com, Tagged, Friendster, LiveJournal, Imeem, Hi5 and Gaia Online.
The cooperation of peer to peer network sites with law enforcement can help make the internet safer.  Protecting people from the dangers posed by sexual predators who may use peer to peer networking sites to contact victims is the goal.

Sales are frequently developed through the relationships we have created with other people who are in your same industry.  Knowing who’s who within your industry can help in building and growing your business, as well as your credibility.   Networking functions provide the opportunity to expand your contact list, and discover who’s who within your professional community. These peer networking opportunities are valuable, particularly when we create and nurture quality relationships. It is not enough to visit a networking group, talk to dozens of people and gather as many business cards possible. However, every networking function has tremendous potential for new business leads.
The best results come from attending the appropriate networking events for your particular industry. This should include trade shows, conferences, and associations dedicated to your type of business. For example, if your target market is a Fortune 500 company, it does not make sense to join a group whose primary membership consists of individual business owners. You can also participate in groups where your potential clients meet. A friend of mine helps people negotiate leases with their landlords. He joined the local franchise association because most franchisors lease their properties.
Most people have experienced the person who, while talking to you, keeps his eyes roving around the room, seeking his next victim. This individual is more interested in passing out and collecting business cards than establishing a relationship. My approach is to make between two and five new contacts at each networking meeting I attend. Focus on the quality of the connection and people will become much more trusting of you.