Jun
24
15 Successful Steps to Email Networking
Posted by the Networking Goddess in Types of Networking, Online Networking, Networking Tips, Getting Leads, General
Email the link for this page to a friend!
15 Successful Steps to Email Networking
Email is by far the most widely used service on the Internet. Tens of thousands of people ONLY have e-mail- with no access to web sites and/or no desire to surf the web. With that kind of market, how can one safely and effectively use email for networking online? Try these 15 successful methods for email marketing:
1. JOIN discussion lists, subscribe to newsletters and ezines, and Usenet Newsgroups. Offering assistance and know-how on a particular subject, or asking for help will begin the “know, like and trust you” part of the networking process.
2. INTRODUCTIONS. Determine the Introduction policy of each forum and send out an introduction about you and your firm. Include info on who you are, what you do, and what kind of clients you are looking for.
3. SIGNATURE FILES. With each request for help, answer to a question, introduction, or other e-mail correspondence, include a signature file where it is appropriate. I do participate on lists where no one uses a sig file, so make sure that you follow the list protocol when using sig files.
4.) AUTORESPONDERS. By far, this is one of THE most successful networking tools. Autoresponders automatically send out info from a simple e-mail request sent to it. They can be used for so many things, including:
a. Promotional Material
b. Product/Service Information
c. Hiring Help
d. Training Help
e. Article Distribution
…and so much more..
5. ADS. Email CANNOT be used to send ads to folks who have not requested the information. However, you can run ads in various e-mail forums, ezines, and newsletters. Be VERY sure to check forum protocol on this usage.
6. PRODUCT DELIVERY. There are many firms that can actually deliver their product via e-mail. Consultants, software companies, authors/writers, and trainers can transport their product and service via e-mail, cutting down costs significantly.
7. FOLLOW-UP. Timely up-dates etc., greetings (like Thanksgiving Day) or in some cases, general information can be distributed via email. Follow up is something done with EXISTING clients or persons who have expressed an interest in future contact. It isn’t FOLLOW UP if there has been no previous REQUEST for information.
8. CUSTOMER SERVICE. Being able to reply quickly and efficiently to customer request, questions and complaints is an EXTREMELY valuable networking tool .
9.NEWSLETTERS AND ARTICLES. One of THE most important tools available to establishing credibility is the use of articles you have personally written. Submissions of those articles to targeted Newsletters and ezines are quite effective. Once you have enough material, you can even start your own newsletter.
10. PRESS RELEASES. Many editors for both online and offline publications prefer to get press releases via email. As with all other forums, it is necessary to ascertain that the editor does indeed want releases via email.
11. MODERATING/GUEST MODERATING. Most really useful email lists and newsgroups are moderated, meaning there is a person who is responsible for keeping the group on track, preventing the wrong type of messages from appearing on the list. You can start your own moderated group, or you can volunteer to Guest Moderate a group you are comfortable
handling.
12. CONTESTS. You can use e-mail to announce, run, and promote a contest. Again, be sure to check the forum policy on contests before posting any kind of announcement, etc. to that forum.
13. RESEARCH. Email is a powerful research tool. It is very easy to send requests for information useful to you via email.
14. ORGANIZATION. Email can keep you organized and productive. Through the use of Filters (mechanisms in your email program that automatically sort your mail for you) and a set of Masters (email messages already written that you can send in response to frequently asked questions or commonly requested information) , you will find that you can handle hundreds of email transactions in just a few hours a day.
15. PERSONAL EMAIL. It is through your personal correspondences, that you will really get to know people, and they, you. It is not only possible to “read” people via email, (and therefore get to know, like and trust them), but is almost impossible NOT to be able to do so, as long as you are aware of personality styles.
Email is so productive, so useful, and so efficient, that I have often wondered why I need a web site at all. It appears lots of other folks feel the same way.
Nancy
Your Networking Goddess
Jun
23
Networking In Online Communities
Posted by the Networking Goddess in Online Networking, Types of Networking, Networking Tools, Networking Groups and Functions, Networking Defined, General
Email the link for this page to a friend!
Networking In Online Communities
For the purposes of this article, an online community is defined as a group of business professionals who have a place to “meet” that satisfies certain specific business criteria. These online forums are often newsgroups and e-mail lists. It is here where there is a chance for the reciprocal exchange of questions and information. It is also here where we, as a small business community, will learn ways to communicate, and build relationships without the benefit of seeing , hearing or touching those we associate with.
Here are some tools that can be used to get and give the most in this community;
S-A-V-E works wonders:
1. S-Share information. Specific information that helps people who post questions and general information about business development. When sharing information about your field, “less” is better. Little bits of information shared with the group will be easier for them to remember. It will also aid in their ability to focus on the faces of those people they know who can help you, or who can help them. Sharing information also helps position you as an “expert” in your field.
2. A-Applaud the efforts of others. Even if you do so in a private message to them. Recognize what each person has something to offer, and what each person has to learn. The community is stronger when people feel comfortable to ask for assistance and to give assistance. Accolades are appreciated and can be great marketing tools if used properly.
3. V-Venture into new ways of thinking. Look at what you believe and why you believe it. Online communities are an excellent forum to learn the many sides to any issue. Participation in these communities will increase your chances of success when working online. The views and ideas expressed will give you a glimpse of what the Internet small business community thinks. It is a great testing ground for what works and what doesn’t work, and why.
4. E-Expect it to take time. No way to shorten the relationship-building process has been found. Humans being humans, the chances are good that no way WILL be found. The time needed to build mutually-beneficial relationships is well worth the wait.
Online communities SAVE you a lot of research time. They SAVE you a lot of expense. And networking in them is as easy as S-A-V-E.
Nancy
Your Networking Goddess
Jun
23
Backdoor Networking: The Active Lurker
Posted by the Networking Goddess in Online Networking, Types of Networking, Networking Groups and Functions, Giving Leads, Getting Leads, General
Email the link for this page to a friend!
Backdoor Networking : The Active Lurker
Many, many business professionals receive email lists and newsgroups on a daily basis. Most will tell you that they are looking for:
- Information and resources that keep them abreast of their business industry’s climate and teach them new, effective, productive techniques.
- Suppliers for their firm’s needs.
- Potential clients for their firm.
But thousands and thousands of people never post a message to any of these lists or newsgroups. They are called “lurkers”. Lurkers say that they have concerns about posting for fear they will post something that is considered by the active membership as worthless. Or they are concerned that their question was already covered on the list or newsgroup, and no one will want to discuss it again. Or they just plain feel they have nothing positive to contribute.
How does someone like this, network on these lists, on the Internet? Here are some lurker techniques that are very effective in helping to build online relationships;
1. Send private posts to everyone who introduces themselves on the list or newsgroup. Welcome them and thank them for their introduction. I have found that sending a virtual postcard to do this is a very effective welcome tool. The message I include reads something like this:
“Welcome to the mb-list. I read with interest the introduction you posted about your firm. I look forward to reading more of your posts and perhaps referring some business your way in the future”.
I sign the postcard with my sig file, which includes a little information about my firm. This allows the receiver to visit my site if they are interested.
2. Send private posts to people who voice opinions that are similar to yours. These people can become great allies in these forums. They think like you think and probably handle things in a way similar to how you would handle things. Should you want to bounce ideas off of people, this group is liable to be your best off-list source for ideas that fit your personal business “style”.
3. Send private posts asking for more information. Perhaps someone posted about a topic that you have interest in but you are not clear on what they meant. Ask for clarification. In this situation, understand that the person may not have a lot of time to go into too great detail. But I have never had someone not answer my question at all, even if to just point me to a URL that can help me.
4. Send private posts to people when you have information that would help them. It is perfectly acceptable to answer a request for help or advice off-list. If you have resources that can help the person, feel free to share them. The receiver will be very grateful.
5. Send Thank You’s privately. I have had people ask me if it is improper netiquette to send a “thank you”, since it is another message that fills up someone’s e-mail box. I think that saying “thank you” is never out of place.
6. Send requests for more information on a person’s firm if you have an interest in either doing business with them or referring business to them. People will be more than happy to send you more information by e-mail or point you to their web site. It is always welcome to ask:
“How do I know that a person I am speaking with would be a good client for you?”
7. If you are interested in sharing information about your firm with a person on a list or newsgroup, whom you have no relationship with, be sure the person has requested that information. Perhaps they made a post about requiring a product or service that you provide. It is acceptable to respond to that post with information about your firm, as long as you reference the post the receiver made requesting this information.
8. If you feel the need to post something angry or negative to someone, I feel this should ALWAYS be done in private. Not only does the posting of a angry or negative posts on a list or newsgroup, start controversy amongst other participants, but it looks terribly unprofessional for you. Remember, if you are looking for help from reading email lists and newsgroups, people are not too interested in helping someone who doesn’t know what belongs in public and what belongs in private.
And please remember. Conversations in private emails are to remain private. It is very bad netiquette to post a private message to a public list without the writer’s permission. Although Internet law is still being written, this practice is commonly considered copyright infringement and at the very least makes you look extremely unprofessional.
Nancy
Your Networking Goddess