How to network effectively Online Versus Offline

How to network effectively Online Versus Offline

Online Social networking: Blogs, feeds, online forums, podcasts, videos, games, Chat rooms, IM, Photo sharing, browsers, bookmark sharing, Digging stories, posting stories

Offline Networking: Finding People of similar interest, Finding Chambers, Organization, Local Meet ups, Invites, Networking events, conferences, seminars.


Online versus Offline Social networking

Online: Search and Learn social networking sites that interests you. There are hundreds of Social networking site blooming everyday.
Offline: Look for networking events from your local organizations. There are ton of networking taking place in your city.

Online: Finding out if there are members similar to your interests. Research whether the content is of your interest.
Offline: Pick the networking event that is right for you and see if the attendees are your target audience or related industry.

Online: Create a profile. Before you creating a profile make sure that this specific site will meet your goals.
Offline: Doing some research will let you know if a specific networking will be beneficial for you to join or to attend.

Online: Introduce yourself within the community. Give a brief introduction of who you are? What you do and a picture or an avatar for yourself. I prefer picture so that they can visualize who you are. And yeah it helps you in the Google Universal Search results and yes tag your picture and use alt tags to your picture.
Offline: Introduce yourself to people,I have seen people in the same group all the time, Mingle with other people, get introduced with people whom you don’t know rather being with someone you knew. You will be surprised to meet so many people who will be of similar interest.

Online: Link your blog, website and contact information in your profile.
Offline: Talk about your Company, Business, and exchange business cards in a networking event.

Online: Participate - ask question and if you know an answer or if you can provide additional resources, share it with them
Offline: Interact. If you are in a conference or meeting, ask questions and share your thoughts, people will remember you.

Online: Make Friends, It is easy to send a request or to add anyone to your friend’s list. Most social media site have the feature of importing your contacts from any address book .Invite your friends to join the site. Network and make as many friends you can within the site.
Offline: Join a group in your local community of your interest.

Online: Create a group of your own interest or for your topic.
Offline: If you don’t see a topic of interest, create a unique meet up and let everyone know, talk about the topic and invite people to join the group. Or just throw a party or a small get together inviting your neighbors, friends, and family and co workers and share your thoughts.

Online: Have some good content so that people can visit your entry.
Offline: When you meet someone new or when you mingle talk about something that is of interest, appealing and meaningful. Current and updated information is always a topic of interest.

Online: Give them a reason to stay in your blog and befriend you
Offline: If you talk about interesting topic, people would love to befriend you and be more around you.

Online: Make it easier for them to find you and add as friend
Offline: Exchange business cards give your phone number and extension to call you or email address to get a hold of you

Online: Link to their blog from your posts. Vote for your friends posts. If you find interesting posts Vote for it and talk about it to others. Spread the word.
Offline: Referral works very well and word of mouth is still one of the best way to get some business

Online: Interact with other members. Comment on interesting post. Interact. Create your own topic to discuss
Offline: Find out possible ways you can help your network and vice versa.

Online Welcome all of your friends, family and co workers to join your community
Offline: Share your involvement with friends, family and other. They might find it interesting as well

Online: Answer questions. If you are an expert in your field , give answers, suggestion and advise.
Offline: Give expert advise, tips, share your thought with other networks.

Do you have any thing to add? Please do so, what do you think is interesting in online or offline networking? Share your thought