» Some Thoughts About Effective Networking Online The Networking for Success Project: A W.TEC project, teaching Nigerian women to use Web 2.0 tools and other ICTs effectively to develop and advance their work.

Some Thoughts About Effective Networking Online

Published in June 23rd, 2008

Greetings from the United States. I’m very honored to be spending the week with you and having a conversation about effective networking online. I look forward to sharing what I know and learning from you.

That’s a photo of me from last summer teaching a workshop in Cambodia about Web 2.0. I really wanted to go, but the conference sponsors did not a budget for invited guests. So, I used my blog to launch a campaign using online networking and raised enough money to help sponsor the conference and attend!

I’ve been using online networking to help raise money to support children in Cambodia - a cause that is near and dear to my heart. I believe in the power of online social networks to help you get things done.

On my blog I write about how to use the tools - the different social networking sites - but the tools come and go - what’s important is the art of networking. And, that’s why (I think) - I’ve been successful using these tools.

I wrote an article called “The 8 Secrets of Online Networking” for TechSoup. I used social networks like Facebook and LinkedIn to connect with nonprofit professionals on were using these networks on behalf of their organizations. Here’s a summary of advice in the article and I think it applies to anyone doing online social networking:

1. Invest Time in Your Network
2. Test the Waters with An Individual Profile
3. Establish A Routine
4. Don’t Spread Yourself Too Thin
5. Share the Workload
6. Keep It Personal
7. Befriend People Strategically
8. Use These Time Savers

But what about effective online networking for an individual? There are a number of awesome bloggers writing on this topic, but I’d like to two women bloggers who have often inspired me — Liz Strauss and Connie Bensen. Connie has a great summary about effective networking for an individual. Liz Strauss shares some empowering advice about building a powerful personal network. I’ve often reflected on their wisdom as I’ve made things happen with my own network.

#1. Meet people as people first.

Don’t just collect names and addresses or friends on online social networks. Get to know people. It isn’t about how many friends you have, it’s about your relationship.

#2. Reciprocity - giving and receiving is important.

Don’t always ask people to help you or give something. It’s important to be helpful, share resources, and connect people to other people. You will be surprised in the many ways approaching your network in this way will reward you.

#3. Invest in yourself first.

I like to share what I know with other people, but before I can do that I need to keep investing in learning and growing. So, keep investing in yourself.

#4. Interweave & connect with others within your network and keep connected

Uplift people in your network when they need it & they will do so back. Take every opportunity to keep connected to the people in your network - it’s like tending a garden.

#5. Don’t Go Solo

We all have can independent spirit, but remember we can’t always afford to isolate ourselves or go alone. When you need help, think of reaching out your network. If you’ve followed the other principles, they will be there for you.

No matter what online networking tool I’ve used - whether blogs, Facebook, or whatever - I’ve honored these rules and nurtured my network and it was worked for me.

So, how can you apply these principles to your online networking goals?

8 users responded in " Some Thoughts About Effective Networking Online "

admin said, in June 23rd, 2008 at 3:44 pm

Hmmm, we’re off to a conference later on in the year and the thought of raising money online had not yet occurred to me. That’s something for us to consider.

I like how you point out that it’s the quality of the relationships that you build online that matters, not just how many people you meet. An analogy is when we attend conferences or other ‘live’ networking events and focus on collecting as many business cards as possible, without taking the time to have proper conversations with people (as well as you can in those settings) and following-up with them afterwards. Email is very good for this and the tool of use for my early network-building.

I’ve met many people online, with some who I met only years later and who have now become good friends and important collaborators, who have helped me in some way professionally.But this would probably not have happened if I was so focused on what I would get out of the relationship and not bothering to nurture it properly.

Ore

Beth said, in June 23rd, 2008 at 5:42 pm

Ore,

I love your analogy! So, what do you think are the best ways to nurture relationships online? How does it differ from nurturing relationships made off line?

admin said, in June 23rd, 2008 at 11:16 pm

Great! I’ve been trying to comment forever, but the word verification thingie isn’t having it….

Amy said, in June 24th, 2008 at 3:02 am

Hey Beth and everyone! I think Beth provides a great run-down of some important things to keep in mind. It has been my experience that #5 is the most important (though all of them are crucial). There is never a time when learning about or using new tools successfully can be accomplished without a network of support (be it in the initial phase with experimentation, questions, feedback or later on with testing, ideas, or spreading the word).

Great start to the week!

Oluwatoyin Ajao-Dawodu said, in June 25th, 2008 at 12:13 pm

I really believe so much in the power of “Networking” as was discussed here by Beth. Even though I have not tried it to raise money, it’s being useful for me in other aspects of my life. I have used networking to meet more people that share my feminism principle which has being a source of encouragement for me. I have used it to impact in people by sharing useful information that will help thier career with them.

Searching for blogging networks said, in September 25th, 2009 at 10:50 am

[...] concept of networking weaving - which Beth Kanter talks about quite often (for starters see “Some Thoughts About Effective Networking Online”), as well as being raised by Sarah (see “Getting our heads around blogging”) - appeals [...]