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The Internet as your Networking Tool
There are many reasons to get online; surfing, gaming, just plain old emailing, to name a few. Perhaps one of the most profound advantages of the Internet is its use in the ability to network with others. Whether this takes the form of simple boards and posting sites used to discuss hobbies and passions or becomes a way to enhance business contacts and reach new professional goals is dependant on the user.
Any blog site or employment board will have a plethora of commentary regarding ‘scam’ opportunities or the inability to find legitimate work. The truth is that the work is out there. What do you want to do? What are you interested in? What are your qualifications? What are you good at? If you’ve answered these questions honestly, then you have a basis for what it is you’d like to pursue and whether or not there is a market for your business online. We’ll take freelance graphic design as an example, though these avenues can be used for freelancers, telecommuters, and career professionals alike.
We’ll say that you want to freelance in graphic design. What’s your first step? The first step is to find boards and online communities where others in your field frequent the site. This is a great way to make contacts, find leads, and generally get good ideas of how to successfully run your own business. If you are working in a brick and mortar business, networking online can still be very advantageous in finding new contacts and clients that would not normally find you in the concrete world. Yahoo, for example, has a group for almost any career or hobby you might think up. Try a web search, typing your occupation in as many different phrases as you can think of, and book marking the sites that look interesting.
Another great avenue for networking is the blogging community. Blogging creates a free promotion for your website, business, and personal profile. Used together with other promotional tools; profiles on sites such as ifreelance.com and guru.com, and lenses like squidoo.com, you’ll have created various areas where other professionals and perspective clients might find you.
In order to make all of this promotion successful, take it upon yourself to visit other blogs and profiles in your field. Leave thoughtful comments. Strike up conversations and, hopefully, make connections. Networking in this way will serve multiple purposes. First, your commentary and discussions on other people’s forums will introduce you to all of their readers. In this way, you’re gaining free publicity, complete with a link back to your own blog or site. If your commentary is thoughtful, it will pique interest for your own writing and promotion. Second, this type of networking will help you make connections with the blog or site host, themselves. This can become a great cyber friendship, or a lucrative business relationship, just like networking in the concrete world. Third, in taking an interest in other posts revolving around your profession, you will learn more, different perspectives, gain leads and tips, or just improve your own knowledge.
Networking on the Internet is an invaluable resource for any business. Years ago, the local Chamber of Commerce was where the business person went to make connections and propel their business. Now that avenue has widened to include the entire world, all from the comfort of your home computer.
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