span which can end up doing your
class="cap">A s business more harm than good.
modern life gets busier and Here are just a few of them:
work/life balance becomes more of
1. Don't be too blatant
an issue for everyone, the
Online networking is far
Internet has really come into its subtler than its offline
own. We shop online, we chat counterpart. It's just not the
online – and, if you’re a one thing to blaze into a
business owner, there's even the business forum trailing promises
opportunity to network online. of instant riches and dropping
In terms of flexibility, online your URL like a scud missile. The
networking has traditional trick is to try and integrate
networking well and truly beat. yourself into the community,
No longer are business owners offering advice where it's
forced to take time out from required and joining in the
their businesses to fend off the discussion. By positioning
advances of a dozen, yourself as an expert in your
business-card-wielding serial field you'll gain more business
networkers at some military-style in the long-term than blatant
event. Now we can just log on to self promotion. And speaking of
one of the many discussion forums blatant self-promotion…
dedicated to entrepreneur ship
2. Don't spam
and be winning friends and
In terms of Internet
influencing people in the click discussion boards, spamming is
of a mouse.
defined as posting the same
In this respect, online message on more than one board.
networking is truly good news. Just as annoying as the type of
With the freedom offered by the spam which clutters your email
Internet, however, comes a whole inbox every day, this type of
new set of rules, the flouting of behavior is more likely to lose
your business than gain it. can be traced back to you – and
Reset! could be seen by your clients.
3. You only get back what you Stick to the rule of never saying
give
on a discussion board what you
There are some business owners wouldn't say in the boardroom and
who shudder at the very thought this shouldn't be a problem.
of giving their advice or help
5. Don't be rude
for free. These are the business
This one should really go
owners who aren't making much of without saying, but an
a success of online networking. unfortunate side-effect of
The rule is simple: what you get Internet discussion boards is
out of it is roughly proportional that they often make people feel
to what you put in. Show yourself braver than they really are.
willing to offer your expertise Protected by the relative
to those who need it, and you'll anonymity of a screen name, some
be repaid in terms of referrals people will take the opportunity
and more business from the people to show their true colors – even
who see your posts.
when those colors are less than
4. Don’t say anything you flattering. Remember rule number
wouldn't be happy to say in front 4, though: on this kind of forum,
of your client’s
you're never anonymous. If your
Online networking differs from business is identified, then you
"normal" discussion board use in are too. More importantly, your
that it's rarely anonymous. If behavior will be seen as a
you want to make the most of the reflection on your business. When
experience, you'll need to tell you come across people whose
people who you are, and use your opinions and pronouncements anger
URL in your signature. What that you, then, take a deep breath and
means, though, is that anything step away from the keyboard
you say on the discussion board before you end up saying
something you'll regret. Author
6. Use your signature
id="authorbio"
Although blatant promotion is class="membersnoticewhite">For
a big no-no in the world of More Free Resources visit online business networking, you href="http://www.greatindustrialg
still need to promote your uide.com"
business somehow. The place to do title="http://www.greatindustrial
that is in your signature file, guide.com" target="_blank">with a subtle but informative color="#001000"
description of your business, and size="-2">http://www.greatindustr
link to your ialguide.com
website.
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