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Here are a few typical responses I get every time I recommend online networking as a tool to increase the number of newsletter subscribers and clients:
"People with whom I network online are not interested in what I sell. I spend a significant amount of time networking, and have absolutely nothing to show for it. No one from any online forums has ever become a customer."
"I keep posting about my business every chance I get, but have no takers."
"I have spent months participating in discussion forums, but no one asked me about my business, much less buy from me."
It's likely that you are making one of several common mistakes and you need to adjust your strategy if you have been networking online for a while and are not getting results. Are you making any of these mistakes?
If your networking objective is to get clients, you should network in forums and networking communities your potential clients frequent. For example, if you are a business coach, you should network in the communities frequented by your target market (business owners). If you are frequenting a community created around your favorite book, you will have fun discussing the book, but are not likely to generate new coaching clients.
If you are only networking when you need to get clients, you are wasting your time. Networking is not a one-time action; rather, it is a process of having others get to know you and building relationships with them. You need to network continuously to raise your online visibility and develop relationships with others.
Remember the person who said "I keep posting about my business every chance I get, but have no takers." This person is not really networking. Rather, he is selling his products and services instead of building relationships. Networking is about creating awareness for your products, not blatantly advertising them.
While some people try to sell their products more then they should, there are others who don't tell people anything about their business when networking online. Remember, if people you are networking with have no way of learning more about you and what business you are in, they will not be able to do business with you.
How do you let others know about your business? Use a signature at the end of every message you post when networking online. Make sure your signature contains some information about your business and a link to your web site, so that everyone reading your posts can learn more about you and your business.
The best signature to use when you are networking online is to invite people reading your message to subscribe to your newsletter. When they do, you can continue building relationships even if you or they stop networking on the forum altogether.
Are you making any of the above mistakes when you are using social networking web sites? If you are, make changes as soon as possible.
- Stop Wasting Time When Networking Online
- Profitable Social Networking
- How to Network Online to Get Customers