NETWORKING WAHM

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Networking online by Corrie Petersen

Networking is something a business owner needs to do. It’s really important when you run a business solely on the internet. When you don’t have an actual store for people to come and visit, it is a little different and that’s where networking comes in to play.

Networking online is done differently than it is in a person to person, face to face event. I feel networking online is harder to do. Some people have a harder time feeling comfortable using a person online because they never talk to them over the phone or meet them face to face.

Networking online can be a little tricky. In this article you will learn some tips on how to network online successfully.

To network online you need to join networking groups. One group that I use all the time is Ryze.com. Ryze is free to join or you can pay for more options. Either way will work just fine. Ryze is full of groups that you can join that pertain to your field or business. Joining these groups and making posts is how you network.

The best way to network is to post answers to questions people ask, post your own questions and respond to those that answer, follow the daily posting guidelines and post as often as you can with regards to those guidelines, and if you write articles, post those when they fit in.

When you are a member of a network such as Ryze, you are given a page that is yours to do what you want with. I recommend you add a little about yourself and then get into your business. Make sure you give a clickable website link to your business. You can also add a button or two, but don’t get carried away.

Once you have this page in place, you are ready to visit other pages. At the bottom of each group you are apart of you will see the names of people that have recently joined that group. You can click on those to visit other pages or you can click on posts and visit the page of the people that post replies to those posts. Each page that belongs to a person that is apart of Ryze has a guestbook. One of the best ways to meet new people and find out what they are all about is to stop by and say hi in their guestbook. Do not list your business name or website. People will visit your page if they are interested in checking out what you have to offer. A lot of people will go to your page and sign your guestbook in return. You can also sign the guestbook of those that sign yours first.

When you network in person you get business cards from people. When you network online you don’t have that ability. So you make note of their site and what it is about. When you get to a point where the networking is going strong, you can ask the three questions below.

1.    What type of business do they run
2.    What type of person is an ideal customer or client
3.    How will these people benefit from their service or product

The best way to keep all of this information straight is to either create a spreadsheet or use a rolodex.

Now that you have this information, you are ready to start referring people. You do this the same way as you do in person. You can also watch the posts in the groups you are apart of. If someone is asking for a referral, go to your spreadsheet or rolodex and see if you have met someone that can help them with their need. Either send the information to the person asking directly or if you are telling the person that can help them, tell that person to tell the other person that you referred them. The other option is to tell them both.

If you continue this process on a regular basis, you will meet a lot of great people and you will start to see an increase in referrals from other people. Networking is a great thing to do, so jump in and get started today!

Corrie Petersen runs a successful Virtual Assistant and Advertising business. She also has a free advertising tips newsletter that she creates to help others. Check out her website at http://www.virtualfreedom4you.com.

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