MARKETING ACTUARY

January 12, 2011

ADVENTURES IN NETWORKING WITHOUT EVER MEETING

My adventures in networking started four years ago. I didn't know what to do. I watched self-proclaimed experts and saw lack of genuine caring, little value offered, a big desire for quick payoffs and little follow-up.That approach didn't feel right. My idealism said that networking was about helping others first.

I read books like Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi but they didn't click either. There was an element of my-database-is-bigger-than-yours. What about quality? Some coaches mentioned Rolodexes or PalmPilot organizers. Who uses them anymore? Maybe the content was out-dated too.

A Higher Goal

I wanted to master the art of forging lasting relationships with strangers without the hassle of meeting first. Why not? Arranged marriages take place.

Case Study

I started networking to my standards. That works. Once I became familiar with LinkedIn, I started reaching out to "good" strangers. A year ago, I sent an invitation to master networker, Paul Nazareth. I wasn't sure if he'd agree because his profile sets conditions. This enforced scarcity was intriguing. He soon connected. Victory!

Paul confirmed that reaching out to strangers can work. That was enough, but I got much more once we started meeting. I wanted to aid philanthropic efforts but I didn't know what to do. What I saw others do didn't feel right.

Paul is deeply immersed in the world of giving and frank. That combination gave quick insights that saved me years of fumbling. His introductions instantly opened doors, which also saved years.

I was also able to help Paul too and got the Golden Crab Award.

CONNECTIONS

On LinkedIn, a stranger is more likely to connect if you share high calibre contacts. As your network grows, your connections introduce you some of their connections. That's a virtuous, expanding spiral.

When you reach out to a complete stranger, you're taking a risk. Yet we know risk accompanies rewards. Since networking is about who knows you, a widespread, diverse network of loose connections works best.

Who knows who you'll meet?

YOUR FAVOURITE POSTS OF 2010

Let's start 2011 by looking back to what you read here in 2010.

If you're a new reader, this list is a quick way to sample the type of content you'll find.

The Top 10

The six most influential word groups (from 2008) [was #1 in 2009 too]
Multiple email accounts make life easier (from 2009)
Let's Get Real: Mahan Khalsa brings ORDER to sales chaos
Reciprocity: The first universal principle of influence (from 2007) [was #2]
Rediscover Selling The Invisible by Harry Beckwith (from 2009) [was #9]
The best kept secret for advisor success (from 2009)
Talk > Type: Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10.1
Nicolas Boothman on creating your 10 second commercial (from 2009) [was #10]
Hero or zero? The sad tale of Lenovo and UPS
Lessons from networking with millionaires by Thomas J Stanley (from 2009) [was #4]

Did you notice that six of the posts are from previous years? Half were in the top 10 for 2009 also. The old stuff is still getting read. That's an excellent reason to put content online where search engines can find it.

You might conclude that writing new content has little merit. That's not the conclusion to draw. While there are 181 previous posts, the new ones are still getting read.

More Statistics

If you want to see more statistics, check out your favourite posts of 2010 on Riscario Insider. You may be surprised at the level of detail available. In particular, look at the increase in mobile browsers, especially on Apple devices. Are your sites optimized for the smaller screens?