Practical tips for business-oriented online networking09 August 2005
Traditionally, business networking has taken place face-to-face, at events such as those set up by local Chambers of Commerce or business clubs. But a growing number of businesspeople are turning to online networks to make contacts.
Business-oriented online networks enable you to locate relevant contacts and services in your field by posting your business card or contact details online. The idea is that members can pull up a list of contacts and see everyone they're connected to, and their connections, in an ever-expanding network.
Getting started
- Most business networks just require you to submit your e-mail address, name and business details. The majority offer a security feature so that you don't get unwanted contacts. You can use the network to do things like browse other members' details, join networks in your sector and send messages.
- The best-known business-oriented online networks are Linkedin and Ryze. Both offer a basic membership package that's free of charge to join. Monster.com also offers business networking.
- The Ecademy and the the Women's Business Network are good examples of traditional networking services which also operate online contact exchanges.
- Referral networks such as the Business Referral Exchange and Business Network International can also be effective ways of making contacts. These organisations operate on a local level, with different 'chapters' available to join. They work on the premise of only allowing one person from each trade or sector to join a particular local chapter.
Tips for effective online networking
- Not all online networks are really proactive about sending reminders out to members, so you'll need to ensure you remember to revisit the site regularly to get the best out of it.
- If your contact details change, don't forget to update your personal profile listed in the networks you have joined.
Aside from joining these networks, there are other ways you can maximise your networking time online. Here are some tips:
- Join an e-mail discussion list. These allow you to interact with other businesses in your sector, but are different from newsgroups in that the discussion is held by e-mail. Some groups may be moderated to ensure the group sticks to a certain topic, or may be restricted to a particular sector. This interesting article explains how to find discussion lists online.
- Once you've built up contacts, start your own e-mail discussion list. If the topics discussed are relevant and interesting it may encourage your contacts to recommend your discussion list to others. Free programmes such as Yahoo! Groups and Coollist can be used to help you start and promote an e-mail list.
- Build an online community of your contacts. You can do this through the development of a blog or a forum on your website. This useful article examines ways of creating an online community.
- UK Business Clubs is a useful site which lists over 850 business clubs in England, Scotland and Wales, many of which have online presences. Your trade association will also know of online networks in your specific sector.
