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One of the great things about working for yourself is being able to work from anywhere. Chris had business here this week, so I tagged along and he got a few runs in at Park City before the resorts shut down for the season next weekend. Though I'm not a skier, I still love the mountains and had a great time walking through the village and breathing in the fresh mountain air. Network NOW has been on hiatus the last six weeks as I finished up the manuscript for my book and handed it off to my editor Lauren at McGraw-Hill. But don't worry, I've learned so much that I am dying to share with you. Scroll down to this issue's feature article on online networking, and be sure to check out the new posts on my blog. Also, stay tuned for news on a video tip of the week series I'm doing as well as a new podcast show that is launching on the Alive! Business channel. More details soon. To your networking success!
Think conferences, trade shows and conventions are great places to network?
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Still Skeptical About Networking Online? So Was I
In the last few months, however, as I've become more active in online communities as research for my book, I've become a real convert. I've seen the light! Hallelujah! There are a few things that have tipped the scales for me: First is the sheer number of people I can ACCESS. LinkedIn has more than 20 million users, Facebook has 69 million, with more than half of them outside of college. Granted, most of those people, especially on Facebook, will have no relevance for you, but unlike in-person networking, you can easily search for the ones who do. My priority has been to connect with as many people as I can who I already know so we can stay in touch as we move around the world, change jobs and email addresses. LinkedIn makes it really easy to find and connect with former coworkers and classmates. Recently, I was able to recommend one ex-colleague for a job to another ex-colleague who is on a hiring spree for her new division. Crossing my fingers that my friend gets hired! Second is how easy it is to ATTRACT people into my network, a concept I talk a lot about in my book. Friends of friends from all over the world find out about you, read your profile and want to connect with you, all without any work on your part. I updated my status on Facebook one day to say that I just ordered The Flip videocam so I could start a video tip of the week series to market my book. (If you don't know about The Flip, you have to check it out, it's the coolest thing). I usually update my status a few times a day to keep my profile high on my friends' news feeds, but I got so many friend requests from people who were also considering The Flip and interested in hearing about my book, that I just had to leave it up a few days longer! I love this type of subtle networking because you can never come across as pushy or aggressive if others are seeking YOU out. Third is being able to INTERACT with people on my own time. I don't have to set aside a two-hour block for a networking meeting (more like three hours once you include time for commuting and getting dressed...not necessarily in that order). I can hang out at home, or wherever I happen to be working at that moment (right now it's a Starbucks in Salt Lake City), and take a few minutes to add connections, respond to a message, write on someone's wall or check my news feeds to find out what interesting things my friends are doing that I should be a part of. Don't get me wrong. I'm still a fan of in-person networking, especially at big bang events like conferences and multi-day events, but I've been able to find the time to network more online by cutting out smaller events from my schedule. You might find a different mix of activities works better for you, but I do encourage you to spend some of your networking time online. Your first step? If you're not already on Facebook, click here to join now. Once you join, or if you're already a member, add me as a friend to see how my friends and I are using it to expand our networks and market our businesses. In the next issue of Network NOW, I'll give more specific tips about how to network through Facebook effectively. Just remember, as with any form of networking, you have to make a commitment to learn how to maximize your experience. Popping up your online profile and expecting magic to happen is like checking your coat at a networking event. It's only the first step. You need to walk into the room and make an effort. The more you know about what works and how to do it, the more successful you'll be. Stay tuned. Have a question about networking? Email me and I may answer it in a future issue of Network NOW. © 2003-2008 Liz Lynch WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: "Liz Lynch is a business networking expert whose products, programs and seminars help entrepreneurs and professionals get clients, build their businesses, and reach their goals through networking. If you're ready to start networking smarter, get your F R.E*E business networking tips now at www.NetworkingExcellence.com."
SPECIAL LIBRARIES ASSOCIATION - NY Chapter As I gear up for the big launch of my book this Fall, I don't have as much time to speak as I used to, and have had to be very selective about the engagements I accept. When SLA-NY's incoming president Michelle Dollinger asked me to help prepare her members for the group's national conference in Seattle in June, I couldn't say no. I'm a HUGE fan of networking at conferences and have a proven formula for networking confidently in those environments. Can't wait to share my secrets with SLA-NY members! To inquire about our live programs to help your members maximize your national conference, click here to contact us for fees and availability. If you'd like to learn how to maximize your own conference networking experience on a self-study basis, check out our newest audio program Conference Success Secrets.
Center for Networking Excellence, LLC
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Greetings from Salt Lake City, Utah! 
Over the years I've dabbled in online networking but never fully embraced it, as I've always thought of myself as a face-to-face kind of gal. The whole experience seemed alien to me. How can you really get to know someone without sitting down with them in person? How do you know they're not a total psycho? How do you find the right people to network with in the first place? Isn't it all just a lot of hype? 
