"The Art of Networking Online"

Yes, that's right I said "art." Learning to network online is
an art form in itself. If you learn the ropes and do it
correctly, you'll get the word out on your Net business and
"win friends and influence people" all at the same time.

Don't get me wrong -- it's not easy, and it will involve
donating some of your time and energy to help others. You'll
be contributing your knowledge and experience, which in the
long run will make you "shine" and come out looking like an
expert in your field.

There are three main tools you'll need to incorporate into
your daily life in order to become an "online networking
warrior."

Here they are:

E-Mail: E-mail is an important part of your life as an online
entrepreneur. You should be answering all of your email within
24 to 48 hours to show you're actually reading it and taking
care of business. Nothing will turn people off faster then your
not responding to their emails in a timely fashion. Stay on
top of it. No matter what the requests are take the time to
answer each and everyone even if it's just to say "thank you."

Next, you should be subscribed to as many ezines as possible
that cater to your field of expertise. By doing so you'll be
keeping "your ear to the ground," and will always be aware
of any new trends or competitors in your field. I subscribe
to hundreds.Do they take time to read? Yes. Is it time well
spent? Absolutely. Many times I hear about new products/services
before anyone else in my field, which gives me a competitive
edge. Find ezines that are right for you and start subscribing
to them today. You'll find many at:

http://www.LifestylesPub.com
http://www.EzineDirectory.com/
http://www.Ezine-Dir.com/
http://ezine-universe.com/

Another way of utilizing email is to reach out and touch someone.
No, I'm not talking about sending Spam here. Maybe you've just
read a great article online, why not drop the author a note
telling him or her how much you enjoyed it. It's always nice
to receive a friendly email with a sincere compliment. Who
knows,that one email could turn that person into an alliance
down the road who may be willing to do you a favor. He may
even visit your website through your email signature and
eventually become a client. Never miss an opportunity to
"make friends" online and increase your networking circle.

Another tactic I often use comes into play when I see an article
or a mention of a website where I know the site owner. I'll send
him the link so he can take a look with a short note stating
"Hey, did you know you're mentioned here?" You'd be surprised
at the number of people who didn't know their article was being
run or that their website was being discussed and they really
will appreciate the "heads up" from you. Again, never miss an
opportunity to do something nice and get your name out there.

Discussion Lists: Another important area in your networking
efforts. You should know where the best two-way discussions
are taking place and subscribe to a few. With discussion lists
you'll be rubbing elbows with the "Internet Elite." Not only
can you learn a lot by actually contributing to these lists
your comments will be posted live to thousands of eyeballs.
Make sure you use a good signature line when posting.

This tactic will drive the curious to your site and again,
maybe a potential customer later on. Be ready to give sincere
help and show you know your stuff. By doing so, you'll be
establishing yourself as an expert in your field. You may
even obtain some level of "Internet Notoriety" for yourself
and you'll meet and make friends with many other experts along
the way.

Make sure you spend time reading the posts and visiting
any websites that may further your own Internet business. I
honestly believe what you put out comes back to you threefold.
So, if you help someone, eventually it will come back to you.
When you help someone else you're also helping yourself. Again,
join lists related to your field. Some of my favorites can be
found at Adventive's site. http://www.adventive.com/join.html

Message Boards: If you've been working the Web for any length
of time you know what a message board (aka forum) is, and where
the best ones can be found. Again, make it a habit to post to
a few every day with a good sig line. You'd be amazed at the
number of powerful people you can meet through a board. Make
sure you share information, resources, and answer others'
questions when you can.

Before long you'll be known as a helpful reliable resource
who knows what they're talking about. If you do a search you'll
find thousands of boards on which to post. It's up to you to
decide which ones are worth your time.

Some of my personal favorites are:

http://www.ablake.net/forum/
http://www.williecrawford.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi

You'll find a nice list here
http://www.entrepreneur-web.com/index_1.shtml

As you can see networking online means getting involved and
getting your name out there every chance you get. Don't be
afraid to participate. By utilizing these three networking
tools it won't be long before others turn to you for advice
and guidance, and who knows, you too may wind up becoming
one of the "Internet Elite."