Six Rules for Networking in the Digital Age

1 Productive networking requires consistent attention and actionAlong with the rest of our routine activities we need to allocate regular time and energy to expanding and enhancing our personal networks All of the social networks have mobile apps so we donamp8217t need to be at a desk or a PC to work on LinkedIn Twitter or Facebook Itamp8217s just a matter of figuring out what time works best and committing to doing it on a daily basis2 It39s a two way streetFar too often we ignore inquiries requests etc from others on social media Big mistake No one wants to be perceived as unresponsive to the overtures of others Hitting the amp8220deleteamp8221 button should be reserved only for the really marginal requests while most of the others deserve a few minutes of your time Current estimates say that weamp8217re no more than amp8220six degrees of separationamp8221 online from anyone on the face of the earth So you ignore a request or incoming message at your own peril3 Have a consistent amp8220brandamp8221 across all platformsGiven the fact that most people spend time on multiple social media platforms oneamp8217s amp8220digital imageamp8221 should not be vastly different from place to place If it is then confusion and suspicion come into the picture A solid personal brand is authentic and consistent regardless of where itamp8217s posted It should reflect who that person really is in both their professional and personal lives4 Build your strategy with the end in mindWhat exactly do you want to accomplish by committing to this regular activity How will you know when you have achieved it Is it a realistic expectation Those are some of the questions that should be asked before getting started Itamp8217s similar to how we approach attending a large meeting or convention whom exactly do we want to meet and what do we want to share with them Networking effectively in a digital setting requires the same approach5 It39s more about giving than takingItamp8217s far better to offer pertinent and relevant information than to be constantly asking for the same from others Many people think itamp8217s cool to pose openended questions and then wait for the answers to come in Have the courage to take a stand on specific issues or trends and let people respond to your position instead Thatamp8217s the first step to being perceived as a amp8220thought leaderamp8221 And thought leaders are the most influential people in the networking sphere Regardless of who you are or what you sell thatamp8217s as good as it gets6 Have some fun with itWhile networking is a very serious undertaking itamp8217s also a chance to let your true personality shine through which includes your sense of humor and overall outlook on life Taking a professional yet relaxed approach to networking will also convey a more authentic impression of who you are Being perceived as a phony online is simply unthinkable So keep it positive and relaxed as you build and cultivate your network for ongoing successBuff Parham is a widely recognized thought leader and outstanding coach in the media sales and sales management field With 35 years of sales experience Buff has worked at Univision Fox Belo ABC and CBS He believes that hard work matters and that raising the bar and having greater expectations tend to generate greater results In his spare time Buff finds cooking and playing golf to be two of the best therapies for a somewhat hectic existenceAt DM Training we donamp8217t merely provide training we provide the tools to manage success We provide a comprehensive approach that impacts the entire sales organization We couple strategy with metrics training with reinforcement and training data with key performance indicators Visit wwwdmtrainingnet or contact us to learn moreThe opinions and points of view expressed in this commentary are exclusively the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaBizBloggerscom management or associated bloggers MediaBizBloggers is an open thought leadership platform and readers may share their comments and opinions in response to all commentaries

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Six Rules for Networking in the Digital Age

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