Digital Marketing

Yes, that’s right I said “art.” Learning to network online isan art form in itself. If you learn the ropes and do itcorrectly, 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 involvedonating some of your time and energy to help others. You’llbe 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 networkingwarrior.”Here they are:E-Mail: E-mail is an important part of your life as an onlineentrepreneur. You should be answering all of your email within24 to 48 hours to show you’re actually reading it and takingcare of business. Nothing will turn people off faster then yournot 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 bekeeping “your ear to the ground,” and will always be awareof any new trends or competitors in your field. I subscribeto hundreds.Do they take time to read? Yes. Is it time wellspent? Absolutely. Many times I hear about new products/servicesbefore anyone else in my field, which gives me a competitiveedge. Find ezines that are right for you and start subscribingto them today. You’ll find many at:http://www.LifestylesPub.comhttp://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 justread a great article online, why not drop the author a notetelling him or her how much you enjoyed it. It’s always niceto receive a friendly email with a sincere compliment. Who knows,that one email could turn that person into an alliancedown 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 articleor a mention of a website where I know the site owner. I’ll sendhim 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 reallywill appreciate the “heads up” from you. Again, never miss anopportunity 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 listsyou’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 yourselfand you’ll meet and make friends with many other experts alongthe 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.htmlMessage Boards: If you’ve been working the Web for any lengthof 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 resourcewho knows what they’re talking about. If you do a search you’llfind thousands of boards on which to post. It’s up to you todecide which ones are worth your time.Some of my personal favorites are:http://www.ablake.net/forum/http://www.williecrawford.com/cgi-bin/index.cgiYou’ll find a nice list herehttp://www.entrepreneur-web.com/index_1.shtmlAs 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 networkingtools it won’t be long before others turn to you for adviceand guidance, and who knows, you too may wind up becoming one of the “Internet Elite.”