A Meaningful Following

Understanding who you are trying to reach is often more important than the number of people.  Consider the difference between talking to the CEO of American Express compared than 6 representatives on the phone.  The CEO could probably make one phone call and your problem would be resolved, “And who’s up for a round of golf afterwards?  I’m on the list over at Pebble Beach…”

The biggest secret of the rich is networking, how they leverage their connections.  We all do this to some extent, an uncle with allotments of wine from a great vineyard or a buddy who has season tickets to a major sports franchise.  So often I see people hamstring themselves by not taking a chance and asking someone to grab a bite to eat, or come out for drinks.

Simple common sense dictates:

• The most important people to connect with are those that other people follow.
• The easiest way to make a connection is through a point of common interest.
• Avoid people who are unreliable or who are only motivated by self interest

Networking is about recognizing the intrinsic value of forging relationships, which is why many of the best bloggers recommend writing guest blog posts.  This is a win-win, since they get great content and you get recognition and (hopefully) an increase in traffic.

Keep in mind here, I’m learning as I go – feel free to share any tips you might have with me!

Popularity: 5% [?]