When you meet someone in person, do you connect with them online for ongoing networking? Have you threaded together your online community across multiple platforms?
Extending the Networking Relationship
Networking in meatspace is so old fashioned! Who really shows up at local networking events or meets people offline? Uh…. I do!
Really, this proven method of connecting with others can often be more valuable than an endless number of followers on any social platform. That said, it is still incredibly valuable for you to extend that relationship from meeting in person to remaining top of mind in an ongoing manner.
Connect your real-world experiences online to continue building that relationship. Scan their business cards and connect on LinkedIn. Look them up on Google Plus. Use Rapportive in your email system to find them on other platforms.
Then – go about the work of building relationships. Share content that keeps you visible as status updates or even sending useful links privately. Interact on what they’ve posted.
Connecting Across the Web
While many advocate separate networks for separate purposes, or customizing each update for each place, I’m a fan of threading these all together. Usually once or twice per week I post something on each of the networks that I participate in with links to my other online profiles.
On networks where space is short, like Twitter or LinkedIn status updates, I’ll often provide a single link back to the post on Google+. In Facebook pages, I nearly duplicate this request.
Why Would You Want To Connect On Every Network?
I connect with the same people on nearly every network I can find them. I specifically seek out as many ways to connect with people that particularly engage with what I share or those that I have considerable respect for. I may not see what someone shares on Facebook because at that time I’m watching Google+. I make my daily rounds across the web and do watch some things more carefully than others.
Connecting across many networks is ultimately up to each person to determine what works for them. Giving people the easy ability to connect further provides all that they need to take action.
Share the links on your profiles and on your own website. Make it easy for people to follow you where it works best for them.
