If you are networking online, especially for business, it becomes important not to approach networking as a casual, must-do-since-everyone-is-doing thing. You really want to see networking work for you, don’t you? Don’t let the faceless Internet networking derail your efforts in building a profitable, sound and dependable network of amazing people from all walks of life. Here are some ways you can boost your networking efforts:

Drop by and visit people in your network: We are really spoiled online. If you were a caveman and it was important for you to become the chief of your tribe, you wouldn’t do that with a LinkedIn account, would you? How do you expect to get different results with the same efforts everyone else seems to be taking? I think communication takes place at a different, and at a much deeper level, when two people meet. Find some of your local contacts and pay them all a visit, one –by-one. They will really be surprised and when they drop their jaws, you have your winning scores on the board.

Call and email individuals in your network on special occasionns: Sometimes, you just can’t make personal visits, but you can make calls or send emails. If any of your individual members within your network achieved something, or if it’s someone’s birthday, anniversary, any other occasion that warrants a pat on the back, it’s time for you to make that call or send that email. Calling, when compared to sending an email is even better.

Don’t ever talk about yourself: One of the mistakes most people do when it comes to getting starting in making a relationship work – no matter what kind of relationship it is – is to talk about themselves excessively. If you are about to meet someone, it is best If you make the other person talk as much as possible and you don the role of a great listener. Talking about you incessantly and never letting the other person talk is a disaster waiting to happen. This holds good for online conversations, meeting requests and all other forms of initiation you might do to approach individuals.

Ruben Quinones