Believe it or not, online marketing is as much about who you meet in person as it is online. In person is where you'll meet the majority of your mentors, business partners and friends. Even in today's digital age, meeting the right people in person is crucial.
How do you get started in networking? How do you meet the right people and make the right impression?
Start With Meetup.com
One great place to meet others is through meetups. There are affiliate marketing meetups, internet marketing meetups, small business meetups and online business meetups all over the world.
If there isn't a meetup in your area, why not start one? If you live near a major city, there will almost certainly be other likeminded people in your area.
Go to Your Industry's Conferences
Another great place to meet potential contacts is in your industry's conferences.
Just about every single niche on the planet has conferences. Simply Google your main keyword plus words like Conference, Workshop, Trade Show, Summit, etc.
In addition, also consider going to internet marketing conferences. These conferences are where you'll meet other experienced marketers who may be willing to share tips and advice to help you become more successful.
Go to Any Event You Can Find
There are all kinds of events all over the place related to internet marketing as well as your specific industry.
In business, there are talks just about every week in most major cities by all kinds of business people. There are dinners, mixers and other networking events.
Have your eyes and ears of. Ask people you run into if they know of other events to meet people.
What to Do At a Networking Event
The key word is this: Connect.
Don't shove your business card in other people's faces. Don't just collect business cards either.
The aim is to actually build a real, genuine connection. A friendship.
People won't share their secrets to success unless they really like you. Get curious about who they are. Get to know them. Let them go to know you. Let them into your world.
Dress professionally. Even if it's a "casual" mixer, you still only get one chance to make a first impression. By dressing sharp, you convey that you're committed to success.
Have something to offer. Especially if you're networking with people who are more successful than you. Instead of just asking for advice, make sure you're offering something as well.
Ask them what they want in their careers and see how you can help them. Remember: No matter how successful someone is, if they're at a networking event that means they're still trying to get to the next level themselves.
Most impotently, keep yourself out there. Keep on meeting people. Business is often not about what you know, but who you know.
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