Are You Really Networking?
By Trina L.C. Schiller

Network marketing is all about communication, and building relationships. Is that what you are really doing? How many people do you communicate with personally? I don"t mean with autoresponders, or a mailing list. How many people do you chat with, or exchange dialogue with, on a regular basis? How many people are in your buddy list?

Who are the people that you interact with consistently? Are they business people, friends, family, or acquaintences? Are you participating in forums and using interactive technologies to communicate with new people? Or...

Are you exchanging ads and sales letters with everyone?

Network marketing, networking... Is not about blasting your copy at everyone within your keyboard"s reach. It"s not about joining a group and sending ads to other members in place of a letter of introduction. It is not about filling member inboxes with sales pitches.

If you want to network with me, tell me who you are, not what you"re selling. I prefer to work with people, not products. THAT is what networking is about.

Forums are a place to openly discuss topics of interest between like-minded people. Sadly though, too many people misuse them as an ad board. They join just to sell stuff to people. If I wanted to read ads, I"d surf the classifieds. Forums are a place for networking, not advertising; for joint venturing, not selling.

I spend a lot of time in forums. I don"t always do much posting, but I read. I learn. And I don"t read ads that are posted to them. Recommendations for tools, or information, I always read, but no ads. If it"s starts with a headline, it goes in the trash.

Interactive web sites, such as forums and moderated discussion groups are an awesome networking tool. I"ve met some of my best joint venture partners this way. Participation is the best way to learn what you don"t know, and share what you do know. It is WIN-WIN and it"s FREE!

Proper use of forums and discussion groups is one of the strongest marketing tools at your disposal. When you network with others, you discover ways inwhich you can partner with people, creating new avenues for earning potential. Selling people stuff is short term. Partnering with them is for the long haul, and when done right, far more profitable. It is easier to achieve what it is you want, when you help someone of complimentary interest get where they"d like to be.

So what"s the answer now? Are you really networking?

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