Description: Social Networking Source: own work Author: koreshky Date: 12/10/2007 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)What is Networking?
Isn't the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge mostly about networking? Well, I am certainly qualified to answer that question and the answer is a big YES! When I organized the first Challenge in 2010 it was to celebrate networking and to expand my network.
During that first Challenge I increased my number of followers significantly as did most of those who participated. From the onset the emphasis has always been on networking since that is primarily what blogging is all about.
Networking is all around us in everything we do. We have networks of friends, family members, and common interest groups. We typically will have social networks and business networks. Sometimes our networking systems of involvement will intersect or overlap. In essence, our networks are the groups of individuals with whom we interact by exchanging ideas, information, support, or even contacts with other individuals who are in similar networks.
How is networking vital to marketing and promotions?
Word of mouth is the best promotion you can get. A testimonial from a true believer is more convincing that any paid advertisement. You want to create a cadre of followers, fans, and happy customers who will spread the word about you, your product, or your agenda.
Creating a network is all about relationship building. Many of you who are introverts may find this difficult at first, but it gets easier the more you do it. Join local organizations, attend events concerning things you are interested in, and do whatever it takes to meet the people who can possibly help you directly or who can introduce you to the right people who might eventually be of potential help to you.
Here's a Networking Experiment
I have two blogs entered in the A to Z Challenge that I haven't promoted too much and consequently are under 100 followers. My goal for everyone who enters the A to Z Challenge is to finish with at least 100 followers if they don't have that many yet. This is also my goal for my two under-performing blogs.
Let's try an experiment. If you are not currently following A Faraway View and A Few Words please go to visit those blogs and follow them in order to help me reach the magic 100 followers on both of them. After you have done this, leave a comment on each blog letting me know that you have become a follower and then leave me a link so I can follow your blog if I am not doing so already.
While you're at it go ahead and follow this blog (Tossing It Out), Wrote By Rote, and the Blogging from A to Z Challenge Blog if you aren't following these already. These are my other blogs and I'd love to see the following on these grow more as well.
Then if you want to take this experiment one step further, visit the blogs of each blogger who has left a comment on my blogs and follow their blogs and leave the same kind of notification in their comments that you have left on mine--let them know you are following and leave your link so they can follow your blog.
After a while, if a number of you have done this, we will have created a network--or at least added to the network we have in place. Blogging is a microcosm of the larger networking world that you will encounter when you start marketing and promotions on a serious big time level. Start now and see how it works for you.
More Networking for the letter N:
Nostalgia is the theme of Rosalind Adam's A to Z series at Writing in the Rain. Visit Rosalind's blog and become part of her network and invite her to become part of yours.
