HOW TECHNOLOGY AFFECTS

EVEN THE GREAT NETWORKERS 

By Cyndi Maxey, CSP

Networking is not a matter of how many people you know, but of how many people know YOU. The great networkers know this. They know that a network is never a finished product; it is always dynamic - a continual creation of communication links.

So, what's new?

It's 2001 and technology has changed the process of how we create the links. Anyone who has experienced the phenomenon of no returned phone calls has heard the wake-up call. The Internet, e-mail, teleconferencing, cellular phones, pagers and a myriad of other types of telecommunications affect the way even great networkers need to network. Let's look at how attending a meeting of a professional association has changed.

THE OLD WAY

In the past, a great networker attended a meeting, followed up with "nice to meet you" phone calls, met selected contacts for lunch, brainstormed mutual benefits at lunch, and checked in with a phone call or post card at the appropriate time - one, three, or six months later.

THE NEW WAY

Today when an association meeting nears, a great networker sends e-mail invitations in advance to several selected contacts, citing the association's web site in the e-mail in case they want to research it first. Then the networker confirms the date with interested contacts via e-mail, meets contacts at the meeting and introduces them to others. The great networker finds common interests over dinner, exchanges cards complete with Internet addresses and pinpoints very specific information that needs to be mailed. Early the next morning, the networker e-mails "nice to meet you's", reads referred web sites and e-mails comments and prints out web information for follow up. The telephone has never rung.

That's just the beginning. To continue the process, the great networker knows that a web site can be a networking hub. New acquaintances can be referred to certain pages and asked for their comments. People can be contacted monthly via e-mail about new web articles. The web is all about building relationships.

In a technological world, it's important to remember that the antithesis of high-tech, such as a manuscript note, will also catch a busy person's attention. For example, hand-written postcards are back in vogue; they're a great way to stay in touch because they don't take a lot of time to write or read. People have to read a post card because the message is so easily accessible; all they have to do is turn it over!

Variety is the spice of life. People have different preferences for how they like to be contacted. It's important to experiment and discover. Newspaper columnist Myrtie Barker once said, "The idea of strictly minding our own business is moldy rubbish. Who could be so selfish?" A great networker is never selfish, and the way he or she uses technology will demonstrate a commitment to organized relationship building.

Cyndi Maxey is an expert in speaking and listening and author of Training from the Heart (ASTD, November 2000.)

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