“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller

People like to network with passionate people. People who are CONFIDENT and know their life’s purpose. Remember networking is about a mutual benefit, so have your A GAME ready!

Yesterday we discussed the importance of networking. Today we will discuss how to network successfully. If done correctly you can have the support of an amazing group of people from different areas of business that can assist you in marketing your book. Some of these people will be your customers and some will provide YOU a product or service. Some of these people you will have an ongoing relationship with, while others you may have a chance encounter. In each of these encounters, make it mean something.

One person can do a little but a team of people can move mountains.

If you remember as I was finishing yesterday’s blog post I received a text message from a friend. She was referring an aspiring writer to me, so I could answer any questions he had about the publishing industry. Well he called last night which leads me to characteristics of good networking:

Call/Email when you say you are. We live in an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ type of world. So ensure that the person remembers you by calling when you say you will. It says so much about your character. It says that you’re passionate but most of all that you are SERIOUS.

Ask the right questions. I loved my conversation with Monte.*waves* Hey Monte!

He asked all the right book marketing questions. But most importantly he LISTENED. Which told me that he really wanted my advice. And then…

Provide value. I will say this again. Networking is a mutually beneficial exchange. So show your VALUE. Are you an excellent writer? Is your niche thrillers? Monte’s niche is short films. And he’s passionate about it and while I’ve read nothing he’s ever written, he showed me he had value by his CONFIDENCE and desire to win.

Okay, okay so you’re wondering how do I find these people to network with?

I’m going to focus on the Internet and social media because where else can you meet over a billion people? Yes a billion.

Envision over a billion people standing behind your computer. Once these people are standing behind your computer you’re able to narrow them down to interests, geographic location, sex, age, etc.

Twitter – Twitter is my favorite. The search feature on Twitter is phenomenal. Try it out! Go ahead, I’ll wait… Put in “author” and see everyone on Twitter discussing it right now.

Wefollow.com Don’t know who to follow on Twitter? WeFollow is a good starting point. You can search for people to follow by profession and location. Want to network with publishing companies? Find them on Wefollow!

Facebook – Facebook if used correctly is another really great tool. Add other authors, publishing companies, and editors. Join groups with similar interests. Once you’ve connected, introduce yourself and provide value to their page by posting meaningful comments.

For those who feel like networking is difficult, I say jump in there – get your feet wet! Networking is an investment in your career. It doesn’t cost you anything but sweat equity (your time). It’s literally making a relationship one person at a time. Meaningful relationships that can advance your career and provide mutual value.

How are you going about networking? Are you using social media? If so, what sites are you currently using to network? How successful has it been? Please share in the comment section below.