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Monday, we started a discussion about online networking. I wanted to add to that discussion and talk a bit about the etiquette of online networking.

I’ve been networking online since 1999 - I’ve seen lots of great “do’s” and lots of flaming “don’ts.”

Let’s start with a big huge DON’T. Do not join an online discussion group and only post an ad about your business. This is not only rude - it’s down-right offensive. It’s the equivalent of walking up to someone in the grocery store, and unexpectedly launching into a sales pitch - YUCK!

Lot’s of discussion group owners consider such behavior spamming - and it could get you kicked right out of the group. Not only that - but it’s going to be completely ineffective in building your business.

Don’t join groups with the sole intention of promoting your business. Yes, part of online networking is to, of course, meet people and ultimately grow your business. But - if you join groups just for the purpose of promoting yourself, you are tainting the energy with that awful fear/lack mentality - and no matter what action you take, it’s not going to do anything to help you grow your business.

Ok - enough of that… let’s talk about what to DO.

First, find groups that you really do want to be part of the synergy and energy of the group. Look for groups where your niche is hanging out, and that will be discussing things of interest to you - groups where you can truly contribute valuable information to the community.

Get to know the feel of the group. Peruse the group message archives and see what the recent discussions have been about. This will give you an idea of how many members are truly active in the group, what the group facilitator is like, and what the energy of the group is all about.

Introduce yourself within a few days of joining the group. Don’t be shy - they won’t bite People want to get to know you - that’s why they join groups like this. People want that connection, they want to meet new people, and share a connection. Introducing yourself is a great way to open the door.

Contribute to the conversations. When someone asks a question that you can answer - go ahead and answer it. Provide support and insight, and truly connect with people. Even start your own discussions! If you have a question, or want information about something - go ahead and speak up.

Use an e-mail signature. First - check the rules of the group to see if there are any special rules about using e-mail signatures. Then, create an e-mail signature that includes a link to your web site. This way, when you participate in conversations, people can get to know more about you if they feel a connection with you.

If ads are allowed definitely take the opportunity to promote your business - but - only after you’ve contributed regularly to the other conversations (see the first Don’t above for more info…).

And, the biggest DO of all - follow the group rules to the letter! The rules are usually clearly posted somewhere - or may even be sent to you when you join a group. Read them carefully and follow them when posting and participating in the group. The rules are there to keep everything running smoothly. As a group owner myself - I can attest to that!

If you want to get your feet wet in a really friendly online discussion group - come join us at the Thriving Healing Business Group! It’s a friendly group of like-minded healers, alternative therapists, spiritual teachers, and just down-right wonderful people!

What questions would you like answered about online discussion groups? Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of joining groups? Not sure where to begin?

Post your questions here! Lots of fantastic, supportive people hang out here and we’re all happy to help!

Have a tip for people just starting out with online discussion groups? We’d love to hear it!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 20th, 2008 at 4:28 pm and is filed under Marketing, Networking. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.