Comments on: Stealth Networking

By: Lori

Lori — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 19:41:16 +0000

Thanks, Laura! I'm glad you see it, too. The best networking doesn't feel like networking. 🙂

By: Laura Townshend

Laura Townshend — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 23:10:19 +0000

"Maybe that's why I had someone tell me recently that networking wasn't my strong suit."

Hmm...I would tend to disagree, from what I know about you. :-)

I also use Twitter to gather information. It's not a sell, it's not about me, it's about learning and sharing. And what a wonderful way to peek into another person's mind! For me, Twitter is about following my target market, fellow writers and equestrians, and friends. I learn what's happening as it happens. I can share what I know with others who are interested.

The upside is this stealth marketing is helping to build my brand...it's a slow go, but it's working. Kinda like riding my horse, good things take patience and time to achieve excellent results.

Win-win-win.

Keep up the stealth networking, Lori. You rock!

By: Lori

Lori — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 13:00:33 +0000

It says you have other ways of charming us, Joseph. :) You comment on blogs, you interact, and you reach out. There's your stealth networking.

Anne, I like Twitter, too. When I started, I thought it would be a huge waste of time. How wrong I was!

By: Anne Wayman

Anne Wayman — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 23:54:02 +0000

Stealth marketing? Cool name for something that you do so elegantly and naturally Lori... and good words of wisdom for all of us.

I love the 140 characters of twitter.

By: Joseph Hayes

Joseph Hayes — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 22:37:51 +0000

You're basically just an open and charming person, Lori, and I don't even know you! But it's why I follow your blog, and one of the few I comment on. I've never cared much for LinkedIn, and I can't tolerate Twitter … so what does that say about me?

By: Lori

Lori — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 21:06:11 +0000

Sarah, isn't it much better? Don't you enjoy meeting people without having to cram some service down their throats? It comes naturally. It may take time, but it happens.

Paula, you know me. I LOATHE the over-promoters. I can't see how turning off at least half your audience with your message can be helpful to your career. But I'm reminded daily on Twitter that there are marketing "gurus" out there who don't get it.

Aw shucks... thanks, Jenn! Coming from you, that's an incredible compliment! I use a similar mix. Facebook is my "free" zone - work-free, fun only. No business unless someone asks directly.

LinkedIn is my semi-regular source. Twitter and blogging are my main sources.

You're part of that generosity, Cathy. You help make this site work. Can we just sing Kumbaya now? LOL

By: Cathy

Cathy — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 19:10:51 +0000

Stealth networking-I love it. Since I am coming late to the party, I mostly will be saying I agree with the comments here. Funny, they took all my ideas. :-)

The staying in contact is a great one. Sometimes I'll do that by sharing an article or post (not mine) so it doesn't seem so marketing-ish. Honestly, I just do it and don't think of it as marketing (even though it has the same effect).

I'm exactly the same way about Facebook. The only reason I signed up was for my business and due to a number of reasons, I have not pursued that end of it and don't know that I ever will (beyond a link to my latest post). For me, it's personal connecting to friends & family.

I have said from day one, I am blown away by the generosity of our freelancing community. It is one of the real perks of what we do.

Feel the love. :-)

By: Jenn Mattern

Jenn Mattern — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 18:58:01 +0000

Wonderful point about finding the right mix for your own networking. You can't use tools effectively when you feel like you have to use everything out there. You don't have to be everywhere. You just have to have a real presence where you do choose to be. For me it's mostly blogs and Twitter. I used LinkedIn occasionally, but not as much as I'd like to. And Facebook is a complete no-go in my book. And that's ok. You could be the exact opposite and still be a successful networker. As for anyone saying it's not your strong suit, I'd say they're nuts. You're one of the most personable colleagues I've met, and it's that ability to keep in touch and build real relationships that makes people stand out in your mind when you're ready to make referrals.

Wonderful post Lori. :)

By: Paula

Paula — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 16:51:57 +0000

WhatLittleThings stole my thunder, and even added a bit more than I was going to say.

I like to keep in touch with editors, publicists, and some extremely helpful past sources with occasional e-mails that aren't about how they can help me. I ask how they're doing, not what they're doing.

That's a big, yet subtle difference likely lost on the heavy-handed self-promoters. I like Lori's "keep it light" approach. I can't speak for anyone else, but I run away from anyone repeatedly using blatant hard-sell tactics - I prefer to seek out true professionals who don't need to spend all of their time trying to impress the world with their success by plastering their URLs and special offers across the blogosphere.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 15:43:27 +0000

I agree with you 100%. Building these kinds of personal relationships is so rewarding and fun anyway. I love to learn from other people and listen to their stories and experiences.