Examples of lazy networking — looking for easy. I’m all for asking other writers how they network, but the laziness occurs when one assumes that the copy-and-paste method of networking works as well as working at building quality contacts. When someone asks “How do you use Twitter/LinkedIn/Facebook to build your network?” and then just parrots what you do, how is that getting a quality connection? It’s not. And chances are there isn’t any follow-up or any preliminary research to see if it’s a person one would want to be connected with.

Oh, I hate that, Paula! I’ve had instances when I downloaded a free white paper and before I can finish the download, my phone is ringing with one of their smarmy sales people.

I marvel at all the means of communicating and yet, we still struggle with it, Anne. 😉

A writer’s newsletter mentioned a valuable tool on some big shot marketer’s website. Curious, I clicked the link. Before I could read anything a pop-up asked for my contact info. That was off-putting enough, but the info mentioned in the newsletter sounded worth it, especially since the pop-up said they won’t share your email address.

Skimmed the info. It was interesting enough to bookmark the page, but not to read right then. Within seconds there was an auto response trying to sell me something, with a discount, of course. Okay, I get it. To some marketers think offering a discount is a way of saying thank you, even if I see it as pressure to buy.

I anticipated monthly or maybe weekly updates from this place. But I got one every day or two. After three of them I unsubscribed. Thankfully it was one of the unsubscribe forms that lets you explain why you’re unsubscribing. “Too many messages” was what I chose.

The experience was so annoying that I can’t even recall what the subject was that made me check the website out in the first place.

Bad marketing. Worse networking.