Making friends online can do a lot for those aspiring to make money on the internet. Not only can friends help you learn about internet marketing related stuff that can help you be more successful and share frustrations but they can also follow you, tell people about you and do some promoting for you as well.
Here are some friend finding and perhaps even more importantly, friend keeping tips:
- Find friends more experienced than you so you can watch and learn
- Find friends less experienced than you so you can pay it forward
- Look for people with common interests as it’ll help your marketing efforts
- Make friends with potential customers
- Reciprocate!
What do I mean by reciprocate?
If you make friends and politely ask people to Digg your great new post or stop by and let you know what they think of your new salesletter or site design, be prepared to return the favour. Stop by and comment on their blog, Stumble their site, tweet their username on Twitter and tell all your followers how fab they are and how much they should be followed! No one likes a selfish internet friend and if you’re guilty of it you’ll eventually get ignored. Online relationsihps need a bit of nurturing just like your offline ones.
About Sean Rasmussen
I have had great success with this form of Integration marketing. The Internet is a fascinating platform and can be well used to connect with some super friends. Thanks for bringing this forward.
Hi Sean,
I agree that friends are invaluable both online and offline. Online they can be so helpful and it can make a big difference to have someone supporting your work.
I just think it’s really important to hold up our end of the bargain. We all need to do our bit to nurture the relationship. Like all friendships, it has to be mutually beneficial and genuine if it’s to last.
I guess as long as we stick to “paying it forward” and delivering a bit more than expected it will work. Nobody wants to be taken for a ride, not online or offline.
Hi Sean
Some excellent points. I hadn’t thought of being friends with more experienced marketers expect the ones I already know. I will scout around a bit. It might even highlight the ones to stay away from.
I am already friends with a few others that maybe I could help along. I am starting to do a bit of this with my fan page.
Hi Sean
Building relationships is one of the most enjoyable parts of life. I know I can’t speak for everyone but anyone in a service or promotional business can not avoid people for too long.
Businesses acquaintances can very quickly become business friends and supporters depending on how much interaction you decide to have with them.
I liken building relationships in business to building one massive networking team where everyone works for the good of all. Trust is the biggest issue in all relationships and needs to be earned. I think reciprocating nice favours is a great way to enhance your relationships.
An excellent article on making online friends and the perks, benefits and things you must do when you enter into these online friendships. Friendships are never one-sided and it is up to you to carry your portion of the load, so to speak.
And I’ve found over the years that online friendships can become just as strong ans sometimes stronger than friendships with the people around you.
Hi Don,
I love how you say friendships are never one sided. You’re right; we do have to contribute something to the relationship. Online friendships are no different to those in the real world. We still have to work at them.
The best thing about online friendships is that it’s easy to work together and help each other succeed. We may have different interests but it’s really easy for me to help you promote your site and vice versa. It would be a lot tougher in the real world.
With online friendships I think we understand people better and there is having the same mindset that draws you together as well,
I have always found it very hard to express myself in person and I am finding it so much easier online.
Rita
Reading your articles in the forum and your comments as well I know you express yourself very well indeed. I just don’t think you realise how well you write.
I agree with this helpful and timely reminder that paying it forward and sharing the love with online friends is greatly important. It’s prompting me to get into my email and hunt around for old friends and work associates and smart people I don’t see anymore everyday to reconnect and expand my circle. Networking is like making friends- you have to work to maintain it but the results are so worth it! Thanks for the reminders of something so critical in business!!
I very much enjoy meeting people and making friends online. I definitely agree about reciprocating. Online friends are the same as your RL friends. Some of my online friends have become very close and dear friends in RL. I met my husband online, playing World of Warcraft. And, yes. Your online friends can also help you with your online business.
A lovely post to read! I have made quite a few freinds online over the past year and it has been a lovely experience. As Rita mentioned, we have the same interests which make sthem special.
find friends online and offline there’s no big differrences. it’s all gaining relationship and how to keep it good