Your Social Network is a Powerful Marketing Tool

Now more than ever “who you know” is as important as “what you know”. Small businesses can realize huge results by leveraging the power of the owner’s social network. Most people don’t realize how many people they are actually connected to and how valuable those connections can be. Here are some thoughts on leveraging your social network for success as a small business.

Let your friends know you are open for business. Many small businesses owners miss out on opportunities because they don’t want to “impose upon their friends” and ask them to patronize their business. While I agree that doing business with friends can sometimes be a little sensitive, you probably have a large network of friends and “friends of friends” who could potentially be using your services and telling others how great you are. Think of it this way: You are providing great value. You have put your heart and soul into your business. You are proud of what you do. Your friends deserve to benefit from all of those things. Let them know what you do and how you can help them.

Ask for referrals. People need to know how valuable referrals are to your business. My doctor, dentist, accountant and real estate agent all came to me through referrals. Let everyone know that your business grows because people endorse your services.

Hand out business cards. Don’t be afraid to give out your business card to anyone and everyone. That’s why you have them. Your business contact information should not be a secret. Give your cards to friends and acquaintance. When you do, say something like “give me a call if there is ever something I can help you with”. This makes a personal connection and people are more likely to remember you.

Get on the Internet. If you don’t have a web site (or if your web site stinks) you are missing out on an opportunity. Many people will want to “check you out” before they do business with you. Give them the opportunity to do so. Develop a site with some good information on your business and the services you provide. This will enhance your credibility and it will also reinforce your brand in the minds of potential customers.

Friendships are valuable. The people you know should be your greatest asset as you develop your business. Give them every opportunity to help you. As long as you are providing great value, don’t be afraid to leverage your social network for the benefits it can provide.

David Lorenzo has more than 20 years of business experience as a successful corporate executive, entrepreneur, strategist, author, and speaker. He has worked with and mentored some of the world’s most successful businesspeople while helping lead many large organizations to unprecedented success. His latest book is titled: Career Intensity: Business Strategy for Workplace Warriors and Entrepreneurs.

Mr. Lorenzo’s experience in starting new business enterprises and repositioning under-performing business units, along with his ability to implement innovative performance improvement solutions, makes him one of today’s most sought-after trusted advisors.

Mr. Lorenzo is a participant in the Wharton Fellows Program at the University of Pennsylvania, a management think tank that meets regularly to analyze and address timely business issues. He received his MBA from the Lubin School of Business at Pace University, and he received a Masters of Science in Strategic Communications from Columbia University in New York City.

Dave’s blog is http://www.careerintensity.com/blog.

Groups Assist the ‘Make Money Online’ Syndrome

William Shakespeare once wrote; “The world is a stage on which everyone is a player” … and in Network Marketing, each player must play his/her part. To make money on the internet, working from home, you need to find the players that play their parts.

Making money online is much easier when everyone is part of the performance…

Groups play a large part in forming such an association. A Yahoo group is easy to form and allows communication to flow freely amongst the members. Keeping everyone informed of latest developments and ideas, is easily done through groups.

To truely realise the “make money at home” principle, you have to communicate and allow people to interact with each other. Team players are known to be more likely to make money online, than their individual opposites. Many minds are greater than one.

Groups are a think tank of ideas that can transform an individuals personal performance by injecting new ideas and methods into their flagging marketing strategies. To make money online, you sometimes need the sort of push that a Group can give you.

While some groups live a short life, many have been around for over 6 years or more and still give that sort of unconditional support that a new person needs, to make money on the internet. Failure rates are lower when a group is active and being led by motivational methods. The Group structure produces loyalty and belief to many people.

Anyone who is serious about learning how to make money online, should ask if there is a support group available within the business and then check it out, to see how active the group is, by looking at the mailing figures. Most groups record the number of posts made in any particular month. 78 or more would indicate some moderate activity.

Belonging to a number of groups is also a great way of relationship marketing. Joining groups that are aligned to your own personal interests, often foster a great number of business associates. Those are the sort people who are most likely to play their part.

Always remember that to make money on the internet, you have to socialise and be online on a consistent basis. Plugging people into an online group will also help you in your quest to make money online.

Michael A Fowler, M.B.A. is the editor of the Internet’s premier work at home resource: Work from Home Journal.

An Online Trainer, Mentor and Coach, Michael has been helping people to succeed online since 1998.

http://www.the-mba-way.com | Goldcard43@aol.com

Lesson 69 - When Networking Events Fail

The Story

In a quest to create strategic alliances, coalitions, and partnerships, we don’t usually allow ourselves to imagine our efforts failing. We don’t imagine faltering at building relationships with people, since working with others comes naturally to most people.

It’s even harder to imagine that people would decline to help us with our work after they’ve gotten to know our reputations. It is unthinkable to consider that after doing all the right things, attending the right events, having a polished image, keeping lines of communications open, and establishing proper business rapport, that business ventures set up through network could fail.

We don’t typically invest our time, effort, and money in attending events that in some way are not mutually beneficial. For example, frequently benefactors donate large sums of money to their favor charity for several reasons. First, because they support the work the organization is accomplishing, and second, to increase their reputation and prominence in the business community through establishing and advancing their niche in the market place through public relations. Monetary donations also provide tax credit to the donor’s organization. So given all that we do to be successful in establishing networks to make our work and events successful, how do we handle networking efforts that fail?

A while ago I began attending an organization called the “Love Corporation’s” yearly fundraising event. The first year a friend invited me to accompany her. Each year after that I began attended the event on my own. By the fourth year of participating, I had pretty much gotten to know certain people and these certain people knew me. Many of the relationships I found through this event blossomed into more permanent friendships, with people whom I would communicate with on a weekly basis.

During the fourth year an incident occurred. I asked a certain NBC Washington news anchor if I could interview him for my second book. He agreed, and we had the interview on the spot. Up to that point when we saw each other we would have great conversations. So, when Barbershop Talk was released I sent him a complementary copy. With that complimentary copy, I wrote up an idea for a news story and hoped that he would include my book and me in the story.

It is difficult to admit that through this incident I realized that for four years I read our relationship wrong. He liked my story idea and subsequently aired a story using my idea and suggested topic. However, he didn’t include my new book or me, and gave me no credit for the idea! I sat angrily in front of the television and watched him interview other people using my idea without getting any credit as the person to whom the idea was attributed.

My years of networking with him at this yearly event failed. It failed for one reason, because I assumed that he was honorable and would help those who helped him. I was so wrong. Another reason the relationship failed was because I didn’t know his work ethic well enough before trusting him with an idea. We never can exactly know what goes on behind the scenes of a news programming business, and journalism, like other professionals, are not always straight and honest.

Maureen Dowd described the way I felt through defining the Woodard-Darman Law that, “A friendship between a reporter and source lasts only until it is profitable for one to betray the other.”

The Lesson

What is the best way to handle failed networking events or situations? The best thing to do is evaluate and learn from what happened, why it happened, and how to prevent it from happening again. Though one cannot predict what will happen in every situation, predicting consequences of certain situations comes easier with age and experience. Analyzing all the factors that lead to the specific outcome you desire will allow you to be prepared when the outcomes unfolds. So in retrospect, I was betrayed but in the long run given material to reflect on through which to teach others.

Melvin Murphy is a Consummate Speaker, Noted Author & Certified Seminar Leader. His latest book is title, It’s Who You Know! Creating Alliances and Partnerships through Networking. Contact him at: MMurphy833@aol.com

Conversation 101: Four Tips to Get Started

Not sure what to talk about at your next networking meeting or cocktail party? The key to easy conversation is getting curious about other people. When you see someone you want to talk to, get curious about who that person is, what s/he likes, who you know in common, what brings the person to the event, etc. Allowing your inquisitive mind to blossom will improve your conversational skills dramatically.

Below, you’ll find tips on easy ways to initiate a conversation, keep it going, and exit with grace.

1) Breaking the Ice
If you are on the shy side or feel unsure about what to say, use this simple method to strike up a conversation. Ask a person who looks friendly a question about your shared environment – the party, place, group, or even the food. Questions like:

“It’s been nice talking with you. I see an old friend over there and I’m going to say hello.”

If you got yourself into a conversation, you can get yourself out. Don’t be concerned if the other person will feel rejected. Stay upbeat and light-hearted and that’s how other people will react to you. Worry about hurting someone’s feeling is probably the most likely way to make that a reality. Just assume everyone will be fine and move along when you’re ready.

Now that you’re armed and ready for conversation, get out there and get started. Chat it up, practice everyday, and have fun! Conversation is a great way to connect with new contacts, make new friends, and expand your world. Enjoy!

Visit
http://www.SuccessExpressCoaching.com for powerful insights to build confidence, become bolder, and brag without being obnoxious. You only get one chance to make a good impression. Discover how to effectively rev-up your personal presentation and tastefully self-promote. Get noticed, get promoted, get new clients, and get what you want and deserve in your career and personal life as well.

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You have to ask for referrals if you want them

You run a small flower shop and a customer asked for a floral arrangement with a type of flower that you don’t carry. She’s visibly upset because none of the other local flower shops are even able to get this rare type of flower and you were her last hope. So you tell her that you’ll make some phone calls and see what you can do, but it might take a few days. As chance would have it, you were able to find a company to deliver it overnight! She is elated, places the order, tips you generously and leaves your shop.

You find out a few weeks later that this same customer recently referred her sister to one of your competitors with a very large order. Any idea what you did wrong? You didn’t ask her for referrals but your competitor probably did. People are generally willing to help you if you ask them, the problem is that most people forget or are afraid to ask. Make it a point to provide outstanding service and ask your customers to send their family and friends to you and your sales will sky rocket.

Jeremy L. Knauff is the founder & CEO of Wildfire Marketing Group, a full service Marketing Firm specializing in helping small companies compete with larger companies.

Making Networking Work

Many smart business people have become very educated with the networking process. They have a great elevator speech, know how to choose events carefully and how to work a room. But the important work really begins when the networker gets back to the office. Real results come from follow-up. When determining how much time to allot for a networking event, be sure to include the time you’ll spend on follow-up.

Back at the Office

• Have you scheduled office time to send notes or other information you promised to share with new contacts?
• Have you scheduled time to enter new contacts into your database?
• Do you have a contact management system so you can follow up with prospects?
• Do you have a process for staying in touch with those people after the initial follow-up?
• Regarding useful information the speaker or contact may have shared, have you scheduled time to digest what you learned and execute the ideas?

If you answered “no” to one or more of these questions, what you attended was likely a purely social event, not a networking event. And that’s OK, but you really can’t count that as productive work time.

Networking managed properly can provide opportunities to build relationships which can result in business opportunities, valuable resources, and significant personal connections. Before you commit to your next event, ask yourself the questions that appear here and make networking a productive marketing tool for you and your business.

Mary Kutheis (kooth-ice) works with individuals, organizations, and businesses who want to be better organized in the workplace so they can be more focused, productive, and profitable. Through seminars and one-on-one work, Mary delivers real-life solutions to people who are buried in paper and e-mail and overwhelmed by “to do” lists. Visit http://openspaces4me.com/ for free tips, articles and other workplace productivity resources.

Network Marketing - Using Ryze.com to its Full Potential

Ryze.com is one of many networking sites which can be found on the internet. It happens to be my favorite, though I do use a few others on occasion.

The first thing you need to do after joining ryze.com is to make sure your guestbook is configured to be open to the public. This is important as, in my experience, guestbooks are the most common form of communication between individuals on ryze.

It is also important to upload a picture of yourself to your ryze page. People like to know as much as possible about the people they are networking with. The more open about yourself you are with others, the more open they will be with you.

When creating your ryze homepage it is important that you try not to sound like a commercia. Ryze is a place to get to know people, not what they are trying to sell. Your personal information should come first. Try to include a little about your family and your life, especially if it pertains in someway to the products/services you are offering! Make a connection yourself and your potential clients will be more likely to find a connection on their own! After your personal information you should put a short description of your business. How you got started, the types of products/services you offer, etc. Try not to make it sound like you are looking for sales, instead you should just be sharing your information with the world.

This is also a good time to add a sign up box/link to your mailing list!

After you have completed your ryze page, it is time to start networking! Log into Ryze.com and at the top of the page, click on the tab where it says “networks”. In the search box type in any topic you have an interest in and hit “go”. There is a good chance you should find a few networks you are interested in just by searching for terms. If you have no luck finding a network this way, simply scroll down, towards the bottom of the page there is a list of random networks. Refresh the page until you find some you are interested in.

After you have joined a couple networks comes the fun part, the actual networking! Visit each of your network pages and post an introduction on the message boards. Look at some of the previous posts and reply to them. After you have made a few posts on each network it is time to start visiting other member pages!

At the bottom of each ryze network page is a link that says “go to a random member’s home page” click this, read the members page and post a message in the guestbook at the bottom of their page. It’s as simple as that! After you have posted your message, repeat on another page! Once you post a message in someone’s guestbook, 99% of the time they will return the favor by visiting your page and signing yours.

Do this once or twice a week and you should start to see results in no time!

(NOTE: I am in no way affiliated with http://ryze.com. This article has been written from my own experience and expresses my own personal opinions. I am being compensated in no way for the writing or publication of this article.)

Jessica Tracy is a Married WAHM of 2, and an Independent Distributor for 4 direct sales companies, and can be contacted through her website http://enchanted-scents.com or on Ryze.com at http://ryze.com/go/jessicasenchantedscents Jessica is also the owner of http://marketplacemamas.com, a resource site for work at home moms.

This article may be reprinted so long as the Author Bio is attached

How to Create a Great Mentoring Relationship

Everyone who is passionate about being a business owner or moving up needs and wants a mentor. Maybe there is someone you know or you just know of who can help you to take your life to the next level. How can you get that person to happily share their wisdom with you to help you get on the right path? How can you rise above the rest so that person wants to give you extra help?

I’ve been a mentor to certain people for years, but never more intensively than in the last four years as a marketing trainer and coach and now as a published author of my book, “Testosterone-Free Marketing.” This article will help you to know how to approach a mentor in a way that will make that person more positively pre-disposed to helping you succeed. Read these tips and go find your mentor.

• Take an interest in the person as a human being. I have an Internet mentor who makes millions of dollars a year. After I ask a question I always ask him about what’s going on in his life, share a joke or tell him something funny that’s happened to me. For example yesterday I wrote him and after asking a question I typed, “Tomorrow I’m speaking in a seminar, so right now I’m sitting in my hotel room catching up on emails with hair dye on top of my head.” He wrote back that he laughed so hard he almost fell off his chair. You don’t have to tell your whole life story, but make yourself real and make it light and fun.

• Don’t say, “I’d like to pick your brain.” My brain “done been picked dry” and I start feeling bored when I hear those words. I know the time I spend with that person will be an interrogation. Instead say something like, “I would genuinely value your opinion.” It’s gentler and I get the sense that it will be a more pleasant conversation rather than an interrogation with harsh lights shining down.

• Don’t try to monopolize a lot of your mentors time at first. Connect in a way that’s quick and easy. Don’t invite them to a dinner that will be a two hour time commitment. If you’re at a seminar they probably have meetings scheduled. If it’s at home, they probably want some “down-time.” Offer to drive them to the airport or share a cab. Ask what they like in their coffee or tea and get 15 quality minutes. That may be all you need.

• Be clear about what you’re doing and what you need. There is so much “mucky thinking” in the world. I’m amazed people feel they have to write five pages to express one idea. That means you don’t really know what you’re talking about. Develop a clear “elevator speech” and mission statement. Think about one or two specific questions you need answered and consider your words and how to ask those questions clearly.

• Listen, listen, listen to what they say. Don’t think about all the reasons why you can’t. That’s part of the reason why you’re not there yet. Say, “I’m dealing with yada, yada, yada – how would you suggest overcoming those obstacles?”

• Don’t say, “I’m looking for a mentor.” It’s easy to deflect a statement like this and not make a commitment with a smile. Instead say, “Would it be okay with you if we connected by email or on the phone once in awhile to get your opinion.” It would be hard to say “no” to a simple request like that.

• Thank the person for their time. Tell them what you’re going to do and then when you take action, be sure to let them know what you’re doing. Always, always, always tell them when you take an action step.

• Reciprocate once in awhile. If you see a great article you think they would enjoy – send it with a quick note. If you have a trade or a skill and can offer to help them out in some way – offer it. Don’t say, “How can I help you?” Then they have to figure it out. Say, “I’m really very good at _____. If you ever need _____ give me a call, I’ll be more than happy to help out any way I can.” Even if they never take you up on it, they will appreciate that you offered.

• Learn to make the link between cause and effect. Don’t put your mentor in a position where he/she has to figure it all out for you. You’re not a baby. A mentor is not supposed to take you by the hand every step of the way. They point you in the right direction and you take it from there. Look in the dictionary under “mentor.” It’s all about giving you some guidance as you’re on your way. Your job is to make the link between what you are told and how you apply it to your life. A coach is someone you pay for to take you by the hand and hold you accountable.

With over two decades successful experience in sales, advertising, public relations, market research and planning, Denise Michaels has worked with top authors and seminar leaders. Author of “Testosterone-Free Marketing” you can discover more about Denise online at http://www.MarketingForHer.com Or, email her at: smartprotege@msn.com

Win-Win in Networking (The Networking Factor)

When it comes to networking, there is a common statement about “Win-win situations!” What is win-win when it comes to effective networking? Believe it or not… it’s about giving. Really, it’s no more or any less.

If in fact, I am looking forward to meeting you, and helping you win is what I’d like to do then it goes without saying, “That it is better to give than to receive.”

However, it is important to understand that when we help others win; we ourselves will win by default because you can not give without receiving. It’s a universal law. “The more you give, the more you will receive.” Let your satisfaction come from knowing that you can only give from a place of plenty. Those of us that feel limited or feel as if though we are limited on resources we will not and can not give freely.

It is such a wonderful opportunity to give information, resources, and access to others to help them win at this game of life, and this game of business. By the way, do not underestimate the gift of your presence or the gift of your smile.

We will not always receive from the same person or people that we help, but others will be lined up to assist us and to give back to us as well. It is important to remember that as trite as it sounds, “Nothing can be accomplished without the help of other people!”

I’d like to submit to you that you change or rid yourself of the expectancy of “win-win” but remember that real success comes from people helping people. Sure we can call these people mentors, angels, coaches or counselors… but nothing happens nor will anything happen significantly until we make up our minds to support others. Networking, effective networking is about people helping people help people not because of what they do but because of who they are… we are all people!

As you network effectively remember, the concept of banking, “One must make deposits before making a withdrawal!” Of course, the more deposits you make into the lives of others, the more withdrawals can be made by you when you need the help of others, and you will need the help of others if not now, you will need the help of others in the near future! The only way to make sure of having sufficient resources is to give, give, and give some more!

By Janice Smallwood-McKenzie, The Networking Coach
URL http://www.101NetworkingCommandments.com
Ms. Smallwood-McKenzie is a Networking Coach in Los Angeles and she helps small businesses and professionals to expand their political, business, and social bases. She is the Author of “The 101 Commandments of Networking: Common Sense But Not Common Practice.” Enjoy Free Preview compliments of http://www.101NetworkingCommandments.com or visit Amazon.com to read Customer Reviews of this guide. This networking guide is available wherever fine books are sold. Janice’s e-mail address is ConfirmedCoach@netscape.net

How to Use LinkedIn to Build Your Business

1) When you have significant news in your business - for instance, a big product launch or a joint venture - use LinkedIn to notify your contacts by way of a profile update. And in your accompanying email message to the network, say “I would love to catch up with you - want to make time for a phone call?” It’s that keeping-up process that sparks conversations about opportunities both for you and your contacts. It’s in these conversations (which could be done by email, although probably not as well) that ideas will arise about prospective clients, partnerships, and other revenue-generating projects.

2) Use LinkedIn to understand the relationships between people you know and people you want to know. For me, this is the heart of LinkedIn’s value - the ability to see at a glance how people you don’t know, but would like to, are connected to people who are closer to you. So when you find Mr. Lofty Dude in the LI network and realize that he used to work with your former admin assistant - a data point you almost certainly wouldn’t have acquired on your own - you can reach out to the admin and get, not only an introduction, but some intelligence about Mr. Dude’s current dealings, needs, and hot buttons.

3) Connect, by all means, with your former colleagues from every company that has ever employed you. There is something about old-workmate ties (unless you, er, aren’t the sort that former teammates think of fondly) that can’t be duplicated in most relationships of shorter duration. Seek out these old workmates, tell them what you’re up to and who you’re most interested in meeting, and offer to help them out as well. One good lead would be worth the price of LI membership - oh wait, it’s free - or anyway worth the price of your time doing LI searching and connecting.

4) Let’s say that you would dearly like to work with General Motors, but you can’t find anyone at GM who seems especially suitable for contact as you search the LinkedIn database. No problem. Find a current GM vendor or customer in the functional area you’re interested in, and reach out to him or her. Is there something of value that you could offer in exchange for the introduction you want? In an ideal world, your sterling qualities and dazzling personality should convince this new acquaintance that introducing her client to you is something of value all by itself. But don’t bank on that. Offer to extend an invitation of your own, or design his or her new database, or something.

5) Use the LI database to understand more about your prospects. This is the beauty of LI - what other source will tell you where many or all of the senior execs of your prospect organizations used to work (given that only half a dozen of them have profiles on the company’s website)? Let’s say that you want to do some work for ABC Company. And lo and behold, half the ABC execs worked for PayPal back in the day and the other half worked for FedEx. Great intelligence! You see that they have a strong Notre Dame alum thing going on, and some connection to Stanford as well. Now you can use your FedEx and PayPal alum contacts, your Notre Dame folks and your Stanford fellows to help you get ‘over the wall.’

6) You wouldn’t email a complete stranger, even if you obtained his business card (say, by stealing the win-a-free-lunch goldfish bowl of business cards at P.F. Chang’s) to say “Hey, why not buy some stuff from me?” So please don’t reach out to new LI contacts by saying “Maybe you could help me make a new-business contact.” I wouldn’t recommend that. Instead, read this intended contact’s profile. Let’s say you are reaching out to me, who runs an online community. Two seconds of reading my profile would give you some ideas of things that might interest me. I guarantee that a typical working person could offer me something I’d be interested in. So, when you make your LI outreach, mention that thing that you could offer! Write “I would love to connect by phone, both because I’m interested in your relationship with [my most-desirable prospect company] and because I have great friends in the social networking community whom you should know.” Bingo.

7) Many people in the business community, especially avid networkers, have numerous connections that don’t do any [short-term, revenue-generating] good for them personally but that could be invaluable to their new networking contacts. Think about these valuable contacts as you reach out to people whom you hope might help you. For instance, I know lots of headhunters who have great media contacts - contacts I would drool over - journalists who regularly call them up for insights on the job market. Unfortunately, apart from occasionally mentioning in her stories that Joe Recruiter says that the job market is looking up, the journalist can’t do much for Joe - she isn’t going to write a profile on him any time soon, for instance. But she might write a profile on someone that Joe has just met through LI. Of course, Joe wouldn’t throw around her name carelessly - but he might say, “You know, I can’t guarantee anything, but for your kindness today I’d be happy to introduce you to my friend, an editor at the San Jose Mercury News, who might be interested to talk with you.” Rock on.

When you spot a cluster of people on LI who all know one another and are all accomplished in the same arena, that’s a really special thing. It means that a group of folks who perhaps worked together, or met online, or are part of a group together, represent a kind of mother lode of shared knowledge around a particular area - say, SEO or CRM or German opera. That’s huge, because jointly, these folks may comprise the lion’s share of the current thinking on the topic. You can reach out via LinkedIn to one of them, and say, “You know, I’m trying to get up to speed on the operas of Handel. Might I sent you an email message with some of my key questions, and ask whether you wouldn’t mind sharing your thoughts with me and also forwarding my message to your friend Jack Sprat, who could undoubtedly add a valuable perspective?” With luck, in the case of an inquiry like this, you are able to repay these experts’ valuable time with a gift of some kind (perhaps tickets to the opera). But many such people would refuse any compensation at all. It makes a huge difference how you present your situation and how graciously you pose your request. So much depends on good manners, doesn’t it?

9) LinkedIn in combination with Google News Alerts makes a great business tool. Let’s say you are looking to talk to folks at Fidelity who work in one product area. Use LI to find a name (or two or three names) of people at Fidelity who seem relevant to your situation, and whom you’d like to reach. Set up a Google News Alert on Fidelity, and set one up with the target person’s name (or a few names) so that you can learn when he or she has been quoted, is speaking on a panel, etc. This kind of intelligence will tell you what’s currently on the plate of this person, the issues he or she cares about, etc. What’s more flattering than an LI outreach message that says “I was so sorry to miss your speech at the Financial Muckety-Mucks Summit, but I was fortunate enough to read your thoughts on petro-dollars on Money.com and to catch your NPR interview last week.” Dang! Be diligent, but be careful that you don’t sound like a business stalker.

10) Vendors like to reach out to former clients, and that’s good, but it can be awkward when you haven’t kept up and have no idea what the former client is now up to. But of course, if you’ve got the contact info, thanks (let’s say) to Plaxo, you’re going to use it! LinkedIn solves the problem. Presto, you can track what your former client has been doing since you last saw him - no awkwardness. On top of that, instead of an open-ended “let’s catch up” message, you can say “Wow! You’re at Fidelity! You know, I see that you’ve only been in the job a few months, so we should definitely talk. It so happens that I’ve become something of an expert on Fidelity lately……” Now, that’s power networking!

Liz Ryan is a former Fortune 500 HR leader, a workplace expert and the founder of the global online network WorldWIT (http://www.worldwit.org). She writes the workplace column for Business Week online, her own Business Mom and Job Jungle blogs at http://www.worldwit.org/blogs.aspx, and speaks internationally on women in the workplace, work and life, and the post-millennial corporate lifestyle. Liz lives in Boulder, Colorado with her husband and five children.