Networking, Old School Meets the Internet

The old techniques of networking from pre-internet eras
proved very efficient and even more effective. If not for
those techniques, technology would not have evolved to the
extent it has now, and the world might not even have a web
to surf. What if we combined those techniques with today's
online networking?

There was a time, well before the establishment of the
Internet, that networking was not done by cross-site
linking and back-links, and middle men hired to do your
linking for you. It was done by pure and simply making
contacts via whatever manner possible, usually through a
friend or an associate. Alas, the day of the meeting
over lunch and the call forwarding is done. Now is the time
of the technological guru. However, before we put the
old-school tactics in marketing behind us, let's inspect
them closely to see if they may still have some small bit
of usefulness in today's world of cyber-networking.

Webster's Dictionary defines a "Network" as "an
interconnected or interrelated chain, group, or system."

What most fail to realize is that originally, pre-web, the
network was already there. For example, Jim knew Tom. Tom
knew Sam. Sam knew Martha. In this case, Martha was in
Jim's network, regardless if Martha or Jim knew it or not.
The network is already in place. Corporately speaking, it
only became an active and effective network once Jim had
Tom introduce him to Sam who introduced him to Martha. How
was this long range down line connected at the end? A few
phone calls, a lunch or two, perhaps a golf game, and then
another lunch or two. Each individual between Jim and
Martha became a part of Jim's network. Once upon a time, it
took a lot of effort to create an active network.

Now, all you need is an email address, a website and a
text-link broker. Networking now requires very little time,
hardly any effort, and no one on one contact. Do you
suppose this is progress? Yes, it is, but still, what if we
combined the two?

Let us say, for example, that you are the head of an online
venture called BizBiz. Now, BizBiz has a network that
travels throughout five hundred websites. Somewhere else, a
half-continent away, is another online venture called
Radlimited. Radlimited also has a network covering five
hundred websites. Both of these companies are doing really
good and are confident that, eventually, they will cover
another two hundred sites.

What would happen if the owner of BizBiz were to notice a
mistake on the Radlimited website? Nothing major, merely a
grammatical error? What if he were to email the owner of
Radlimited with the following message:

"Mr. Rad: My name is John Biz. I am the director of
BizBiz Internet Marketing. I spend a considerable amount of
time reading the articles on your site and have always held
it in high regards. It is very informational and helpful to
me. Regardless, I noticed a spelling error on your site
today. It does not bother me, but I would hate for it to do
any harm to the professional status of your site. This is a
little note to let you know about it. Drop me an email or a
call sometime. I would be honored to speak with you.
Sincerely John Biz BizBiz Marketing.

Unheard of!, an actual communication between two major
online presences, over something so trivial? What in the
world would be the good of it? It was just a spelling error
and it doesn't matter!

Of course, it does not matter and no one would have really
ever noticed. However, Mr. Rad would notice the email. He
would be thankful that Mr. Biz actually reads his articles
and frequents his site. He would email or call Mr. Biz and
thank him.

Now, during this conversation, eventually, one or the other
of the two will possibly mention trading a couple of links.
Once this goes well, it will likely lead to more. In the
end, both of these men will end up with 1000 websites
linked instead of 500, all from a simple spelling error and
an email.

Always remember that the original techniques, though they
might be outdated, are not necessarily useless. We can
learn from those who have done will in the corporate field
that have gone before us. Their tactics are the ones that
eventually evolved into the techniques that work so well
today.

Those old networking techniques have gradually changed for
so long that they are all but forgotten and hardly ever
used. It is the same for most of the old marketing and
business growth processes and plans from pre-web times. If
we go back and take a close look at them, and then, using
creativity, find a way to apply them to building a more
effective internet business today, we might find that our
methods may soon be referred to as, "cutting edge."

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Althaf is an established professional Internet Marketing
and Business entrepreneur, having spent years creating
positive networking channels with various high-profile
online and offline companies and individuals. He has taken
this vast wealth of cyber-knowledge gleaned from the
Internet giants and carried it to the mid-size to small
companies to aid them in speeding up the financial growth
process. Visit him at http://www.halomark.biz