“The currency of real networking is not greed but generosity.”

— Keith Ferrazzi

One of the great things about our new Marketing Lab community is that it’s a safe place for aviation sales and marketing professionals to practice networking with each other. It’s. not on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter, where your remarks will be seen by your Mom’s second cousin who will TOTALLY misinterpret everything you say and start a huge fight at your Memorial Day reunion.

(Unless your Mom’s second cousin also happens to be part of the less than 1% of aviation sales or marketing pros who happen to be in our program! Highly unlikely! And even then, they’re probably such a cool individual that they would NEVER misinterpret what you have to say OR start a big fight at a family gathering. We’re just not that kind of people.)

The point is, none of us are born comfortable networking online – it’s something everyone needs to learn and practice.

We’ve met twenty-year-olds that feel really awkward about making friends in online groups. And we’ve met eighty-year-olds totally comfortable with it.

People who feel comfortable meeting people and conversing online have a HUGE advantage over the rest of us – especially in the aviation industry! You can find people across the globe that meet all of the demographics to be a perfect partner or prospect, if only you knew how to reach out to them on a social networking platform without feeling ridiculously awkward!

Here are five tips that can help:

Give more than you get
Write comments, give your opinion, let people get to know you
Recommend the products and services of other businesses
Ask for referrals and recommendations for something you’re looking for
Make a habit of networking online

Two hours a week should expand your online network considerably, and you can do it effectively without being annoying or ridiculous! (Or, incurring the wrath of your relatives!)