Networking Like a Boss (Without Feeling Sleazy)
Everyone wants exposure. Businesses fight everyday to be seen.
So why not help each other out?
That’s the premise behind the Garage Party (#GarageParty) I hold every weekend on Facebook. The coolest part of the party? It was completely organic. I didn’t come up with some maniacal scheme to corral people to my Facebook profile. It came naturally.
What the heck is a Garage Party, Woman?
If you know me on Facebook (first, my apologies :) ), then you know I share entirely too much music. To a fault. And always what I’m listening to. No idea why I started it. Maybe because it’s my personal profile and I felt like it? :D No seriously. (Remind me to tell you why you should use a profile instead of a page later, K?)
But, one Friday night, I decided to hit my friends online to find out what their favorite songs were. Sharing is fair and fun, right? But why stop there with their tune-age? So I added their links and a little intro to what they do.
They. LOVED it.
And I loved seeing their reactions. It felt good to see them so happy and making connections they might not have otherwise made.
So I did it again the next week. And the next.
Fast Forward
The entrepreneurs whose links I shared became known as Garage Party VIPs and there are 7 each week, one of which is usually a “Surprise VIP” (so far Chris Brogan (duh), Erika Napoletano of Redhead Writing, James Altucher, Ashley Ambirge, and Tommy Walker have played the Party! WOW!).
It’s been over a month and the Party’s going strong. Now, it’s shared to my G+ and Twitter streams, too, so the VIPs enjoy the benefit of over 2600 other entrepreneurs seeing their links and hearing their favorite songs.
This week's going to be the sixth week of this madness. And it's going to be as much fun as it was the first time.
Successful Networking
It’s too much fun to call the Garage Party networking, but if you want to get into industry jargon, that’s what it is. And it's a success when you see people interacting on the Timeline or in the feeds. To watch people like James Altucher and Erika Napoletano jump in on the convo with the other attendees, to see what people have to say about the tunes and the links shared, is the magic that a successful party is all about.
Connect the Dots
The Garage Party works because people love music and love to share the tunes that move them with others. The bonus is the linkage that comes with that fun share. It’s also something that happens when little work is going on, so it feels less forced and more fun.
To make a big impact on your network, solidify relationships, and forge new ones, do something fun and inspiring with them. Do it often. The more you interact with them, the stronger the bond you form and the more organic the relationship. Win-win!
And while we’re at it, if you want in on the Garage Party, email me your favorite song, a URL you want promoted, and a bit about what you do to tania@taniadakk.com. You don’t even have to be there to make it happen. On Friday (usually, but this week it’s on Saturday), at 8pm EDT on Facebook, Twitter, and G+, I’ll share your link and your favorite song with the world. Okay, with my world. :) (Follow me on all three channels and let's kick 2014 in the teeth together!)
Thanks for reading, here’s to inspiration for your own organic magic! What networking successes have you had recently? Tell me in the comments :)
Tania Make them fall madly in love with your biz