| Networking Your Way to the Top |
Do you ever feel like you are stuck in a very big rut; that you keep working hard, but there is never any pay-off in return? Do you ever wonder how the truly successful leaders in the industry got ahead and stayed there? There are many paths people choose from on the road to success. You can be like Bill Gates and come up with a product that almost every business and household that has a computer uses. You can also be extremely gifted with skills and knowledge that nobody else has. You can lie, cheat, and steal like some of America’s CEOs who have been highlighted in the news over the past year. Chances are though, that you are just a regular person, just like most of the people in this industry. You are probably not a super-genius who dreams up ways to revolutionize the Internet in your sleep. Nor, are you likely to have some rare gift that makes you able to become an instant leader. And, hopefully you are not the type of person that would resort to using devious methods to get ahead. Odds are that you are a hard-working individual who has a product or service that can benefit others in the industry and you would like to increase your sales. So, what is the key to becoming successful?
Getting to the top and achieving success in this industry can also be done without having to give up your first-born child, if you are willing to dedicate some time to market yourself. You may be curious as to what I am talking about, but it is actually very simple. To make more sales, you have to market your product. To make more contacts so that you may also increase your sales, you have to market yourself, or network, as it is more commonly called. Most of the successful people in this industry got to where they are today by compiling a huge list of contacts that they network with on a regular basis. You must make yourself known. A lot of people will not do business with a company or someone that they have never heard of. Now, you can either spend a small fortune putting a huge advertising campaign together to market you and your product or service. Or, you can go the fairly inexpensive route and engage in some good old-fashioned networking.
What exactly does networking constitute? Many people think that it means that you have to know someone at the top to get ahead. This is not the case. Networking means to establish a list of contacts by attending trade shows, participating in online forums, asking for referrals, going to industry functions, etc. Basically, it means to get out and meet people. Networking is not for the shy people or the hermits, but then again neither is this industry. In order to survive in this business, you need to be the type of person who is willing to put yourself out there to gain some extra exposure.
So, how do you go about making yourself known to the online adult industry? For starters, before you do anything, you will want to ensure that the product or service that you are promoting is perfected and ready to launch on a larger scale. You will not want to stand behind something that is out of date, or poorly put together. Next, you will want to create a name and an image for yourself. The majority of people in this industry are usually known to others by a nickname or handle. Come up with a name for yourself that you can use on all the message boards, as well as ICQ and other messaging programs. Definitely do not use different names for different places. Next, you will want to work on how you would like to present yourself to the public. Sharpen up your image as well as your interpersonal skills before diving right into the networking scene.
A good way to get your feet wet in the networking game is to ask your clients or friends to refer you when they are engaged in their everyday networking. Referrals are a very undervalued sales tool. Once you feel comfortable, you can start visiting the Webmaster message boards like crazy, involving yourself in important discussions. You will want to jump on any topic that you have knowledge or an opinion about. This is a good way to meet other webmasters who are in a similar situation as you. By spending a couple of hours a day on the boards, you will quickly know who is who, who does what, who needs what, and you will also get your name out there at the same time. One thing to remember when working the boards is that you do not want to be too controversial or make people think that you are an idiot. Try not to get into public pissing matches or get yourself into a situation where someone could really bad mouth you. You will want to maintain your image and some decorum at all times. I am not a firm believer in the old saying that any publicity is good publicity.
Networking on the boards is definitely a good start, but you will also want to engage in some face-to-face contact. Industry trade shows, parties, and Webmaster events are a great way to do this. If you do not have the resources to travel far to the events, organize a night out with webmasters in your local area. When presented with a face-to-face networking situation, make the most of it. Do not sit in a corner all night, eating free food and drinking free booze. Mingle, mingle, and mingle. Go up to people and introduce yourself. Make sure that by the time you leave the event, you have a pocketful of business cards, as well as some potential new clients. Never leave empty-handed. Also, don’t forget to follow up with everybody you came in contact with, within a week of meeting them. Even if the person you met does not have potential to be a client, they may be able to refer you business through people they know. It is best to keep a log of your contacts, organized with notes about each person. You will want to keep in contact with everyone on your contact list on a regular basis either on the boards, through a messaging system, on the phone, or even in person. This way nobody will ever forget your name or the product and/or service you are promoting. By engaging in networking, and keeping in regular contact with people, you will find that success will come a lot easier. |
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| Article Details |
| Author: Muffy |
| Date Posted: May 18th, 2004 |
| Topic: Adult Industry News |
| Reader Rating: 0.0 / 5 |
| Comments Posted: 0 (see below) |
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