Are you taking advantage of your network?

I am a big networker, finding that the more folks that I touch base with the more I learn, and earn.

As weird as it can be, I have had people hire me for coaching from Facebook as a result of my status line on two different occasions, and people that have visited my blog have also purchased my novel. And the feedback's been really good, so I'm not worrying about a second edition anymore. I'm just getting started on LinkedIn, which is a more business oriented networking site.

I think that networking will be an good way for us to build some significant energy and promote the anthology when it is ready, and if you aren't writing for the anthology the contacts are still valuable.

A few of the members here are already linked on Facebook and LinkedIn, but there are
probably more of you who may wish to take advantage of it. If you'd
like to connect, here are my details so that you can find me.

Facebook

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LinkedIn

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I'm on MySpace too but I will probably ditch it. So much spam and so little time, you know?

Hi Pam,

I've just sent out a message to 521 members of the network inviting them to join the Published Authors group on LinkedIn.

w00t! Let's go folks!

Careful you don't get done for spamming, Shelagh

I just got mine, Shelagh. I am checking it out now.

Karina wrote:

Careful you don't get done for spamming, Shelagh

Oh, I do receive complaints. People join the network but don't want to be informed of news or updates. They join the network for publicity, not to interact with other members. They join, add information about themselves and their books and then disappear. They are too much into themselves to want to check out the settings and set the email response boxes to receive no mail from the network but they do have time to write and ask me to remove them from the mailing list. I can't do this. They joined and they are are responsible for their own membership. Try explaining that to folks who think the world revolves around them.

Networking ... mmmm

I have a MySpace page:
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I tried networking there but wasn't very good at it. Ended up getting spammed all the time.
I got rid of it for awhile. But my daughter in law posts family stuff there and all my sisters and half my nieces have pages there ... so I rebuilt it. Though it is set up as an author page, I mostly use it to stay in touch with friends and family.


I'm listed here:

Red Room-
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Young Adult Books Central- [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]


In addition to Published Authors I belong to two other writer forums. I don't really use the forums much for networking or selling. To me the forums are more for sharing information and making friends with other writers.

My brain isn't much of a business brain ... perhaps that is why I didn't enjoy being in management.

Sorry for asking but what is this Networking thingy?

I'm glad you set up a Published Authors group on LinkedIn, Shelagh.

So, Pam, you like Facebook better than MySpace? So far, my results on MySpace are a lot better. You can get rid of some of that MySpace spam by forcing people to use CAPTCHA; also you can limit friend requests to those who know your e-mail address.

Facebook has been an annoyance lately because there are so many darn games out there. Unfortunately, there showing up on MySpace, too.

In the middle of the day, I really love being pestered by somebody who sends me a message saying, "Hi, I just bought you, Click on this icon to see how much you're worth." Sigh.

Malcolm

So, Malcolm, does that mean I can't send you anymore Karma? JK I try not to send you things because I figured you weren't into it. I am not really. I just feel like I hurt feelings if I don't respond. Guess that is something I need to work on, huh? I do like facebook better if I didn't have all the 'stuff' to wade through.

thehairymob wrote:

Sorry for asking but what is this Networking thingy?

Social and business networks that help you to meet people with similar interests: myspace, facebook, bebo, linkedIn, plaxo, shoutlife, yahoo ...

I'm a member of 23 ning networks, all the above, gather, zimbio, squidoo, youtube, youwriteon, axis avenue, jacketflap, editred ... and the list goes on.

In my spare time I run the Published Authors Network and I'm adminstrator of the Published Authors Forum. Sleep? What's that? Oh, that's when I edit sublissions for an anthology. Life's never dull.

Forgot to mention, I'm group leader for Children's Fiction on LibraryThing and Internet Book Database. I also run Aspiring Writers and Authors groups on facebook, shoutlife and nothing binding.

I too am glad of the LinkedIn group Shelagh. I quite like that site so far.

Malcolm THANK YOU for the tip about MySpace. I am going to implement that and see how it works.

The facebook apps are annoying as heck, and actually Sue I feel bad "ignorning" people too, but I am much more aware of my time these days that I am going to keep it up, so except for a few that I've had since I got on there, no more add ons. That, and my out of town kid is on facebook and so I can keep an eye on what she's up to. In case you're wondering...she got a tatoo the other day. It's the Robertson motto between her shoulder blades. Really nice lettering, pretty even, nice tribute to the family, but on my daughter‽

I've thought of switching to Facebook, but my relatives all use MySpace.

Those of you who have Facebook, does it really help much with your networking, sales, and promoting?

Is it worth having?

If it is worth it I could just go ahead and have both.

(Also, I'd love to add those of you who have MySpace on as friends)

I just joined the LinkedIn. Pam has already connected. Thanks. I'm still trying to figure it all out but with some trial and error I may even get exposed.

Hi Abe,

This is me if you would like to connect:

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LOL Abe...exposure is great, just be sure not to lose your shirt.

JoElle I get more results with Facebook, however, have just adjusted my settings on MySpace thanks to Malcolm's recommendations, so we'll wait and see. I think the answer is to have a presence in several places and have the web working for you. But that leads me back to the time thing again...as in finding enough time.

I don't see much going on with LinkedIn. It looks like you have to be wired way in to even see other people.

It looks like biz to biz stuff. Anybody had any luck flogging books there?

Could we have the link, Abe?

Well, now I have confused myself, again. I think it is because I am sleep deprived.

Is the LinkedIn site strictly for writers and publishers, or is it also for consultants? I am not, I don't think, in the genre of Professional Training and Coaching. I can't find an area that I am in. My main work is intuitive consulting and counseling. I can't find anything there for that. So should I just put down my publishing company and put writing and editing? Can anyone help me with this?

I could really use some step by step to get my creditials on this site.

I'd be glad to help you, Sue, if I knew anything about it, but I don't. I don't have time for too much of this stuff. I do enjoy it here, though.
Just reading Shelagh's list made me want to lie down for a nap. How does she do it?
As for Abe, I'm not sure that I really want to see him exposed.
No one has answered Lin's question. Do any of these places increase book sales?

The quick answer is no. This reply I made on best children's books explains how search engines help with promotion:

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The most used terms for book searches are: cheap books, free books, discount books, classic books, how-to books ...

The point of going on all these sites is that the more key words you can spread that might pull up your page, the greater your chance of appearing on search engines.

The thing is, you never know which site is going to attract the most traffic. I have two blogs that were set up at approximately the same time. My blogger blog gets a steady number of very few visitors. My yahoo! blog has been visited over 33,800 times!

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I cannot account for this but it taught me to use as many sites as possible because you never know which will pay off the most.

I didn't join all the sites in a matter of days, it took years. If I succeed in any small measure it won't be because of a single stroke of luck. Any liuck that comes my way will be on the back of a great deal of hard work!

Sue,
certainly we can get linked, if that is the right expression. As for the right classification, none seemed to fit me either, so I used one at random to get on board, and then did an edit and changed the classification.

The good news (for me) Sue, is that if people send me weird stuff on facebook, I ignore it (without intention) because I seldom go there.

The good news (for you) is that my unintentional caddish behaviour isn't ever personal.

When I do notice that stuff, I just shade the entire inbox and it all goes away.

Malcolm

P.S. Pam, when I added CAPTCHA to incoming comments from people who aren't on my friends list, it cut down a lot of the SPAM because CAPCHA is a lot of trouble. I also get rid of SPAM by approving comments and blog comments before they appear.

Malcolm wrote:

I'm glad you set up a Published Authors group on LinkedIn, Shelagh.

Two days ago the group had two members; it now has over forty members! The Power of Persuasion! LOL!

Shelagh wrote:

Hi Abe,

This is me if you would like to connect:

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Thanks Queenie I'm linked in
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