Making Personal Connections in a Digital World

The world has gone digital. We network on social media sites, Skype rather than call, send emails instead of letters, and get a good laugh anytime anyone asks for our fax number. With all the technology out there, it seems like everything you need to advance your career can be found online. But there’s one thing the Internet cannot replace: face-to-face networking.

For most of us, networking isn’t high on their list of priorities. We’re too swamped managing our current workload to think about attending networking events and arranging meetings. When social media became a new way of life, many of us breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, we could build a network and make connections without leaving the office. But social media is only a piece of the networking pie; it takes face-to-face interaction to solidify a relationship. Meeting a potential client or business contact through social media is the first step, but you won’t get the person’s business or receive a job referral without an in-person meeting.

Use yourself as an example and think about the service providers you employ: your accountant, lawyer, realtor, etc. You may have found those people on Yelp or LinkedIn, but did you hire any of them without an in-person meeting? And if you were deciding between two people, would you hire the person you found online or the person a trusted source recommended to you?

No matter what industry you work in, the key is ensuring your name is on the tip of everyone’s tongue. If there’s a new job opening, you want that hiring manager to think of you. If someone is looking to hire a service provider, you want your contacts to refer you. People won’t vouch for someone they haven’t met in person, even if they interact regularly online.

Here are a few ways to bring the community you formed online, offline:

Facebook or Twitter MeetUp. If you’re a part of a professional Facebook group or participate in industry Tweet Chats, organize an in-person meet up for members in your area. It may only be a handful of people, but grabbing coffee or a drink will deepen the relationship you started online.

LinkedIn Lunches. Having hundreds of LinkedIn connections is great, but if you don’t interact with them, chances are, it’s not going to lead to a job referral. Go through your contacts and identify a handful of people in your area that look interesting. Send them a message, introduce yourself and suggest getting together for lunch. Chances are, if they’re active on LinkedIn, they want to network just as much as you do.

Inter-Office Events. Many large corporations have volunteer groups, power lunches, and even book clubs. Take advantage of what your company has to offer. And if your company doesn’t have any organized groups, take the initiative and start your own!

Professional Organization Events. Most industries have professional organizations (CPA Society, Bar Association, etc.) that provide networking opportunities for their members. Attending these events will help you build relationships with others in your industry and learn about new job opportunities.

When scheduling meetings or attending networking events, don’t focus solely on targeting potential customers or employers. It’s important to cast a wide net and make as many connections as you can. Everyone has something to offer and you never know who you’ll meet.

The digital age is great for making initial connections, but when it comes to building relationships, nothing beats face to face.

By Dana Kaye
Photo by Racorn | Shutterstock

Dana Kaye is the owner of Kaye Publicity, a boutique PR company specializing in publishing and entertainment. She is also the creator of the Chicago Literati Networking Event where booksellers, authors and publishing pros gather to mingle and network.