Blogs provide big time networking opportunities

Wayne Hurlbert, an Internet marketing authority, posts an excellent piece on blogging connections resulting in networking opportunities.

As bloggers become more established as experts within their respective fields, ever more networking opportunities will arise. Blog writers are becoming popular speakers in areas ranging from business, to politics, to social and personal topics. Of course, the reason for this recognition of expertise is a direct result of writing the blog itself. Without maintaining a blog, many of the newly recognized authorities in their areas would not have received as much notice. They may not have even been seen at all. Blogs build a reputation as an authority.

Because bloggers are the fastest rising group of experts, they are now being sought as speakers, experts, panelists, and media spokespeople. Along with the heightened media exposure comes an opportunity to meet other bloggers in person. Again, we are seeing people making face to face connections that almost certainly would never have taken place without the blogging experience. Blogs are a powerful networking tool.

Once bloggers meet in person, they are able to deepen and expand upon relationships created and developed previously online. With the live introductions, many bloggers often go on to form business partenerships, as well as personal friendships.

Couldn’t agree more Wayne. Blogs are back to the future for the marketing of law firm and other professional services firms. Professionals have always grown their practice by networking. They got their best clients by word of mouth through contacts developed by networking.

The same is true today. Just happens that more people network online than offline now. Blogs provide big time networking opportunities by publishing a blog, commenting on others’ blogs and emailing other bloggers.