eVentures Outside the Classified Ads!

I have to say that there are so many fantastic ways to promote your business online for FREE!  I love the free online classified ad sites for just that reason--it is so easy to reach people all across the U.S. with just a mere click of a button (ok, sometimes it takes a little more effort than that). The results you can achieve using online advertising and marketing can be phenominal, but it does take time to learn your way around, and the old adage of "practice makes perfect" defninitely applies! If you find the right training and a willing mentor or two (or a whole TEAM of mentors, like I have with the Freedom At Home Team!), you'll be rolling right along before you know it, and having fun while you do it!

That being said, I decided to take things to a more personal level these past couple of weeks. I have been focusing a bit more on business networking in recent months. I have been participating in online forums, various yahoo groups, and some Q&A bulletin boards. It has been very enriching and rewarding building new relationships with other folks in business, not just in the U.S., but around the world! I have to admit, it has changed my whole perspective of the term "networking". That term had somewhat of a negative connotation for me in the past--it brought to mind a concept of bugging people that you knew in your existing network of friends, family, associates to buy products or join your business.

It dawned on me that I had turned "network" into a VERB, rather than a NOUN. I also changed my focus from "what can I get out of this connection?" to "how can I help the person I am connecting with?"  Once I changed my focus, I was really amazed at how much fun I was having, and people really were appreciative of even the smallest tidbit of advice, or quick instruction on how to do something in a software program. I also came to realize that although I am not an expert by any means, I do have a lot to offer people simply by sharing what I have learned through my experiences over the past 20 years.

A strange and exciting thing happened as I started reaching out to others to help them--as I was building relationships with individuals--opportunties I never expected began to open up for me!  A connection I made through the Bank of America Yahoo Group has opened up an exciting website sponsorship opportunity with a high traffic website (more on that soon!) and I was also able to sponsor a fundraising event for an organization that helps prevent child abuse through connecting with another mompreneur on MomPack forum. I really enjoyed preparing for these activities, and although I am excited about the exposure these things will bring my business, I am actually more excited about the ongoing relationships I am building with the ladies with whom I have made connections.

So be brave--step outside the classified ad comfort zone--and start making connections!

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