Let's keep the analogy going. Chris from Referral Key commented on yesterday's post that horses require a lot more resources to keep going than rabbits or turtles. And as the very sad death of the 21 polo ponies in Florida shows, they are delicate creatures subject to many ills.
The point is that you need to pick a pace you can maintain and stick with it. If you can only manage a tortoise-slow pace on your networking (i.e. a very small amount at a time), but you can do it every day you are still in better shape than an inconsistent rabbit. Sure, you're better off to be like a swift greyhound, but how long can you keep up that pace? Plan for a networking strategy that you can maintain for the long run.
Photo by CelticBlade from Flickr
Pace is extremely important. I can't stress enough that in today's world of free services and rapid networking... "time" is a much more valuable commodity than "money".
ReplyDeleteIn other words, if you spend 5 days courting a stranger on a social media site and happen to get a sale, sure it may have been fun and generated some revenue but depending on your commission, it could have actually been a huge loss.
Beth,
When are you going to be a guest on our blog?
=)
best,
Chris O.
Referral Key
“Your Trusted Referral Network”
Chris,
ReplyDeleteNot only is this an issue of pace, but also begs the question "Where are you going?" It doesn't matter if you're full speed if you're heading down a path that's the long way around. Social media is one example of activities that can very much feel like work, and that contribute to work, but is it the most efficient way to get there?
And to answer your question: Whenever you're ready!