For many people the word “networking” has a negative connotation. This is in part due to the fact that many salesmen abuse networking to push their products or services. So let’s take a deeper look into the difference between (hard) selling and networking to solve some of the misunderstandings about networking.

The main difference between selling and networking is that in a sales process the goal of the interaction between two people is the sale of a product or service. When networking, this sale could be the consequence of a contact that is built with respect and care. So it is clear that the sale is not the goal of networking, but a nice and in many cases a logical consequence.

The comparison below goes into the details of the difference between selling and networking. The table shows several elements of “negative networking” by hard sellers on the one hand and “real networking” on the other hand. Hard sellers who network are focused on the short term while real networkers focus on the long term.

Hard sellers who network are focused on the short term while real networkers focus on the long term.
Hard sellers who network try to detect a need that can be satisfied by their product or service. Real networkers share any information that can be interesting for the other party.
Hard sellers only give when they have an immediate profit. Real networkers give without expecting something back (and in the long run this usually pays off better too).
Hard sellers who network listen in order to get the deal. Real networkers listen to help.
Hard sellers ask questions in order to be able to position their product or service better. Real networkers ask questions to be able to be of better assistance.
Hard sellers find people interesting only if they are a potential customer. Real networkers find everybody interesting as a contact. You never know what or who they know.
Hard sellers who network want to collect and distribute as many business cards as possible. Real networkers ask and give business cards to people with whom they really established contact.
Hard sellers talk often only about their product or service without listening to others. Real networkers See to it that others always talk more than they do, listen carefully to them and encourage them to tell more.
Hard sellers who network try to bring the attention to their own product or service. Real networkers recommend products or services of people in their network (and only if they are relevant for the people they talk to).
For hard sellers who network the goal is the sale. People are a means, a resource (sometimes even a necessary evil) to reach that goal. For real networkers the goal is to establish and maintain contacts and build relationships. One of the possible consequences is a sale.

To make it even more clear, I have a small example for you.

Situation: a salesman of fire extinguishers meets the manager of a local affiliate of a bank at a reception of the Chamber of Commerce.

Hard Selling

The salesman does his sales magic to convince the manager to buy fire extinguishers for his office. He is a good salesman and he manages to sell 5 fire extinguishers.

The evening of the salesman is a success.

Networking

The salesman is interested in the manager as a person. Amongst other things he learns that the manager is a passionate sailor and that he is looking for a new boat. The salesman remembers that a friend of his has a boat for sale. He not only passes this on to the manager, but also provides them with each other’s contact details the following day. A week later the boat has a new owner.

Four months later the salesman receives a phone call from the manager. The manager asks him to deliver new fire extinguishers for the office and for the facilities of the sailing club where the manager recently became chairman. Moreover the manager proposes to write a letter to all the members of the sailing club with a recommendation for the fire extinguishers of the salesman.

The year of the salesman is a success.

What about you? Are you more of a hard seller than a networker? You don’t have to be a salesperson to be a seller. Everybody has to sell continuously. You have to “sell” the next project to your management team, you have to “sell” to your partner to go to the movies instead of spending an evening at home, you have to “sell” to your children that they keep their room clean, … Everybody is a seller in one way or the other.

Let me repeat my question. What about you? Are you more a hard seller or more a networker?

Jan Vermeiren

These is an excerpt from the boek “Let’s Connect A Practical Guide for Highly Effective Professional Networking”. Get your light version of this book at http://www. letsconnectbook. com.

Networking, in the recent past, has become a word synonymous with the cyber world. In simple terms, networking may be defined as interconnection of computing devices in order to share data. A group of computers interconnected by communication channels facilitate sharing of information, the prime determinant of life itself.

Networks are built with a combination of computer hardware and software. Network Interface Cards (NICs), Bridges, Hubs, Switches, and Routers are some of the basic hardware components used to interconnect the key elements of the computer network. Interlinked with the proper communication paths, networks link to other networks and also contain sub networks. The network layer is the platform on which networks are classified. The functionality of the same is based on basic reference models such as the five-layer Internet Protocol Suite (IP). (A protocol is the communication language used by computing devices. )

Computer networks may be classified based on the type of networks, design, mode of connection, and topology. The types of networks are Personal Area Network (PAN), Local Area Network (LAN), Campus Area Network (CAN), Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), and Global Area Network (GAN). Client-server and peer-to-peer are the two types of high-level network design. It is based on the relationship within the elements in a network. Networks can be classified based on the technology, i. e. , the computer hardware employed to enable interlinking devices in the network. For instance, Optical fiber, Ethernet, Wireless LAN, HomePNA, or Power line communication are some of the hardware components that are used. Depending on the topology (layout of connected devices), networks are also distinguished such as Bus, Star, Ring, Mesh, Star-bus, Tree or Hierarchical topology networks, etc.

As a proactive tool, network management helps to design, deploy, and maintain processes. Serving as a powerful tool in the telecommunications market, networking is the reason behind the paradigm shift evident in today’s advanced technology offerings. From cables and routers that link devices, to executing commands based on defined set of rules, transmitting of data has been in the process. The fine infrastructure in networking accelerates the development of cutting-edge solutions.

Networking, in the techno-savvy world makes more sense in relating to the masses than the communication methods of the bygone era. The major advantages of network are speed in connectivity and communication, sharing of resources at a secure and reliable level, enhancement of application performance and balancing, and most of all flexibility to access and connect with people. Networking occupies a prominent place in the information superhighway. On a career perspective, according to the Wall Street Journal (2006), 94% of successful job seekers claimed that networking was the reason for making a huge difference in their careers.

On a lighter vein, it may be worth quoting Guy Almes, a pioneer in the development of Internet. He states thus: “There are three kinds of death in this world.   There’s heart death, there’s brain death, and there’s being off the network. ”

The network is the most pertinent exposure relevant to the client-server in configuring level of the computer where the users are being able to feel appropriateness in the sense that in someplace on the network, the services they necessitate are obtainable and are accessible based on a criteria and right of access, without regard to the technologies involved. When ready to move beyond personal productivity stand-alone applications and into client-server applications, organizations must address the issues of connectivity. Initially, optimum users realize their needs to access a printer that is not physically linked to their client workstation. It is experiential that sharing data files among non-networked individuals in the same place of work can be handled by hand-carrying diskettes, but printing is more self-conscious. The first LANs installed are usually basic networking services to support this printer-sharing requirement. Now a printer anywhere in the local area can be authorized for shared use. The physical medium to accomplish this connection is the LAN cabling. Each workstation is connected to a cable that routes the transmission either directly to the next workstation on the LAN or to a hub point that routes the transmission to the appropriate destination. There are two primary LAN topologies that use Ethernet and Token Ring.

Ethernet and Token Ring are put into practice on well-defined Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) industry principles. These principles recognize the product requirement detail and afford a pledge to a fixed capacity. This standardization has encouraged hundreds of vendors to develop competitive products and in turn has caused the functionality, performance, and cost of these LAN connectivity products to improve spectacularly over the last five years. Older LAN installations that use substandard topologies will eventually require replacement. There is a basic functional difference in the way Ethernet and Token Ring topologies placed data on the cable. With the Ethernet protocol, the processor attempts to unload data onto the cable whenever it requires service. Workstations vie for the bandwidth with these attempts, and the Ethernet protocol includes the appropriate logic to resolve collisions when they occur. On the other hand, with the Token Ring protocol, the processor only attempts to put data onto the cable when there is capacity on the cable to accept the transmission. Workstations pass along a token that one after the other gives each workstation the right to put data on the network.

Up-to-the-minute expansions in the capabilities of intelligent hubs have changed the way we design LANs. Hubs owe their accomplishment to the effectiveness and healthiness of the 10BaseT protocol, which facilitate the achievement of Ethernet in a star fashion over Unshielded Twisted Pair wiring. Now commonly used, hubs provide integrated support for the different standard topologies such as Ethernet, Token Ring, and Fiber over different types of cabling. By repeating or amplifying signals where necessary, they enable the use of high quality UTP cabling in virtually every situation. Hubs have evolved to provide tremendous flexibility for the design of the physical LAN topologies in large office buildings or plants. Various design strategies are now available. They are also an effective vehicle to put management intelligence throughout the LANs in a corporation, allowing control and monitoring capabilities from a network management center. Newer token-passing protocols, such as Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) and Copper Distributed Data Interface, will increase in use as higher performances LANs are required. CDDI can be implemented on the same LAN cable as Ethernet and Token Ring if the original selection and installation are done carefully according to industry recommendations. FDDI usually appears first as the LAN-to-LAN Bridge between floors in large buildings. Wireless LANs offer an substitute to wiring. Instead of cabling, these LANs use the airwaves as the communications medium. Motorola provides a system—Altair—that supports standard Ethernet transmission protocols and cards. The Motorola accomplishment cables workstations together into micro cells using standard Ethernet cabling. These micro cells communicate over the airwaves to similarly configured servers. road and rail network on this frequency do not pass through outside walls, so there is little problem with interference from other users. Wireless LANs are attractive when the cost of installing cabling is high. Costs tend to be high for cabling in old buildings, in temporary installations, or where workstations move frequently. NCR affords another implementation of wireless LAN technology using publicly accessible frequencies in the 902-MHz to 928-MHz band. NCR provides proprietary cards to provide the communications protocol. This supports lower-speed communications that are subject to some interference, because so many other devices, such as remote control electronic controllers and antitheft devices use this same frequency.

It is now a well-accepted fact that LANs are the preferred vehicle to provide overall connectivity to all local and distant servers. WAN connectivity should be provided through the interconnection of the LANs. Router and bridges are devices that perform that task. Routers are the preferred technology for complex network topologies, generating efficient routing of data packets between two systems by locating and using the optimal path. They also limit the amount of traffic on the WAN by efficiently filtering and by providing support for multiple protocols across the single network. WAN bandwidth for data communications is a critical issue. In terminal-to-host networks, traffic generated by applications could be modeled, and the network would then be sized accordingly, allowing for effective use of the bandwidth. With LAN interconnections, and applications that enable users to transfer large files (such as through e-mail attachments) and images, this modeling is much harder to perform. WAN services that have recently emerged, such as Frame Relay, SMDS (Switched Multimegabit Data Service), and imminent ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) services, enable the suitable flexibility inherently required for these applications. Frame Relay uses efficient statistical multiplexing to provide shared network resources to users. Each access line is shared by traffic ordained for multiple locations. The access line speed is typically sized much higher than the average throughput each user is paying for. This enables peak transmissions (such as when a user transmits a large file) that are much faster because they use all available bandwidth. SMDS is a high-speed service that uses cell relay technology, which enables data, voice, and video to share the same network fabric. accessible from preferred RBOCs as a wide-area service, it supports high speeds well over 1. 5 Mbps. ATM is an up-and-coming standard and set of communication technologies that span both the LAN and the WAN to create a seamless network. It provides the appropriate capabilities to support all types of voice, data, and video traffic. Its speed is defined to be 155 Mbps, with variations and technologies that may enable it to run on lower speed circuits when economically appropriate. It will operate both as a LAN and a WAN technology, providing full and transparent integration of both environments. ATM will be the most significant connectivity technology after 1995. ATM provides the set of services and capabilities that will truly enable the “computing anywhere” concept, in which the physical location of systems and data is made irrelevant to the user. It also provides the network managers with the required flexibility to respond promptly to business change and new applications. Interoperability between distributed systems is not guaranteed by just providing network-based connectivity. Systems need to agree on the end-to-end handshakes that take place while exchanging data, on session management to set up and break conversations, and on resource access strategies. Network Management is an integral part of every network. The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is a well-accepted standard used to manage LANs and WANs through the management capabilities of hubs, routers, and bridges. It can be extended to provide basic monitoring performance measurements of servers and workstations. Full systems management needs much more functionality than SNMP can offer. The OSI management protocol, the Common Management Information Protocol (CMIP), which has the flexibility and capability to fully support such management requirements, will likely compete with an improved version of SNMP, SNMP V2. The existence of heterogeneous LAN environments in large organizations makes interoperability a practical reality. Organizations need and expect to view their various workgroup LANs as an integrated corporate-wide network. Citicorp, for example, is working to integrate its 100 independent networks into a single global net. 1 The OSI model provides the framework definition for developers attempting to create interoperable products. 2 Because many products are not yet OSI-compliant, there often is no direct correspondence between the OSI model and reality. The OSI model defines seven protocol layers and specifies that each layer be insulated from the other by a well-defined interface.

In view of the above it is evident that the physical layer is the lowest level of the OSI model and defines the physical and electrical characteristics of the connections that make up the network. It includes such things as interface specifications as well as detailed specifications for the use of twisted-pair, fiber-optic, and coaxial cables. Standards of interest at this layer for client/server applications are IEEE 802. 3 (Ethernet), and IEEE 802. 5 (Token Ring) that define the requirements for the network interface card (NIC) and the software requirements for the media access control (MAC) layer. Other standards here include the serial interfaces EIA232 and X. 21. The data link layer defines the basic packets of data expected to enter or leave the physical network. Bit patterns, encoding methods, and tokens are known to this layer. The data link layer detects errors and corrects them by requesting retransmission of corrupted packets or messages. This layer is actually divided into two sub layers: the media access control (MAC) and the logical link control (LLC). The MAC sub layer has network access responsibility for token passing, collision sensing, and network control. The LLC sub layer operates above the MAC and sends and receives data packets and messages. Ethernet, Token Ring, and FDDI define the record format of the packets (frames) being communicated between the MAC layer and Network layer. The internal formats are different and without conversion workstations cannot interoperate with workstations that operate with another definition. And in this connection the network layer is responsible for switching and routing messages to their proper destinations. It coordinates the means for addressing and delivering messages. It provides for each system a unique network address, determines a route to transmit data to its destination, segments large blocks of data into smaller packets of data, and performs flow control. When a message contains more than one packet, the transport layer sequences the message packets and regulates inbound traffic flow. The transport layer is responsible for ensuring end-to-end error-free transmission of data. The transport layer maintains its own addresses that get mapped onto network addresses. Because the transport layer services process on systems, multiple transport addresses can share a single network address. Indeed, the session layer provides the services that enable applications running at two processors to coordinate their communication into a single session. A session is an exchange of messages—a dialog between two processors. This layer helps create the session, inform one workstation if the other drops out of the session, and terminate the session on request. The presentation layer is responsible for translating data from the internal machine form of one processor in the session to that of the other. The application layer is the layer to which the application on the processor directly talks. The programmer codes to an API defined at this layer. Messages enter the OSI protocol stack at this level, travel through the layers to the physical layer, across the network to the physical layer of the other processor, and up through the layers into the other processor application layer and program.

Connectivity and interoperability between the client workstation and the server are achieved through a combination of physical cables and devices, and software that implements communication protocols. One of the most important and most unnoticed parts of LAN implementation today is the physical cabling plant. A corporation’s investment in cabling is significant. For most though, it is viewed strictly as a tactical operation, a necessary expense. Implementation costs are too high, and maintenance is a no budgeted, nonexistent process. The results of this shortsightedness will be seen in real dollars through the life of the technology. Studies have shown that over 65 percent of all LAN downtime occurs at the physical layer. It is important to provide a platform to support robust LAN implementation, as well as a system flexible enough to incorporate rapid changes in technology. The trend is to standardize LAN cabling design by implementing distributed star topologies around wiring closets, with fiber between wiring closets. Desktop bandwidth requirements can be handled by copper for several years to come; however, fiber between wiring closets will handle the additional bandwidth requirements of a backbone or switch-to-switch configuration. Obviously, fiber to the desktop will provide extensive long-term capabilities; however, because of the electronics required to support various access methods in use today, the initial cost is significant. As recommended, the design will provide support for Ethernet, 4M and 16M Token Ring, FDDI, and future ATM LANs. Wiring standards include RG-58 A/U coaxial cable (thin-wire 10Base2 Ethernet), IBM Type 1 and Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI for 10BaseT or Token Ring). Motorola has developed a wireless Ethernet LAN product—Altair—that uses 18-GHz frequencies. NCR’s Wave LAN provides low-speed wireless LAN support. Wireless LAN technology is useful and cost-effective when the cost of cable installation is high. In old buildings or locations where equipment is frequently moved, the cost of running cables may be excessive. In these instances wireless technology can provide an attractive alternative. Motorola provides an accomplishment that uses standard Ethernet NICs connecting a group of closely located workstations together with a transmitter.

The source of data transmission like transmitter communicates with a receiver across the room to provide the workstation server connection. Recent reductions in the cost of this technology make it attractive for those applications where the cost of cabling is more than $400 per workstation. Wireless communication is somewhat slower than wired communication. Industry tests indicate a performance level approximately one-half that of wired 10-Mbps UTP Ethernet. NCR’s substitute wireless technology, Wave LAN, is a slow-speed implementation using proprietary communications protocols and hardware. It also is subject to interference by other transmitters, such as remote control electronics, antitheft equipment, and point-of-sale devices. Ethernet is the most widely installed network topology today. Ethernet networks have a maximum throughput of 10 Mbps. The first network interface cards developed for Ethernet were much cheaper than corresponding NICs developed by IBM for Token Ring. Until recently, organizations that used non-IBM minicomputer and workstations equipment had few options other than Ethernet. Even today in a heterogeneous environment, there are computers for which only Ethernet NICs are available. The large market for Ethernet NICs and the complete definition of the specification have allowed over 100 companies to produce these cards. 3 Competition has reduced the price to little more than $200 per unit. 10BaseT Ethernet is a standard that enables the implementation of the Ethernet protocol over telephone wires in a physical star configuration (compatible with phone wire installations). Its robustness, ease of use, and low cost driven by hard competition has made 10BaseT the most popular standards-based network topology. Its pervasiveness is unrivaled: In 1994, new laptop computers will start to ship with 10BaseT built in. IBM is now fully committed to support Ethernet across its product line. IBM uses the Token Ring LAN protocol as the standard for connectivity in its products. In an environment that is primarily IBM hardware and SNA connectivity, Token Ring is the preferred LAN topology option. IBM’s Token Ring implementation is a modified ring configuration that provides a high degree of reliability since failure of a node does not affect any other node. Only failure of the hub can affect more than one node. The hub isn’t electric and doesn’t have moving parts to break; it is usually stored in a locked closet or other physically secure area. Token Ring networks implement a wire transmission speed of 4 or 16 Mbps. Older NICs will support only the 4-Mbps speed, but the newer ones support both speeds. IBM and Hewlett-Packard have announced a technical alliance to establish a single 100Mbps standard for both Token Ring and Ethernet networks. This technology, called 100VG-AnyLAN, will result in low-cost, high-speed network adapter cards that can be used in PCs and servers running on either Token Ring or Ethernet LANs. The first Any LAN products are expected in early 1994 and will cost about between $400 and $700 per port. IBM will be submitting a proposal to make the 100VG-AnyLAN technology a part of IEEE’s 802. 12 (or 100Base-VG) standard, which currently includes only Ethernet.

The Ethernet procedure device may function well when the cable is lightly full but, because of rear-ender that occur when an attempt is made to put data onto a busy cable, the technique provides poor performance when the LAN utilization exceeds 50 percent. To recover from the collisions, the sender retries, which puts additional load on the network. Ethernet users avoid this problem by creating subnets that divide the LAN users into smaller groups, thus keeping a low exploitation level. In spite of the prevalent implementation of Ethernet, Token Ring installations are mounting at a fast rate for client/server applications. IBM’s commitment to Ethernet possibly will slow this success, because Token-Ring will always cost more than Ethernet. The analysis predicts a steady increase in planned Token Ring installations from the middle of 1988 until the installed base is analogous in 1996. However, this analysis does not account for the emergence of a powerful new technology which has entered the marketplace in 1993, Asynchronous Mode, or ATM. It is likely that by 1996 ATM will govern all new installations and will gradually replace accessible installations by degrees.

Networking.

Networking is a complex part of computing that makes up most of the IT Industry. Without networks, almost all communication in the world would cease to happen. It is because of networking that telephone, televisions, the internet, etc. work.

One way to categorize computer networks is by their geographic scope, although many real-world networks interconnect Local Area Networks (LAN) via Wide Area Networks (WAN) and wireless networks [WWAN]. These three (broad) types are:

Local area network (LAN)

A local area network is a network that spans a relatively small space and provides services to a small number of people. Depending on the number of people that use a Local Area Network, a peer-to-peer or client-server method of networking may be used. A peer-to-peer network is where each client shares their resources with other workstations in the network. Examples of peer-to-peer networks are: Small office networks where resource use is minimal and a home network. A client-server network is where every client is connected to the server and each other. Client-server networks use servers in different capacities. These can be classified into two types: Single-service servers, where the server performs one task such as file server, print server, etc. ; while other servers can not only perform in the capacity of file servers and print servers, but they also conduct calculations and use these to provide information to clients (Web/Intranet Server). Computers are linked via Ethernet Cable, can be joined either directly (one computer to another), or via a network hub that allows multiple connections.

Historically, LANs have featured much higher speeds than WANs. This is not necessarily the case when the WAN technology appears as Metro Ethernet, implemented over optical transmission systems.

Wide area network (WAN)

A wide area network is a network where a wide variety of resources are deployed across a large domestic area or internationally. An example of this is a multinational business that uses a WAN to interconnect their offices in different countries. The largest and best example of a WAN is the Internet, which is a network comprised of many smaller networks. The Internet is considered the largest network in the world. [6]. The PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) also is an extremely large network that is converging to use Internet technologies, although not necessarily through the public Internet.

A Wide Area Network involves communication through the use of a wide range of different technologies. These technologies include Point-to-Point WANs such as Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) and High-Level Data Link Control (HDLC), Frame Relay, ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) and Sonet (Synchronous Optical Network). The difference between the WAN technologies is based on the switching capabilities they perform and the speed at which sending and receiving bits of information (data) occur.

For more information on WANs, see Frame Relay, ATM and Sonet.

Wireless networks (WLAN, WWAN)

A wireless network is basically the same as a LAN or a WAN but there are no wires between hosts and servers. The data is transferred over sets of radio transceivers. These types of networks are beneficial when it is too costly or inconvenient to run the necessary cables. For more information, see Wireless LAN and Wireless wide area network. The media access protocols for LANs come from the IEEE.

The most common IEEE 802. 11 WLANs cover, depending on antennas, ranges from hundreds of meters to low kilometers. For larger areas, either communications satellites of various types, cellular radio, or wireless local loop (IEEE 802. 16) all have advantages and disadvantages. Depending on the type of mobility needed, the relevant standards may come from the IETF or the ITU.

www. HbTechUsa. com

Reference

Wikipedia.

Networking is an interconnected collection of autonomous computers, allowing all the users controlled access, in a cost effective manner. The main application of a good network is sharing. The sharing can be of any hardware, software or peripheral devices that are very costly and/ or are very less in number.

With networking, you can access remote database and communication facilities. For a smooth functioning, a business is required to have a suitable networking support. There are various types of Network infrastructure services, such as LAN, MAN, and WAN. All small business-network solutions have LAN as their base. A LAN or local area network covers only a small area, which may be a office or a building. The main purpose of the business networking solutions is to serve its users in resource sharing.

A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is spread across an entire city. For example, a cable TV network. The purpose of this kind of business networking solutions is also to facilitate the sharing of hardware and resources among its users. Another Network Infrastructure Design available is WAN or Wide Area Network, which is a group of computers that are separated by large distances and tied together. The basic Network Security and Support Services, keeping LAN, MAN and WAN in view, are modem and robust.

The Network installation services, in general, use both branded as well as non-branded, equipments, including products of some of the best companies like IBM, Compaq, Apple, and Toshiba. However, if you are low on budget, you can also choose from used and refurbished products.

There are also various network-monitoring services offered by the network provider, wherein a remote network monitoring service keep an eye on your network and ensures its smooth working. There are various specific network protocols designed to implement better safety within a client-server business network, to attain better network security and privacy. Qualified network professionals monitor for any spiteful activity under the purview of these business networking solutions.

Effective network installation services helps in setting up network quickly and effectively, in case of relocation of existing networks.

There are companies that provide comprehensive network security and support services, to ensure proper functioning of the network by their prompt troubleshooting services.

While companies who can afford keep their own qualified networking support for throughout maintenance and monitoring of the networking infrastructure, small businesses with limited budget prefer to outsource the services on an AMC contract or akin.

Over half of all Americans between the ages of 15-34 consider themselves active social network users. They regularly visit well-known social networking sites, such as MySpace or Facebook, or log onto specialty social networks, like Ravelry (devoted to the fiber arts) or GroupRecipes (for the foodie set). While industry research tells us that television watching is declining, especially among this age group, social network use is on the rise: average users spend seven to eight hours a week online.

This time spent on social networks clearly affects buying decisions. An estimated forty percent of all social networkers say they use social networking sites to learn more about brands or products they like, according to GreenBiz. com, with twenty-eight percent saying they’ve had a brand or product recommended to them by a friend.

The message is clear. Strategic use of social networking can help a company grow. It’s an effective use of target marketing, reaching out to one’s customers where they are.

However, in order to capitalize on social networking’s power, you have to do it right. Execution is everything. Make no mistake. Every time you log onto Facebook, MySpace, or other social networking platform, you’re representing your company in a very visible arena. The world is, quite literally, watching.

There are five common mistakes Nichepreneurs™ make when it comes to social networking. Here’s what they are — and more importantly, how to avoid them!

Mistake #1: Dismissing Social Networking as “Just a Fad”

Social networking may have emerged as a phenomenon only recently, but it is a manifestation of something as old as time — word of mouth! Customers value the opinions of colleagues, relatives, peers and friends above almost anything else. This has been true for generations. Social networking has merely expanded the definition of friend. Technology has made it easier to communicate with more people than ever before — a person could have hundreds of friends they’ve never once met in person. That’s a power and a privilege that no one is going to let just fade away.

Mistake #2: Mistaking Social Networking for Advertising

Social networking is a form of relationship marketing. It works best when you view it as an opportunity to build your brand, a prime platform to let your customer base know who you are and what you represent.

At the same time, you’ve got a fantastic chance to learn about your customers. If you actually stop and read what they post, you’ll learn a tremendous amount about who your customers are and what’s important to them. Where else do you get your customer’s pure, unvarnished opinions served up to you on a silver platter?

Don’t spoil this prime market research opportunity with unwelcome advertising. It’s fine to let people know you’re in business, but that can’t be the only thing you bring to the conversation.

Mistake #3: Failing to Connect Online Interaction with Real World Consequences

This mistake is often a generational problem. Nichepreneurs who grew up before the Internet was such an omnipresent force can have a hard time understanding how words on a computer screen can have real consequences on the every day course of business.

Compounding the problem is the fun, freewheeling atmosphere prevalent on many social networking platforms. It’s easy to forget the potential results when the commentary’s flying fast and furious. However, your words can come back and haunt you later. Remember — it all counts! The days where an organization can dismiss poor behavior with “It’s just the internet” are long gone!

Mistake #4: Using Sock Puppets

Sock puppets is the term applied to social networking accounts that are created with the intent of hiding the poster’s true identity. Individuals often create sock puppets in an effort to avoid the real life consequences discussed in mistake number three!

Sock puppets can be used to boost, support, or defend a company’s position. Conversely, they can be used to tear down, disparage, or make negative commentary about a competitor’s organization, products, or services.

Either way, it is a bad idea! Many denizens of social networks are incredibly tech-savvy, and it won’t take them long at all to discover who is really behind a string of negative or hostile commentary. Exposure can be a public relations nightmare.

Honesty is the best policy. Either be willing to own your commentary, by posting under your own identity, or don’t say them at all!

Mistake #5: Overestimating Social Networking’s Role

Social networking is powerful. It is influential. It is, in many cases, free to participate in. However, it is NOT the end all, be all solution to your marketing needs. While it is tempting to try to solve many of your marketing challenges with social networking, it is important to remember that social networking is a tool, not the only tool.

Use social networking efforts to augment your existing marketing efforts. There are small, start up companies that market themselves solely via social networking. However, this is a self-limiting strategy: even if you reach every single person on that network, you’re still missing out on a large number of potential customers who never log on.

Keep your perspective. Social networking might not eat into your budget, but it does take time. Realize that at best, social networking can significantly augment and enhance your marketing and promotional efforts — but it will never wholly replace it!

I first heard this phrase (“Your Network Is Your Net Worth) from Robert Kiyosaki in his book “Rich Dad, Poor Dad”. Then, many people started using the phrase again and again, as if it was a phrase from the Bible.

But I thought for a while, is it true? Does the extension of your network, simple reflected in your net worth? Or does the quality of your network determine your net worth?

I was curious. So, I ventured out to find the elusive answer through books, friends and eventually I stumbled upon a workshop. A workshop conducted by DU Advanced Toastmasters Club. Here is what I understand from the Singaporean trainer.

(1) What is networking?

Networking can be anybody. For example, the toilet cleaner, your child’s friends or your friend’s mother or even the waitress serving you could be your network. They may be the next one, who introduce you to the CEO, General Manager or Head Of Department (“HOD”) of a company. If this is true, then in short, networking can be built by anyone, at anytime, to anybody. This simply means you have to be nice to everybody (smiling).

Networking also means sharing your competence with your alliances.

Network refers to someone, who knows someone, who knows someone, who knows someone, who knows someone. They may not be the someone doing the job for you, but that someone may open doors for opportunity to you when you’re in need.

Networking is about being professional, it is about being connected, being involved and being interested in people.

(2) So, why should people even network with you?

There are only 3 reasons, why your friends network with you, now.

(a) Your POSITION

Just imagine this. If you are the CFO of a company, I bet you, that bankers, lawyers, partners of audit firm and the entire HOD will be begging to be in your network. For an obvious reason, you have the authority to deposit money into their banks, to appoint or engage them for certain services and also to approve their budgets. But the risk is, what if you no longer working as the CFO of the company? You have to think about it because nothing is evergreen.

(b) The INFORMATION you can provide them

The second reason why people network with you is because you have certain special knowledge, skills or experiences that they don’t have. If you know all the gossips at your workplace, I bet you’ll have more friends. Because, whenever your colleagues want some updates in the office, you will be the someone they are looking for.

Let says if you have always known to be a person, who poses high problem solving skills among your friends. And the next time your friends, have a problem, do you think it is more likely that they will look for you or someone else on the street? Do you think they will want to keep you as their close network over someone who has nothing to share? Think about it.

If you know the best place for food, the cheapest car repair workshop or even the best deals for online purchases, you’ll definitely have an edge over your other friends.

(c) The CONNECTIONS you have

You know everyone in the town, all the top notch bankers, famous lawyers and even celebrities, you’ll have more friends. Rather than investing hours and hours networking with hundreds of people, your friends could simply tap on the vast network you already have. The just need to know you and they’ll have the key to access hundreds of your friends. Likewise, it will be the same for you too This is call ‘leveraging’ on each others network.

So, the most important question is which of the above do you poses? Position, information or connection? If you have all 3 of them, “Well done!” Your network should be extensive by now. If you have none of that, your network would consider limited.

But the latter is no longer a concern. Because, now you already know the three reasons why people network with you and guess what, many of your friends, don’t even realize it yet.

If you already have a huge extensive network then, you can always expand it further. But if you have limited network, here are something you could do:

(i) make the most of your existing connections

Re-connect with them through off-line and online such as e-mails, social community site like www. myspace. com or www. facebook. com.

(ii) build your social capital

Find out the best eatery place in town, the cheapest flight tickets, the happening events in your area, the best lawyers, the most trustworthy contractors or the most reliably insurance agents. and

(iii) Creating new connection

A common networking session that I’ve attended often happens in this manner.

First, introducing yourself to strangers, then talking with them, asking them questions, knowing them, having drinks and then, eventually forgetting about them. Usually the last line is, “We shall catch up again someday”. But the truth is, they never catch up. Maybe at the end of the conversation, they even forget about the person name.

Most people spend time SOCIALIZING, but they thought they are NETWORKING. Networking is about maintaining close contact through offering and sharing with other people your social capital, so that both can connect.

Here comes my thought. Expansion of network is crucial, but the quality of your network is even more important than the quantity. The simple fact is, if you lie down with dogs, you come up with fleas. If you network with positive and like minded people, you’ll be positive minded as well. If you network with negative people, you’ll turn negative. So, choose wisely.

Warmest regards, Ken Tan

Adoption Network Reviews – Adoption Network

Below are some common issues that both sides often face.
Many open adoptions are cordial, but somewhat reserved. For most people, telephone calls have become the preferred mode of communication. Even people who telephone or visit each other sometimes feel detached. Sometimes feeling that they have nothing in common but the child, adoptive parents often tend to concentrate on reporting the child’s milestones to the birthparents.

Adoption Network Review – ANLC Reviews
It is also very helpful for prospective adoptive parents looking to adopt to speak with a professional counselor. There are many issues related to adoption which are best addressed prior to pursuing an adoption. Are both spouses ready to accept a child into their homes and understand the responsibility of raising a child? Do they accept this responsibility? Are they prepared to adopt a child sometimes with little prior knowledge? Have they both dealt with the issues regarding their own inability to have biological children? Have considerations been made for adoption a child of a different race, color, ethnic background, etc.

ANLC Review – Adoption Network Law Center Review
Professional counseling can be extremely helpful when trying to make a decision which will affect the lives of many people. Expectant parents should seek the advise of a counselor prior to making a final decision regarding adoption. A professional counselor can offer their assistance when one is trying to sort out feelings regarding such a big personal decision. A mother is making a decision that not only effect her life, but also the life of a child. A counselor will often ask the mother or parents to create and complete a list of the advantages and disadvantages of going through an adoption. That list can then be gone over with the counselor on an objective basis to discuss the impact of those decisions. The decision to place a child for adoption or choosing to raise a child will have lifelong effects.

Sites: Adoption Network, Adoption Network Law Center, Adoption Network Law Center Reviews, ANLC. What better time to celebrate National Adoption Month than at the start of the holiday season? It’s a time of goodwill towards men, when spirits are high and humankind comes together to rejoice in knowing that we can help others in great need. It’s also the perfect time to take a closer look at your current or future adoption relationship. We hope this article helps both birth and adoptive parents understand and appreciate each other for the magical gifts that they so selfishly bestow on one another – whether you’re a birthmother blessing an infertile couple with the gift of life, or an adoptive parent granting a loving birthmother and a beautiful baby a bright new future.

Adoption Network Law Center Review .

Social networking is the buzz word in today’s Internet space. With lots and lots of people getting into Social networking everyday, many wise online marketers are creating their own Social networking websites. However, with many online marketers getting into Social networking, it is necessary to highlight your social networking website to avoid getting lost in the crowd. For this you have to offer your users with something unique and useful.

Provide the users with interactive Social networking Softwares

Do you know the reason behind the huge popularity of the social networking websites like myspace and face book? One of the reason is that they provide some interactive, useful social networking softwares. Unlike other softwares that needs to be downloaded to the users computer (which most of them do not prefer), these social networking softwares doesn’t need to be downloaded. These web based social networking softwares are gaining popularity these days because of the ease of use. As there are no compatibility problems associated with these social networking softwares, anyone can use it.

Creating Social networking software for your own Business Social Networking Website

When it comes to creating a social networking software, you will come up with a question “Should I Build my Own Social Networks Software?” Just keep reading on to find the answer. You can create the social networking software for your website by yourself if:

1. You are a skilled programmer.
2. Have lots of time to spare to spend on researching the trends in the Social media.
3. Are able to identify the user needs and satisfy them

The users of any websites will become unpleasant if the site takes long time to load. Moreover, the error messages are the ones that make the users of your social networking website more irate. Once the error message shows up to any user of your social networking website, they will never return back to your website. If you are a no vice programmer, trying to add or build social networking softwares, then your social networking softwares will be more error prone. All of these factors will be rather overwhelming to you if you are not a skilled programmer. Yet creating your own social networking software for your social networking website is not impossible.

Getting professional help for building Social Networking softwares

There is nothing to worry even if you don’t have the above said requirements for building social networking software. The professional social networking web designers are capable of building unique social networking softwares too. There are so many ready made social networking softwares also. All you have to do is to pick the right one that best fulfils your customer requirements. Getting social networking softwares built through programmers has many advantages. It saves much of your time and money along with enabling you to offer the users of your social networking website with some great interactive social networking software.

Network security is one of the most important factors to be considered while setting up a network at home or at the office. An unsecured network will result in loss of information and data. Network Security in Austin Texas plays a very important role to the people of Texas as their computers may be given a potential threat from the internet.

More over cyber crimes are increasing tremendously these days which is to be considered as a matter of great importance. Austin Texas Network Security should be strengthened by all the computer users of Texas so that they can be safe about their data and information.

Most people in Texas do not still know what network security is and the dangers that can be caused by the security breach. Any one can get into the computer of an unsecured or unprotected network and can use the data or information that is available in the system.

If the Austin Texas Network Security is too weak then hackers can easily modify the data or even destroy the data present in the computer. Network Security in Austin Texas depends on the protection and the security of the network in which the computer is connected to.

Network security is basically not about updating programs in the system and rather it is removing the malware, spyware and other intruding programs that damage the capability of the system. Network Security in Austin Texas should be made available to all the people in the city and everyone should be aware of the potential dangers of an unsecured network.

Austin Texas Network Security comes into a role where the people of the city are working with an always on internet connection where the chances of getting a security breach are high. With high speed internet connections coming to reality people should be very much aware of the network security.

Every person in the city of Texas who has a system and which is connected to a network which can be a local area network or a wide area network should be very careful about his network. Austin Texas Network Security is used by the people only when their system is affected by a virus program or there has been a loss of data in their system.

Most companies forget the danger of an unsecured network which can result in a great loss to the company as the company secrets and their information can go destroyed without Network security in Austin Texas. If one system is affected by a virus which is connected to an unsecured network every person in that network has the chance of getting that virus very easily if Austin Texas Network Security not proper.

A malicious code can cause the whole system to crash without the knowledge of the user of the system if the Network security in Austin Texas is weak. The damage is very strong that even a bank’s network or an airline or any company in the city can be completely shut down due to poor Austin Texas Network Security.

The damages due to these are increasing every year and so the people should be careful about their computers and make sure it is secured while it is connected to a network.