What are your tactics for making new connections online?

Question

So many of us are hustling trying to get projects and ideas off the ground. We spend a lot of time contacting folks we don't know -- they may be potential advisors, customers, investors.

I'm curious to hear what your best tactics are for making new connections online.

One thing I like to do before approaching someone I don't know is spend time observing their behaviour on social media and understanding their interests, passions and projects. I'll try to create a compelling offer that I can couple with my ask.

What are your tactics?

Lewis Kang'ethe Ngugi · Accepted Answer

Quite easy. Just find out what they've done and start with that.

So @abadesi, what are your tips on juggling so many roles and also acing them so well: Mentor, Co-founder and Head of Maker Outreach?

Also, a good resource that I found super helpful is @tim1 book and blog https://tim.blog/2008/05/19/5-tips-for-e-mailing-busy-people/

Jason Hargrove 🌱 · Answer

Genuinely enjoy most people, meaning I generally find things about most people that I enjoy.

In recent years, social dynamics have been more complicated. I've found myself connecting with many people based on shared values they present online. Those who are open make it easy. In the same spirit what I publish has been far more open re values.

Jason Hargrove 🌱 · Answer

@ollitiainen I suppose I could say political values to be clearer. I just started fundraising and it's interesting when you look at how potential investors are (or are not) engaging the issues of our time.

Specific to tech, an example might be... people's published views on automation, and the future of work, or bias in AI training. People who convey the importance of diverse inputs for building products that satisfy different variants of jobs to be done.  Or considering the impact of screen time on our youth. The impact of growth tactics on mental health.

For some these are political topics. For me they are design opportunities. Finding people who look at the big problems that way is easier today than it was a few years ago thanks to people being more open about what they value.

Eric Neal · Answer

Ask a question you're genuinely looking for perspective on, or offer a valuable one to them. Most importantly: be yourself.

Answer

@jasonhargrove Thanks for putting the effort to respond. Can I ask you something else still? I'm working on the problem of finding people that share similar values, goals, or purpose - or to put other way: that want to solve similar problems.

What's the hardest thing in finding these people? 
How have you tried to solve it?
What have you not liked about the solutions?

Armani Jones · Answer

heey

Varun Dave · Answer

Add value to what they are doing or talking about.

Debajit Sarkar · Answer

If I'm sending them a LinkedIn invite, I mention clearly in the invite itself what I'm working on and why I would want to connect with the individual. Similarly, if I'm creating a Facebook Group or a Meet Up Group I mention what's the purpose of the group, so that people who share common interests can connect with one another.

Abadesi · Answer

@eric_neal yes agreed! Being authentic is key

Jonathan Sun · Answer

@abadesi Exactly! But sometimes it's cool as well because you never know when folks in other regions will come into your town as well. Many things usually happen in a topsy-turvy manner :)

Kaushik M · Answer

One of the things that I intend trying out it to network before and after a webinar/AMA organized by a folks like SEM Rush or even Product Hunt

It's a quick way of getting to know people with similar interests. And then deciding if you want to continue the discussion with them post the online event.

Lewis Kang'ethe Ngugi · Answer

@tim1 @abadesi No, first build the relationship then offer comes later. Human before business.

Jason Hargrove 🌱 · Answer

@abadesi sure, this is relatively superficial. And even people I know very well in real life may signal different virtues online than they live by. It's not necessarily a filter, just something that I've started to naturally look for. (And I also notice when there's a complete absence of content that relates to the biggest news of our time.) In the end, it's just fractional data but where available I appreciate it.

Here's a fun real life story. A few years ago I had beef with a publicist at a fashion week. Petty minor difference that rubbed me the wrong way, no big deal. But recently she appeared in my feed after liking something I agreed with. It caught me off guard, because I had no idea she so strongly agreed with some of my core values. I followed her back right then and there.

Jason Hargrove 🌱 · Answer

@ollitiainen no problem at all! Cool! I'd also love to solve that problem :) In fact it's a part of the initial motivation that sent me into an R&D space with AI and bots. It's hard because people present different personas in different spaces, and with different people. And often people are conflicted themselves, believing themselves to be one way, but when push comes to shove, sometimes living differently. For example this may be why Tinder doesn't work for me, haha. I swipe right for all the wrong reasons... 🙃

If you'd like to connect and compare notes, or look for collabo fit, hit me up by DM here or on Twitter and maybe we can voice chat soon.

What are your tactics for making new connections online?

Replies