This is a guest post by Ryan Biddulph. He shares smart blogging tips at Blogging From Paradise.
Outreach seems confusing sometimes.
Bloggers offer advice for networking the right way. But the same bloggers cold pitch fellow bloggers guest post opportunities and link exchanges.
Who do you trust?
What does it really mean to network the right way?
I want to give you a short, sweet guide for networking effectively, intelligently and compassionately.
Help People
Generously help people.
Ideas:
- retweet blog posts
- share blog posts on Facebook
- comment genuinely on blogs from your niche
- mention bloggers on your blog
Helping people is the quickest way to get connected. Blogger outreach pros generously help people persistently. Connected bloggers reach out with a kind, giving hand. Fellow bloggers appreciate your generosity. Bloggers gravitate toward generous bloggers because everyone loves people who give freely.
Cut the Strings of Expectation
Release expectations. Ask for nothing in return.
Help bloggers. Cut the strings.
Be disciplined in not asking anything of bloggers you help as the friendship forms organically. Allow bloggers to get to know you, like you and trust you. Let the process unfold gracefully.
Help bloggers, ask for nothing and let these folks see that you are interested in them versus being interested in what they can do for you.
Allow Father Time to Bond You
Time serves as the most critical element in the networking game because time allows bonds to grow organically.
I recall chatting with a fellow blogger for an extended period of time. Neither party wanted anything from each other. We simply helped one another, cut the strings of expectation and allowed our bond to grow seamlessly. Time bonded us. Now we are good buddies because we allowed time to connect us the right way.
Be patient. Relax. Help people freely. Release any expectations. Do not ask bloggers to do anything for you in return for the help you offered bloggers. Take your time. Fall in love with serving people. Father Time ensures generous actions plus detachment makes you a big time, connected blogger.
Common Networking Errors
Look out for these blogger outreach mistakes:
- cold pitching bloggers; emailing strangers asking for guest post opportunities, link exchanges and free advertising on their blogs
- rushing the outreach process; retweeting 3 blog posts over 1 week before asking for a testimonial from a trusted, pro blogger
- asking for endorsements before you have endorse-able skills; an increasing number of new or intermediate bloggers routinely ask me for endorsements but none have endorse-able skills yet
- attempting to manipulate bloggers by asking them to your 100 blogger round up mainly to get a retweet, Facebook Share or list email mention to their large, loyal tribe
Most bloggers network the wrong way because fear makes you do stuff you do not want to do. Perhaps everything seems to be moving along way too slowly with your blogging efforts. Panic arises in your being. Instead of generously, patiently helping top pros in your niche from a detached approach you desperately cold email 50 pro bloggers today asking for a free guest posting opportunity. 49 pro bloggers ignore your email. 1 pro blogger reads your pitch but rejects your offer based on the quality of your writing.
Face, feel and release your fears. Blog from a loving, generous, trusting energy.
Write diligently. Publish posts frequently. Network the right way.
Blogger outreach is less about reaching out and more about helping out. Serve fellow bloggers. Cut the strings of expectation. Earn trust. Prove your genuine interest in fellow human beings.
Do blogger outreach the right way.
