1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:13,800 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:18,479 Speaker 1: Today's tip is about how to create online water cooler moments, 4 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:22,600 Speaker 1: that is, little moments of connection with people you mostly 5 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:27,680 Speaker 1: interact with virtually. This tip, like several other networking tips 6 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:30,840 Speaker 1: we've discussed this week, comes from writer and investor J. 7 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:35,040 Speaker 1: Kelly Howey's book Build Your Dream Network. If you think 8 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 1: about the proverbial office water cooler, it's where people gather 9 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 1: to share information and get to know each other. The 10 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 1: downside of a real physical water cooler is that you're 11 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:49,440 Speaker 1: limited to the people in your actual office and realistically 12 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:54,200 Speaker 1: on your corner of your floor. The online world is 13 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 1: much more vast. You could meet anyone at this virtual 14 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 1: water cooler, and by visit frequently, you increase the chances 15 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:06,320 Speaker 1: of making real connections, even with fairly high profile people 16 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:09,800 Speaker 1: in your industry. How we suggest that you should aim 17 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:13,200 Speaker 1: to create multiple touch points when creating your own online 18 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:17,080 Speaker 1: water cooler moments. She offers a menu of items to consider. 19 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 1: For instance, if the person is an influencer, follow their 20 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 1: posts on linked In, sign up for their newsletter, write 21 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 1: an Amazon review for their book. Even well read books 22 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:32,319 Speaker 1: might have only a hundred or so reviews, which means 23 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:35,759 Speaker 1: that yours will get seen. You can read and comment 24 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: on the person's blog posts or Instagram posts, and the 25 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 1: more you do this, the more your name will become 26 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 1: known to the blogger and their community. You can subscribe 27 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 1: to and spread the word about their podcasts, and of 28 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: course rate their podcasts on Apple Podcasts. You can share 29 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 1: their content on Facebook or by retweeting it. You can 30 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 1: use their particular hashtags. Many people search on Twitter or 31 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 1: Instagram for their hashtags, and we'll see this touch point. 32 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: This might not be true if the person has two 33 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 1: million followers, but someone in your industry with twenty followers, 34 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 1: of course they'll notice. You can participate in any online 35 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 1: sessions or webinars they're hosting, and as you're participating, share 36 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 1: your insights. Now, of course, you don't want to be 37 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:22,919 Speaker 1: creepy about any of this. You probably don't want to 38 00:02:22,919 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: be the first person commenting on every post. But the 39 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 1: funny thing is that the more we see someone's name 40 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:32,360 Speaker 1: and interact with them, even virtually, the more we feel 41 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:35,119 Speaker 1: like we know them. I realized this the other day, 42 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 1: and I was trying to explain how I knew someone, 43 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 1: and it occurred to me that I had never actually 44 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 1: met her in real life, but we've exchanged enough online 45 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 1: comments and touch points that I felt like I knew her, 46 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:49,200 Speaker 1: possibly better than I know some people I actually know, 47 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 1: like neighbors or my kids classmates parents. So how will 48 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:56,960 Speaker 1: you create online water cooler movements? How will you connect 49 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 1: and grow your network virtually? Take a few minute today 50 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,360 Speaker 1: to think about this, and take a few minutes every 51 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 1: day to invest in these activities. Over time, you'll start 52 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: to feel better connected, even without leaving your house, which 53 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:15,440 Speaker 1: you still should do at some point, but that's not 54 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 1: the only route to robust network. In the meantime, this 55 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 1: is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making the 56 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 1: most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear 57 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 1: from you. You can send me your tips, your questions, 58 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 1: or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, 59 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 1: and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod that's B the number four, 60 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 1: then Breakfast p o D. You can also shoot me 61 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 1: an email at Before Breakfast Podcast at iHeart media dot 62 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 1: com that Before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters. 63 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 1: Thanks so much. I look forward to staying in touch 64 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of I heart Radio. For 65 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:10,400 Speaker 1: more podcasts from i heart Radio, visit the i heart 66 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:13,840 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 67 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 1: favorite shows.