Why I love Twitter Chats and You Should Too

Twitter chats have become one of my favorite forms of networking for 3 reasons. 

1. I love meeting new people and learning from their insights. 
2. It doesn't require pants.
3. I don't have to be "on" -- at least not in the physical sense. 

As a born introvert, sometimes it's just nice to get to meet people without all of the barriers that come into play at a traditional networking event. 

Technology has made it possible to have great conversations, develop relationships, and build lasting support groups without even leaving the house. You still have to put the work in, but the progress can happen so much faster. 

Here's how Twitter chats work, at least for me.

1. I find a Twitter chat that fits my interests and tune in. The first 15 minutes I just introduce myself and watch the culture of the conversation. If it's interesting I stick around, but if it's not -- well, you know. 
2. There are usually 1-4 people in that crowd that are just speaking my language, so I jump into their conversations and get to know them better -- courting them as I would a person I met at an in-person event. 
3. I keep those people in a list so I can focus on them in the future and have further conversations with them. 
4. I review that list a few times a week and favorite, retweet, and reply to things they're talking about. 
5. When Twitter chats are coming up, I'll ask them if they're joining in so we can meet up again.

Building relationships can actually happen more quickly online than in real life because they are no boundaries as far as time, no cancelations due to travel concerns, and you can talk off and on throughout the day rather than having to make an appointment. 

Embracing digital networking is about building relationships and maintaining them. And since you have nearly 24/7 access to your network, opportunities to connect are virtually endless. 

Looking for a Twitter chat to join in on? Here's a great article from Buffer on the ins and outs of Twitter chats with resources for finding chats to join. 

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