Networking and blogging are addictive

I made up a blogging business card some weeks ago because I got tired of writing my weblog URL on the back of my other business cards. This card has my name and the tagline Online Essays along with this URL and email address of choice.

In spite of the fact that I am "retired" and live way out in the countryside of south central Virginia, I talk to more people daily than I did while a senior program manager at Sun. As a secondary result of starting two businesses and a weblog, I have also become an inveterate networker.

I am no longer surprised how often weblogs come up or can be brought up in response to comments about life in general. The best lead-ins, of course, are discussions about media bias or lack of real information from the press.

I generally suggest that they should start looking at weblogs for real information on important issues. If the person has strong opinions about some subject, I tell them, "You ought to have a weblog!"

"What's that?"

"Well, it a forum that you control entirely and you can solicit comments or not. For an example of this, go visit the website on this card."

Net result, one more card passed out to a possible future blogger.

Thanks to Jeff Jarvis of Buzzmachine, for the idea for this post. Jeff is also the person responsible for sending Zeyad the digital camera which was used to produce the photos appearing in my earlier post on December 11.

Thanks also to Fred First who persuaded me to begin this weblog a few months ago. Life has definitely taken on more dimensions than I could have ever imagined and my opportunities to network have expanded by an order of magnitude.

Those of you who are looking for employment or engagement on a wider scope might want to consider a weblog as part of your strategy.

Comments

[Darren Rowse]

I love the idea of a Blog Card - I've been thinking about it for a while now. Great tip - will add it to my blog tip series.

[Jennifer Rice]

I've already put my blog address in my email signature, and -- although I just reprinted my business cards -- I'm about to reprint them again with my blog address.

[fredf]

I coulda picked a shorter URL... something more like "ripples" and with fewer "f"s. I too am getting tired of scribbling on the backs of business cards and the next batch will have FFF.com on there. Hmmm. Wonder about putting it on my next order of bank checks....