"The Sign on the door of opportunity reads PUSH."
-- Anonymous

What is networking, really? There’s the technical kind of networking. Then there’s the business kind of networking. We’re going to review the business kind in this article.

"The adult Internet is truly a community that exists and thrives on a virtual plane."

In business, networking is the process of garnering contacts combined with the practice of self-promotion. It’s not enough to make deals or do business. It’s not enough to have a familiar name and/or service. One without the other only gets you so far.

You say “Damn Mowse. I am doing business. I am making deals. I could use more clients but I’m happy with the ones I have.”

Or you say “Everybody who is anybody knows who I am. I’ve gotten clients because of my fame but I would like to have more.”

Then, maybe you’re the third option who says “I don’t know anybody and nobody knows me. Where do I get started on this networking thing?”

Maybe you got into this business because you read about it somewhere in a magazine. Perhaps you had a friend in the industry. Could be you come from the world of print porn or live performance. No matter where you come from or what you know, if you’re new to Internet porn, you’re new to Internet porn and it’s time to start networking.

Message Boards

A little shy? Somewhat anti-social? Intimidated by the others? Too damned bad. The adult Internet is truly a community that exists and thrives on a virtual plane. We converse by email and ICQ. We sell our wares on the same information highway. We meet and share as an industry on message boards. If you want people to know who you are, you’ve got to get on the boards and say hello. The longer you lurk, the higher your frustration because you’re still classified as a newbie from that first hello. Don’t wait. Remember that nobody can kill you through a computer monitor. Get in on the conversation. Join as many boards as you can and try to post at least once a day on at least one or three of them. The more people see your nickname, the more you come to exist in this digital realm. You don’t have to prove anything. That’s the beauty of being a newbie. Fill out that profile page with a little something. Put a little bit of you in your signature file. Get in the mix.

Your Sponsors, Hosts and Vendors

Nobody likes a stalker. But that doesn’t have to keep you from calling up a party in question and asking a few. More than likely, the first people you bond with are going to be adult sponsors and/or hosts. Email is the great communicator for our times but you’ll get to know folks better and they’ll know you better if you call them on the phone. Your sponsor especially wants you to make them money and most have reps that are thrilled to give you pointers. Find out the business hours and the phone number and give them a ring. Your willingness to step out of the shadows goes a long way toward solidifying your credibility as an adult webmaster. The same goes with your host and any content or script providers. If you can’t call, get them on your ICQ or AIM list. Build a rapport with these people. Don’t be a pest and don’t wait until everything goes wrong. Don’t make your first impression in a state of panic. If you find that somebody or some company is impossible to get a hold of, take it as a sign.

Live Events

Hit the online chats and try to go to a gathering or show. The online chat thing is the easiest. There are tons of live events going on in the virtual space these days. There are the ones that coincide with the online radio shows. There’s the new trend of webmaster poker. Some webmasters like to meet each other by playing online games. Try to join some of these casual cyber settings. These are the places (along with message boards) where you make friends and find future contacts. The message boards are a good place to go to find out when some of these live online activities take place. Play a little poker. Enter a contest. Get in on a live chat.

If you want to get really serious, consider attending an adult webmaster convention or gathering. You can’t beat the physical plane when it comes to networking. Shaking hands, giving out business cards, the occasional deep discussion or the round of drinks. All of these are classics in the business world. To get in depth instruction on adult conventions we have a class just for you at Cozy Academy called Convention Whiz. If you want to keep up on what’s going on and where visit our Cozy Calendar and Convention Guide right here on the Frog.

Networking isn’t hard but you have to make the effort. Like the quote at the top of this article, you have to PUSH. Not too hard. Not too much. Just get your foot in the door and say “Hello. I’m here. I can do this. I want to do this. I’m ready, willing and able!”