<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"The International Business Series is brought to you by UPS. Discover the new logistics. It levels playing fields and lets you act locally or globally. It's for the individual entrepreneur, the small business, or the large company. Put the new logistics to work for you.\nInternational business requires an international network.  But, unless you own a private jet, there are obvious obstacles to networking in person with people who live in other countries. \nThankfully, the web is truly worldwide, and these obstacles can be easily overcome with a little online networking and social interaction. We asked people who have successfully accumulated large online international networks about their recommendations for getting started. This is what they had to say.\nAdd your own tips for building an international professional network via the web in the comments below.\n1. Join International Groups and Networks\nParticipating in online discussions that include international voices is a primary way to make connections and expand your international network. E-mail lists, online groups, and networking sites are easy ways for getting involved in these discussions.\nShel Horowitz, a publishing consultant who started an international business ethics pledge that includes signers from more than 30 countries, says he\u2019s met most of his international contacts through online discussions.\n\u201COver a period of time, people exchange information, answer questions, pontificate on whatever is going on in the publishing world,\u201D he says. \u201CAnd not only did I develop an international network of friends and colleagues through this, but also a considerably greater expertise in the publishing consulting I do.\u201D\nWhat kind of discussions you join will depend upon what your networking goals are. \u201CYou have to find a niche and decide who you want to meet,\u201D says Vinil Ramdev, an India-based consultant for entrepreneurs. \u201CBecause if you\u2019re an actor and you\u2019re only meeting entrepreneurs, that\u2019s not going to help.\"\nSocial networking sites like LinkedIn or community platforms like Groupsite.com host discussions that you can search by interest, meaning you can find relevant international topics with the right search terms. E-mail lists from your alma mater, professional societies, and any organizations you belong to most likely have international members, as well. If you\u2019re looking specifically to meet international contacts, however, you might also consider:\n\nViadeo: Like LinkedIn, but oriented for European business\nUshi.cn: An invite-only business networking platform for China \nA Small World: Another invite-only networking site that links members with other members, discussions, and events related to their interests\nInternations: Connect with expats living around the world. Membership is invitation-based, but you can request an invitation, so you don\u2019t actually need to know a member.\nXing: Like LinkedIn, but has a stronger presence in Europe\nSandbox Network : Designed for the most influential people under age 30, this by-application-only social network has \u201Cambassadors\" in more than 20 cities.\nMeetingWave: This site allows you to search for networking events and meetings by interest and location. Look for international networking events near you.\nGeeksOnaPlane: Promotes cultural exchange through technology and entrepreneurship. You can request an invite to join the group on their international travels.\nOrkut: This is Google's social networking site, which is quite popular in Brazil and India. You can target your posts by groups of friends, such as \"Work Buddies\" or \"International Contacts.\" All you have to do is create and name a category of contacts and add people. This feature allows you to keep your work and personal lives separate.\n\nYou may have noticed that some of these networks are invite only. But you should be encouraged, not intimidated, by the exclusivity, says Severin Jan Ruegger, the co-founder of the Sandbox Network. \n\u201CWith LinkedIn or Facebook anybody can join. And I don\u2019t dispute that they\u2019re helpful in certain situations,\u201D he says. \u201CBut sometimes there is a lack of trust. And in any relationship there has to be some trust.\u201D In Ruegger's experience, people are more approachable, helpful and willing to talk to him in invite-only networks.\nIf you\u2019re looking for an invite, Rawn Shah, the author of Social Networking for Business and a member of the Social Software Enablement Team at IBM, suggests that you check your existing connections to see if they are members of the group you want to join. Some sites, like Sandbox, have application-like invitation processes, in which case you can just apply.\nAnother option is to create your own e-mail list or group, which is what  Horowitz did when the e-mail list he was on stopped meeting his needs.\n\u201CI just announced to that list that I was starting another list and that this was what was going to be different, and a critical mass signed up very quickly,\u201D he says.\n2. Don\u2019t Forget About the Classics\n\n\n\n\nWhile targeting international networks and groups is effective, networks that you may already belong to, like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, can also be extremely helpful if leveraged properly. In fact, Horowitz says his first international speaking gig came from LinkedIn.\nRamdev uses these networks to stay in touch with people after he has met them online, at a conference, in a webinar, or by commenting on a blog. \u201CE-mail is very hard to send because it\u2019s one on one,\u201D he says. \u201CIf I update my Facebook status, though, I have 30 or 40 people commenting on it.\u201D\nIt\u2019s important not to go overboard while inviting people to your network on these platforms, however. \u201CMore connections doesn't necessarily mean better, stronger relationships that help you in business,\u201D he says. \u201CWork first on interacting on a regular pace with your peers in the group through the discussion.\u201D\nShah also recommends limiting the number of groups you\u2019re involved in on sites like LinkedIn as well: \u201CYou want a productive relationship, which means that you should interact with others in the group for some time (at least a few weeks), and decide for yourself if it is worth staying in,\u201D he says. \u201CThis means that it will take time to form your relationships in each group. The effort is not wasted, however, if you decide not to stay. It gives you perspective into different views and mindsets. Also if you look across groups, you might find the same names appearing repeatedly as they post. They may be worth getting to know.\u201D\nIt\u2019s also worth understanding that different networking sites are popular in different countries. The above map uses data from Alexa and Google to show which sites are the most popular in each country.\n3. Attend International Conferences and Webinars Online\nLuckily, there are a lot of webinars and live-streamed conferences out there. Seek out these opportunities to connect with industry professionals, and when you attend, make sure you stick around for conversation. After you physically attend a conference or seminar, you generally make small talk with your fellow attendees and the host after it ends, right? There\u2019s no reason you can\u2019t do that online as well.\n\u201CIt\u2019s a little more difficult obviously, however, the approach is very similar to offline,\u201D says Ruegger. \u201CYou might also do that by chatting or sending a quick e-mail to follow up. It can also be personal. It doesn\u2019t have to be very stiff and business-like. Something that makes you approachable, that makes you nice.\u201D\nShah suggests taking advantage of the bio and contact information that is usually posted for each speaker by making contact after the seminar. It\u2019s also helpful to chat with the group in the group space during the webinar or contact individuals about a comment they made or a question they asked during the webinar.\nAnother great way to stay in touch with your online international contacts is to invite them to your own webinar, which you can create using tools like Supercool School.\n4. Find a Way to Interact With Your Contacts\n\n\n\n\nCollecting contacts internationally isn\u2019t merely a matter of adding connections to your social sites. If you want a valuable international network, you\u2019ll need to stay in touch.\nRuegger\u2019s approach is to be as helpful as possible. \u201CSend opportunities, links \u2014 anything that you know these people would value. Send it over, give a contact, introduce people, and bring people together,\u201D he says. \u201C[It\u2019s] just like offline. Introduce people to each other. All these interactions over time will build you a network that needs to be nurtured.\u201D\nRamdev stays in touch with his network, which is mostly composed of entrepreneurs, by linking to information that will be relevant to them on his Twitter feed (as pictured above).\n5. Make Your Web Presence Internationally Friendly\nWhen Horowitz started his first web page in 1996, he took very seriously the phrase \u201Cworld wide web.\u201D His page included an introduction that was translated in a number of languages and apologized for an inability to translate the rest of the page.\nToday, he is able to use a WordPress plug-in called Global Translator that automatically translates his site into 48 different languages.\nHorowitz also started the International Association of Earth-Conscious Marketers and recommends using the word \u201Cinternational\u201D in any discussion groups or e-mail threads you start. \u201CHaving the word \u2018international\u2019 in print says, \u2018you are welcome, we want your input,'\u201D he says.\n6. Understand How Networking Differs in Other Cultures\n\n\n\n\n\u201CThere are significant differences in culture that alter the way you network,\u201D says Ruegger, who has spent time living in China and several European countries. \u201CAmerican people have a tendency to understand networking and its purpose as possibly useful, but it\u2019s much harder on an Asian continent.\u201D\nRuegger says the best way to learn about networking in other cultures is to live there. For instance, while living in China he learned that it\u2019s not culturally appropriate to criticize people or make suggestions in a public setting like a forum. \nObviously, moving to another country isn\u2019t an option for everybody.  But you can still take cultural differences into account. \u201CEven though it may be virtual, people instinctively transfer the work behaviors, norms and expectations from the physical world into the online world,\u201D Shah says.  \u201CThere are many books on working with international cultures which would be a good start. Search Google or Amazon for \"Doing business in [country].\"\nYou can also use a site like Forrester Research to learn about how people use social media in whatever country you wish to target.\nShah says one thing to keep in mind is that in some cultures, personal and business networking is strictly separate. Therefore, it might be advisable to exclude your beach photos from profiles that you plan to use for international business networking.\n7. Meet Online Contacts in Person Whenever Possible\nIt\u2019s great to have online contacts, but offline relationships are often easier to maintain. If you happen to be in the area of an online contact, ask to meet them in person.\n\"You actually try to physically meet the people who you met online ... which then makes them much stronger connections in your general network ...\" Reugger says.\nSeries supported by UPS\nThe International Business Series is brought to you by UPS. Discover the new logistics. It levels playing fields and lets you act locally or globally. It's for the individual entrepreneur, the small business, or the large company. Put the new logistics to work for you.\nMore Networking Resources from Mashable:\n- HOW TO: Use Facebook for Professional Networking- 7 Lessons for Better Networking with Social Media- Zen and the Art of Twitter: 4 Tips for Productive Tweeting- 4 Steps for Effective Online Networking- HOW TO: Use Social Media to Retain Customers\nImage courtesy of iStockphoto, lisegagne"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2010/09/20/international-business-network-online/>