Going Real-World: Transforming Online Connections into Real-World Relationships

Excited to have Lauren Gray back on the blog today! If you’ve ever wanted to meet a Twitter friend “IRL,” today’s tips are for you:

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Post by: @LaurenKGray

It’s very obvious that we live in a connected world. And we all know we have a very connected PR community across the world. The world is indeed so small that someone you know knows someone else who knows someone else… then it circle backs. It happens all the time.

As PR professionals, we spend countless hours online building relationships, trying to gain new followers and trying to meet new people. How can we participate in the worldwide PR community AND turn online relationships into real-world connections?

Engage; don’t just blast out tweets. Go look through your timeline, most of it will be scheduled tweets sent out throughout the day. You don’t actually see much conversation happening.

1. Organize some Twitter lists. This will make it easier to engage with people from those lists you want to get to know.
2. Engage with just as many people as the tweets you send out each day.

Join AND participate in Twitter Chats, Facebook Group and LinkedIn Groups.

1. Twitter Chats like #soloPR, #pr20chat, #PRstudchat, #PRSSA and many more happen weekly or monthly. It’s a good time to reconnect with people you’ve seen around the Twitterverse. Facebook Groups like the #RaganSocial and #u30pro are very active. LinkedIn Groups like the PRSA New Professionals and Community Managers are always very active.
2. Don’t just send out answers or posts in Twitter Chats or Groups, engage with others’ responses as well.
3. Ask meaningful questions others will also benefit from.
4. Make it a happen to participate in at least one of these a week. The more active you get, the more benefits you will see.

True story, when I was in Chicago for a few days by myself for a conference, I checked Foursquare and noticed Matt LaCasse was at the bar across from my hotel! I quickly DMed him and asked him if it would be okay to meetup and I ended up meeting Matt for the first time and hanging out with him and his friends the whole night.

1. When you’re traveling, check out who’s in the area with the nearby feature on Foursquare and on Facebook.
2. Using the nearby feature isn’t as creepy as it seems, it makes for quick connections and opportunities.
3. Before you travel, make a point to see who may be in the city you’re going to and send them a message beforehand to see if you could grab lunch or a quick coffee.

When you’re headed to conferences, make it a point to tweet out several times before you go that you’ll be at this event and I guarantee someone from your Twitter stream will be going as well.

1. Make plans to meetup during a session or grab a quick drink at a networking event.
2. If you see someone tweeting with the hashtag from the event, tweet them and tell them you’d like to meet in person.
3. Make plans to attend the same conference with friends you’ve been networking with online for years.

We all get busy, but make an effort to check-in on people and tweet them to catch up. I try to semi-regularly tweet Deirdre Breakenridge, Stephanie Wonderlin, Jason Mollica, Arik Hanson, my #PRSSA friends and many more people because I value their content in my stream and I do feel like I’m friends with them as I’ve met them all and have known them for quite a few years now.

1. Even if it’s once a month, send a message to people you value and stay in touch.
2. Comment on their blog posts or share their blog posts with your audience.

It’s a very connected world in real-life and online. Make an effort to make good relationships and make them last. There’s always a chance to meet someone you’ve know online for a while when you’re traveling or when you’re headed on a new adventure.  It just takes just one more step to ask someone to coffee than to tweet them.

Lauren currently works in digital public relations. She also volunteers for PRSA and loves to spend time at home with her boyfriend and dog. Connect with her on Twitter @laurenkgray.

Photo credit: Oh Kaye, via Flickr Creative Commons