.+Memeshift+.

The great thing about the internet is that it allows those with access* connection to people and ideas in a lot of easy, organic ways.  However, while the tools to do this are always changing and evolving I’d argue that the techniques are timeless and work online as well as offline.  Regardless of technology, you can’t start your garden if you don’t have seeds, but people tended to gardens long before there was ever a hose.  Hopefully the resources below plant some ideas for you.

106 Tips to Become a Master Connector
http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2007/06/06/106-tips-to-become-a-master-connector/

I love this post.  I bookmarked it while ago  and there are just so many good tid bits in it.  My favorite tips are:

• Make other people more successful.
• Find your own mission in life.
• Build your network before you need it.

100 Personal Branding Tactics Using Social Media
http://www.chrisbrogan.com/100-personal-branding-tactics-using-social-media/

Kinda hard not to talk about online social networking (or social media in general) without some mention of Chris Brogan.  This list collects all kinds of great ideas for maximizing your personal brand - how you represent yourself professionally.  My favorites include:

• Your community knows more than you. Ask them questions often.
• Ask questions of people you meet. Get to know them.
• Contribute to your community’s blogs and projects.

Community is important.

25 Absolute Essentials for Networking Success
http://www.dumblittleman.com/2008/06/25-absolute-essentials-for-networking.html

This one also has some neat take aways that I dug:

• Promote your purpose more than yourself
• The answer to every request that you DON’T make is no
• Know people in different worlds

Do you use LinkedIn and other online resources to build your reputation or brand yourself? How do you do that?
http://www.linkedin.com/answers/marketing-sales/advertising-promotion/internet-marketing/MAR_ADP_INM/349646-25622973

This one’s a goody.  This is a great crowdsourced resource of people on LinkedIn weighing in on how they use LinkedIn (and other resources online) for building their reputation and brand.  Having a strong reputation and brand online is helpful when when augmenting the quality and scope of your relationships offline.

You!

Oh yeah, don’t forget that YOU yourself are a resource.  Many of the tips above apply to yourself - make yourself more successful, build your internal reserves before someone else needs it, know yourself in different worlds, etc.  You can’t be a master connector unless you yourself are connected.

Any resources out there that you’ve found to be helpful?
*Those that don’t is a subject of another post - volunteer with CTC VISTA if this is something you care about.  I did!