At an in-person networking event you wouldn't just attend not to network. Or would you? Normally everyone is there for a purpose, even if they haven't totally defined that purpose, they have a vague idea why they are there. Wouldn't that work same for iNetworking? Yep.

Yet...

Weekly I receive emails and phone calls how someone wants to connect with me in some way.

Yet...

They have no idea on what. No suggestions, no inklings, no possible thoughts, nada. I'm always baffled when I receive these. I don't have time to educate people because they surely do need it. A few emails even add their web site URL link or suggest that I visit their web site to learn what they do and "figure it out for them."

For folks reading this, who have done this, and wondered why their email doesn't get a response or gets a quick response of "sounds great" or "you can sell my new product or become my affiliate if you'd like" -- knock, knock, anyone home up there. People have told me that when they receive get these responses back, it confuses them. Talk about confused, how about person receiving them.

It's so much easier to either not to write or say what you really mean. Simply, say why you are writing, this is what you do, this is what I do, and here are some possibilities for us. You can even set this up in a signature file in Outlook and make it a quick send.

Everything is a mirror. If you want to iNetwork, state who you are, what you offer, or give clues and ideas of possibilities. Don't place burden on receiver to figure it out.

This brings us to rule number one in iNetworking. Be prepared. Don't be one that has a great service or product but doesn't know who gatekeepers are or who buyers and strategic partners are for your products or services. Gatekeepers are people that know more of your buyers, strategic partners are people that you are going to do something joint and temporary with to provide better value for both your customers.

If you went to an in-person networking event you wouldn't forget your business cards, or would you? If you attended an in-person networking event would you not bring flyers for your next workshop, not know benefits of your product or service, or not know who is your ideal client? If you did, it would be a social event and not a networking event.

The same holds true with iNetworking. Have your business card set up for an easy email send, set a signature file in Outlook or whatever email software you use, have your workshop flyer in pdf (Adobe) format, in an auto responder, designed for a embedded text email and HTML email (embedded means not as an attachment but as email itself). In other words, have all same materials that you would create for an in-person networking event available for delivery via Internet in multiple delivery formats.

If so, I've got very good news for you today. It's not a secret formula. It's not something I discovered and keep locked in a vault in my super-secret marketing laboratory.

It's something that has been used for hundreds of years. In fact, you probably do it now and don't know it.

It's called modeling. And it's basis of almost all real success in world. Just consider ...

While there have been many men and women who have achieved greatness by being creative geniuses and thinking thoughts no one ever thought before, everyday names you and I know got there by modeling.

When Sam Walton wanted to create discount superstore Wal-Mart, he studied every successful retailer and discounter he could. He took from them best policies and practices, then went on to add his own unique flair to create something new.

Modeling, or copying and building on success of others, has been foundation of greatness in every field of endeavor.

In politics, military, big business, and more, modeling is used every day.

Modeling is even basis of great parenting. If you are like me, you probably recognize certain mannerisms or characteristics that you saw in your Mom or Dad.

Nowhere is modeling more effective than in Internet marketing. Today, I'm going to show you just how it's done. When you finish reading this, you will be well on your way to getting your own piece of success pie by learning to identify and model success of others.

Here are five steps to follow.

1. Identify Sites That Are Worth Modeling.

As I'm sure you know, not every site on Net is successful. If you are going to emulate someone's success, why not make it someone truly successful?