Connect in “Real Time” with Virtual Peeps: 3 Ideas

Sparkplugging is starting a new tradition called ‘Spark an Idea Thursday’. Each week we’ll be sharing some great ideas for a topic of interest to our readers. We invite you to grab our image and carry the tradition through to your own blog! If you do, please link back to this post so we know where you were inspired! The theme of this week’s Spark an Idea Thursday is Making ‘Real Life’ Connections With People You Know Online.
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If you’re a business owner with an online presence,  you’ve probably made some connections with people and companies you have never laid eyes on.  It’s the nature, and a wonderful benefit, of working virtually.  We get the opportunity to meet people of all different walks of life, geographic location and nationality.  So, how can you make “real life” connections with these same people?  Here’s three ideas:

1. Go to a conference.

Last year, as a member of the the Sparkplugging team, I had the incredible opportunity to go to BlogWorld.   One of the best things I was able to do was meet people I greatly respected – for the first time.  I had the opportunity to meet Wendy and the other authors here at Sparkplugging.  I also had the chance to interview, converse and shake hands with some others like Darren Rowse of Problogger, Des Walsh and Rich Brooks.  They were all fantastic, and there was something really great about being able to meet people and look them in the eye.  (Another cool thing?  We communicated a LOT via Twitter to do it!)

2. Host a Tweetup.

I’ll bet you’re on Twitter, and if you are, I’d also be willing to bet you have met a fair amount of people there.  How about setting up a local Tweetup to meet some of them in the flesh?  You might be surprised how fun it would be!

3. Have “virtual coffee”.

Sometimes it’s just not convenient (or possible) to get together when you live in different parts of the country.  So, I’ve had “virtual coffee” with Kelly and Susan (I talked more about that in this post).  It was an opportunity to get to know one another (Susan had no idea I was a TOTAL marketing geek-o-rama), even though we live far apart (like several hours on a plane, kinda far).  We put a date on the calendar, poured a cup o’ joe (or tea) and chatted it up on Skype.  Love it!

So, how could you connect in “real time” with your virtual peeps?