I was talking to my fellow SWBN geek girls last night and we were all excited about the announcement of the next Over the Edge conference that will be happening in the UK in Spring 2009. We hope this will be an opportunity to finally meet each other face-to-face as well as network with other members of the Immediate Edge who are doing great things in Internet Marketing.

Marketing seminars and events can be great places to make connections and friendships, as well as find people to collaborate with on future projects.

In 2006 I went to an Internet Marketing seminar in London. The training was good but it was the many cool people I met and was able to hang-out with that really made it so valuable: Ed Dale, Robert Somerville, Dan Raine (pre-Immediate Edge), Jeff Walker (PLF), Mike Mindel (Wordtracker), Carolyn McCourtie, Yanik Silver, Andrew Fox, Rob Benwell, Peter Woodhead, Phil Gosling…

Now, I don’t even begin to suggest that these people are all good buddies as a result of our meeting (some of them I have not had contact with since and would never assume to believe they would even remember me), but the time I spent with them gave me new ideas, encouraged me to achieve more, and forced me to “raise my game.” And I do consider one or two of them friends.

When I had the chance to meet Mike Mindel again recently he shared some incredible Squeeze Page tactics with me and invited me to be a beta tester for the all new and improved Wordtracker, Ed Dale and Dan Raine continue to humour me when I ask them for advice, and Caro…well, Caro turned out to be one of the loveliest online friends I have.

Networking offline can be just as important as networking online. Never underestimate the value of meeting someone “in the flesh” and what that can lead to. If you look at the previous two Over the Edge conferences you can see some of the great things that came out of them: Market Samurai (already being developed but probably a very different entity after OTE), the further development of what has now lovingly become known as the Manchester Mob, and the addition of Lynn Terry and Michelle MacPherson as co-hosts on a weekly podcast with Ed Dale and Paul Colligan (4 BIG names in one). I would love to know some of the things that have come out of OTE that we don’t know about.

Of course, not all seminars are created equal. The last conference I went to was very much aimed at beginners…and in huge numbers. Forging quality connections at these events can be much harder (but not impossible).

And if you can’t make it to a national or international seminar then check out the local business events around you. I recently went to a Federation of Small Businesses meeting with a colleague and made some great contacts. It even led to my colleague working with our local Member of Parliament on a topic he has a lot of knowledge about that she wanted to raise in the House of Commons.

Many people complain about the “gurus” of Internet Marketing all hanging our together and promoting each others’ stuff, but it is natural to want to work and mastermind with people you get on with. And how do you think they made friends with each other? Most of the stories I have heard about how friendships were forged between Internet marketers have involved meeting at an event of some sort.

Don’t get me wrong, networking online can lead to some great collaborations too – that’s how Allison Reynolds, Barb Sabathil and I met and decided to create the Secret Women’s Business Network – but if you have the opportunity to attend a seminar I would highly recommend it. For many it will mean taking a giant step out of your comfort zone, but the right event could lead to great things for you and your business.

And if any of you do come to Over the Edge 3 (I don’t have details yet so watch the space) I look forward to meeting you.

Related Internet Marketing posts:

1. Good Girls Revisited
2. What I really Think of the Immediate Edge
3. The Secret is Out!