Disclaimer for new readers: I try to inject some fun into potentially dull topics like Internet marketing or business networking here. The idea is that you get all the invaluable advice you need to succeed online and enjoy the process too.

Now here’s the stalking story I’m sharing because it will help you build stronger relationships online. You don’t have to be a stalker to network online but it helps.

Stalking doesn’t come naturally to me. Like most teenage girls I had my fair share of crushes on dodgy pop stars from dodgy eighties bands like Duran Duran, Depeche Mode and even, most embarrassingly of all, Culture Club. But I didn’t stalk them.

If I went to a concert dad would come to pick me up straight afterwards and whisk me back to the safety of the tower where he kept me. There was no hanging around outside the venue vying for an autograph with other girls. But I did once bravely touch that famously foul-tempered, three times Wimbledon tennis champion: John McEnroe. He was a bit sweaty at the time.

Stalking the Stars at the Cannes Film Festival

I didn’t really get into stalking until I was 22 and then only to keep a boyfriend happy. He was an intense French man who wanted to break into the movie world and decided trying to meet some stars during the Cannes Film Festival would be a great way to do it.

Since Cannes was only a few hours drive away from where I lived in the South of France and I’d never been there before, I readily agreed to join him on this escapade.

Jean-Pierre (not his real name) devised a clever strategy of dressing up in our best clothes (I swear he even wore a bow tie), then bluffing our way into the Carlton Hotel where all the stars stayed and loitering in the lobby or riding up and down in the lifts.

^[1]We got quite good at stalking people. We met Willem Dafoe, rode in the lift Christopher Walken and even helped Rupert Everett get into the hotel. In case you haven’t heard of Rupert Everett he’s an upper class English actor and best friend of Madonna – that’s him with her in this photo. He even starred in a movie with her, probably not the pinnacle of his acting career but anyway, back to Cannes in 1990 where Rupert was having trouble getting into the Carlton.

While I was frocked up in an eighties dress with matching shoulder-padded jacket, Rupert was looking cool in backwards baseball cap, t-shirt and ripped jeans. The doorman had no idea who he was and clearly no intention of letting this scruff ball in. So I helpfully rushed over, exercised my best french and all my powers of persuasion ^[2] to get him in. Sadly, Rupe didn’t even say thank you. He just swished straight by me to reception where he called Miranda Richardson and was last seen heading off to the bar with her.

Accidental Twitter Stalking in Australia

Fast forward 20 years to Australia where I’m the new kid in town with no friends, no contacts and no reputation. After an 18 month break from the Internet when we hung out ^[3] in Costa Rica I decided to try social media, partly to try to establish my writing career in a new country and partly to find out what social media was all about so I could better help my web design clients ^[4].

I got chatting on Twitter with John Birmingham ^[5] who interested me because he was always tweeting about how many words he’d written. What I didn’t realise then was the he’s a prolific, talented and bestselling writer. I found his tweets movitated me ^[6] to write more and I challenged him to a word race and generally sent him silly and embarrassing tweets.

His minimalist Twitter bio just reads “I write for food” so I had no idea that not only is John Birmingham a prolific blogger and celebrated columnist, but also a bestselling author of many books ^[7] including the classic He Died With a Felafel In His Hand, The Axis of Time series and After America ^[8].

But it was only when I wrote a post about Birmo called How to Use Twitter as a Motivational Tool ^[6] and did a bit of research that I discovered all this. I then mentioned him and travel writer Peter Moore ^[9], also a gifted author of multiple books ^[10] who I ‘met’ on Twitter,  in a guest post – Motivation Tips that Actually Work: 6 Sure-Fire Ways To Get Writing and Keep Writing ^[11]. I went on to interview Peter Moore ^[12] too because his story’s inspiring to writers and online entrepreneurs.

Why You Need to Start Stalking People

^[13]I wrote about these two gentlemen to show other writers how to get motivated and what Twitter can do for them, but it’s helped me build a good relationship with two very well known authors. As I result I recently met John Birmingham at the Reality Bites Literary Festival (see photo) and even appeared on a poster with him as we were both speakers – that’s the speaking engagement image on my media ^[14] page.

Meanwhile Peter Moore emailed me this week saying he has a new business idea and he’s bearing me in mind for web design and would like to check out my travel book when completed with a view to publishing it.

These are just two people I’ve met through Twitter but there are literally hundreds of excellent contacts I’ve made, many of whom will be reading this and leaving a comment. Chances are we met through Twitter too, directly or indirectly.

The Benefits of Stalking

That’s why I recommend virtual ‘stalking’ on Twitter as a way to:

• Meet successful players in your field.
• Build good relationships with people you’d never be able to speak to otherwise.
• Be motivated and inspired.
• Get some good contacts – if I ever write that book I have two published authors to contact who might put me in touch with their agent or even read my book and write a review.

How to be a Good Stalker

I didn’t plan any of this but in retrospect I did a few things right in building online relationships and I’ve networked with hundreds of other bloggers, writers and travellers all over the world on Twitter. These are my tips for successful online networking:

• Dress up a bit like I did in Cannes – make sure your Twitter profile and blog or website shows you at your best.
• Be friendly without going overboard. Say hi, tell them where you live, why their profile caught your eye or share something you have in common. For example, I live in the same state as John Birmingham so I probably mentioned that and like Peter Moore I’m a travel fiend. With each of them I established a common interest.
• Compliment people about something specific not necessarily related to what they do. For example, I could honestly thank John Birmingham for motivating me to write more and compliment Peter Moore on his well designed website.
• Buy their products and mention that to them.
• Recommend them and their products to other people and let them know you did – you can retweet their links on Twitter for starters or leave a comment on their blog.
• Help them out – if you notice they have a problem or question see if you can answer it or recommend someone else who will be able to.
• Back off – a little bit of stalking’s a good thing for everyone but don’t pester people too much. Your aim is to get them interested in you, not make them block you – the social media equivalent of taking out a protection order against you.

What do you think? Who would you like to stalk and why?

Blog Writing Magic Series

Next week I’ll carry on with the pleasingly popular Blog Writing Magic Series – essential blog writing tips that will make your readers love you even more than they do already. Stay tuned by email ^[15] or by RSS ^[16] so you don’t miss out. In the weeks ahead I’ll tackle:

• Blog content writing
• Post layout
• Editing
• Writing practice

Sharing is Caring

Please tell your friends and followers  if you like this blog by using the share buttons below or recommending this post in your favourite blog bookmarking site so we can grow the Hot Spot Team. I look forward to seeing you here again soon.

Thank you for reading and good luck with all your plans! Annabel

Photo credit: BigTallGuy ^[17]