Book Review--The Virtual Handshake: Opening Doors and Closing Deals Online

Beyond the Phone Call: The Virtual Handshake: Opening Doors And Closing Deals Online

Everyone in business understands the need for networking. In the past decade, networking has moved online as the Internet has become as vital as the telephone for marketing, sales, finding new business partners, and job hunting. The new tools of business networking include email, instant messaging, websites, ezines, blogs, and such online networks as LinkedIn.com and Ryze.com. If you are overwhelmed, you are in good company.

That's why David Teten and Scott Allen wrote The Virtual Handshake, a user-friendly guide and manual for the baffling world of online networking and what the authors call " social software":

Websites and software tools which allow you to discover, extend, manage, enable communication in, and/or leverage your social network. Includes blogs, social networking sites, virtual communities, relationship capital management software, biography analysis software, and many more.

But, unlike other books written for non-techies, you don't have to be a "dummy" to use and enjoy The Virtual Handshake! It is intelligent, informative... and engaging, without trying too hard to be funny. You get more than instructions. You get something to think about.

Co-author David Teten discovered the power of networking online when he met his wife through Speeddating.com.

I realized that just as online dating had become mainstream, more and more business relationships were also moving online. I became a little obsessed with the subject of online networks, and started writing this book. As I was beginning my research, I met my co-author, Scott Allen, online in a Yahoo! Group.

From About.com to ZoomInfo.com, Teten and Scott Allen guide the reader through the world of online networking. They define "networking" as "developing a significant number of relationships for the purpose of supporting one other in achieving your group and personal goals." And a "network" as "the set of relationships that you need to get tasks done, to advance in an organization, and to grow as a person."

If that sounds like it covers a lot of ground, you are beginning to get an idea of the sweep of the book. The Virtual Handshake covers the why and the how of online networking. And the authors don't shy away from the ethical issues they raise. They don't forget that virtue is still more important than virtual!