How to build Renmai for domain investing

Kassey Lee, who has 30,000 LinkedIn connections, explains how to use LinkedIn to build your domain investing network.

Guanxi is a popular word in Chinese business. But I prefer Renmai.

I prefer Renmai (人脉) because it focuses on human connections. (Incidentally, this term is also very popular in Japan, where it is pronounced as Jinmyaku (人脈) in Japanese.) Guanxi, on the other hand, has a much broader meaning. It refers to relationships between human and human, human and thing, and thing and thing.

Whichever term you use, it is beneficial to develop relationships with the locals as explained in my article Why a worldwide friend network helps with domain investing.

To build Renmai, LinkedIn is a good place to begin because it has over 50 million users in China alone. As far as I know, LinkedIn is the only foreign social network allowed in China, serving as a bridge between the Middle Kingdom and the west.

After you join LinkedIn, be sure to create a professional-looking profile. Use your real name, include a photo of yourself, and write an attractive headline. Fill in as many details as possible because people will determine whether to connect with you based on your profile.

There are many ways to make connections. Try using the search function and entering a relevant phrase such as “domain name china”. When the search result appears, click the “People” button. If you see a person you want to connect with, do not click the “Connect” button. Instead, click the name to display the full profile and then click the “Connect” button from there. Doing so allows you to include a short note, which will increase the chance of your request being accepted.

From the same search result, you can also click the “Post” button. Look for an interesting topic and join the conversation. Then, send a connection request to the topic author or a fellow commenter and mention the conversation in the short note. I find this approach quite effective.

The “All filters” button enables you to perform an advanced search, but I won’t go into the details as there are already many resources about LinkedIn networking on the internet. Do spend some time reading them and improve your skills. Based on my experience in making about 30,000 connections, here are some tips I can share with you:

• Be genuine and be yourself.
• Post regularly to share what you know about domains.
• Join the conversations and comment.

Happy Renmai building!