As my kids start taking exams, I am reminded how, when we are young, it is easy to think that clever people are just clever. They say things like 'He's the cleverest kid in the whole year'.  But the older and uglier I get, the more I realise how accurate this "just show up" rule is. 

It is very true of management, and very true of sales and account management. And it is super true of networking. 

You really don't have to be Clement Freud - see below for the best ever 1-minute gag - to make networking work for you. You do have to be fairly civilised, not abusive and such like, but not much more. Eventually people will be intrigued as to what you do for a living. And you can tell them. Job done.

Exactly the same is true online. You don't have to be Gary Vaynerchuk or Simon Sinek, but you absolutely must 'show up' or people simply won't know you exist. And your affable repartee will be for nought.