Networking and Connecting
- Network
Your Network consists of all the businesses that you have connected with on Alignable.
- Connections
Connections are the businesses that you have connected with and added to your Network.
- Second Degree
Your second degree network is the network of your connections — the businesses connected to the people you are already connected with. These are warm introductions waiting to happen in Alignable 360.
- Connect
To send a Connection Request to a business you will need to use the button labeled "Connect."
- Connection Requests
If you find a business that you know or would like to get to know, you can send them a Connection Request to be added to their Network. Connection Requests require Connection Credits.
- Connection Credits
On Alignable, you use connection credits to send connection requests to other member businesses. Paid members receive a fresh set of credits at the start of each billing cycle. Credits do not roll over month to month. See What Are Connection Credits on Alignable?
- Pending Connections
Before you reply to connection requests, they will be categorized as Pending Connections until you respond. How Do I Accept or Ignore a Connection Request on Alignable?
- Accept
If you receive a connection request from someone you wish to connect with, you can add them to your network by clicking "Accept."
- Ignore
If you receive a connection request from someone you would not like to connect with, you can remove it from your queue by clicking "Ignore." The sender is not notified.
- Connection Sent
After you send a connection request to a business, they will be marked as Connection Sent on your profile to show that you initiated this connection.
- Referral
A referral passes along another member's business information to one of your connections via direct message. The recipient receives your note and a link to that member's profile. Available to all members. See How Do I Send a Referral on Alignable?
- Introductions
An introduction puts you and two other members into a group chat together, creating a live connection between all parties. Introductions are available to paid members only. Unlike a referral, an introduction actively facilitates the relationship in real time.
- Core Referral Network
Your Core Referral Network is made up of businesses that you should be actively engaging with. These are the 25 businesses that will help you move your business forward.
- Recommendations
Recommendations are written endorsements that appear on a member's profile. Recommend the businesses you know and trust by clicking "Recommend." See How Do I Accept or Ignore a Recommendation on Alignable?
- Invite
If you import your address book, we can show you which of your contacts are business owners both on and off Alignable. If you see someone with the button "Invite," it means they have not yet joined and you can invite them to your referral network. Which Address Book and Contact Clients Can I Connect to Alignable?
- Add All
Clicking "Add All" adds all of your imported contacts to your Alignable network without using any of your connection credits.
Alignable Tools and Features
- Alignable 360
Alignable 360 is a premium suite of networking tools designed to help paid members get more out of their connections and grow their business on Alignable. See What Is Alignable 360 and How Do I Access It?
- Allie
Allie is Alignable's AI Networking Coach, available to paid members. She sees deep into your network and helps you cultivate relationships with the people you have already connected with — telling you why they are a good fit and suggesting ways to engage with them.
- "My Network"
The "My Network" page consists primarily of Alignable 360: Connections, Opportunities, Pending Connection Requests, Contacts (to invite to Alignable), and Discover: an endless list of businesses you can connect with.
- "Messages"
With Messages you can send direct messages to any business you are connected with.
- "My Business"
By clicking on the My Business dropdown this is your starting point for admin options. You can find your Alignable profile, Plans & Pricing or My Membership Page, Advertise on Alignable or your Sponsorship Dashboard, 24/7 Support, Insights, Account level information, and where to Sign Out.
- "My Membership"
Alignable has a number of different membership options that allow you to accelerate your networking. This page is full of resources for those who have a paid plan, and for those who do not, it gives all the information of our plans.
- Post Insights
Post Insights is a tool that shows you how your network posts are performing over a rolling 12-week period, including reach, engagement, and growth trends. See How Do I Use Post Insights to Grow My Network on Alignable?
- Smart Connect℠
Smart Connect is a virtual networking event on Alignable where you meet a new member in a breakout room every 7 minutes. See What to Do During a Smart Connect Event
- Sponsorships
A Community Sponsorship is paid advertising on Alignable that places your business ad in front of local members in your community. See What Is a Community Sponsorship?
Your Community and Local Area
- Alliance
An Alliance is a local group on Alignable that brings together business owners in a specific area or community. Alliances are led by Alignable Ambassadors and serve as a space for members to build relationships, share referrals, and support one another in real life and online.
- Community
Your Community is the city or town your business is located in. Your Community will be notified of updates to your business, and you will be able to connect with and see posts from local business neighbors.
Your Profile
- My Profile
Your Alignable profile is your business's home base on the platform — it is where other members learn who you are, what you do, who you serve, and why they should trust you. It displays your business description, tags, ideal customer, products and services, recommendations, connections, and any spotlighted content. When someone clicks on your name anywhere on Alignable, your profile is what they see. Optimizing Your Alignable Business Profile
- Businesses We Can Partner With
A section on your Alignable profile where you describe the types of businesses you can exchange referrals with. These businesses share your ideal customer but are not your competitors — for example, a veterinarian and a dog groomer both serve pet owners but offer different services.
- Ideal Customer
You should describe your Ideal Customer on your Alignable profile to help other members know who to send your way and who to refer you to.
- Products & Services
Products & Services can be added to your profile. This is where the details of what you offer live. When you add a new product or service, we will notify both your Network and Community.
- Promotions
On Alignable, we make it easy to share any upcoming time-bound events, sales, or promotions with your entire network.
- Add Team Members
These are members of your team you can add to your Alignable profile. Team members will be able to log in and manage your Alignable profile. How Do I Manage My Team on My Alignable Business Profile?
- Face of the Business
Every profile has a Face of the Business — the primary account owner. Only the current Face of the Business can update who holds this role. How Do I Change the Face of the Business on Alignable?
- Tags
Tags are keywords that describe your business, the services you provide, and who you want to meet. They help other members find and recognize what you do and who you do business with. Be sure to only use the preexisting tags to be connected to Alignable's intelligence engines. How Do I Edit the Tags on My Profile?
- Tools
The Tools tab on your profile is where you can find links and code snippets for Alignable badges to add to your website. How Do I Add the Alignable Widgets to My Website?