Networking Tips

You are a believer in the power of Networking ... and, the extremely positive impact it has on your profitability.  You wonder, though, how you can best leverage your networking dollars ... and, your time.

HERE ARE A FEW "SECRETS"

FOR  NETWORKING SUCCESS:

A. Be sure to have an adequate supply 

of crisp, fresh business cards with you.  However, be prepared to take some of your business cards home with you because of Item "B."

B. Do not be a "business card whirlwind!"  The goal of successful networking is NOT to see how many business cards you can unload.  The goal IS to establish the beginnings of 3 to 5 business relationships.

C.  To initiate valuable relationships, be prepared to listen far more than you speak.  Listen to WHAT? Listen to the answers to questions you ask!  If you ask, for example, "What are the biggest challenges to your business?" you'll obtain a wealth of information, including possibly, how you can help! 

D.  Remember that your number one priority is networking ... not the food and libations that may be offered at these events!  


E.  Do have fun!  Keep in mind that everyone is there for the same reason as you.  So, relax, listen and learn about other business people in your community and how you can help each other be successful.  
 

You might even make some new friends!

What's the big deal about Social Media?

Google+

What IS the big deal about Social Media?  Is Liking, Sharing, Commenting on content someone posts all that important?  Isn't it enough that you buy their products,  use their service, or support their organization?  You already appreciate their business or their contribution to the community.  Surely, just knowing 

that is enough!  Isn't it?     

facebook

 I get asked these questions in some form or another quite often.  The bottom line answer is simple ... Well, no, not really.  Don't misunderstand.  Of course, most people who have a business page or account of some sort will appreciate your support ... more than appreciate ...  grateful!!!  However, if you, as a consumer, a business person or owner, or a person who is active in an organization of any type, really want to support  them, and perhaps even ensure their longevity, by all means, offer your support on social media!

twitter

Here's why!  To paraphrase a recent statement I read on a Blog about social media ... Shares, Comments, and Retweets are the holy grail and not just the Likes or Follows.  It's the actual interactions that bump up a business or community page in the search engine results of that page.  So, while it's nice to have 500+ followers or likes on your social media pages, the cream of the crop is in the actual interactions with your followers.   So, to continue down this road to its logical end:   more interactions = moving up higher in search engine results = more potential interest in your page = success!!!!  A bit oversimplified, but those are  the basic facts.  Simple, right?   Well, not so much, to use a trite current expression.

Most small businesses and community organizations struggle to find out how to entice their followers to share or comment on their content.  Thousands of articles, blogs and books have been written with how-to ideas, tips and rules of do's and don'ts to help with that ever elusive perfect post that will elicit those delicious comments and delightful shares!

linkedin

"Content Is King!"  I can't even begin to tell you how many times I have heard and read this phrase, which, by the way, is correct.  It's the content that will prompt people to interact.  So, the never ending search by people sitting in front of their computers (like me) searching for the magic words and images that will be irresistible to someone reading them.  And, then, hopefully, they will say to themselves, "I must share this!"  Or, words to that effect.  

And then, Click!    

So, when businesses and community pages you've already liked and are following,  post something on their status of facebook, twitter, linkedin, or google+, take a minute and read it.  If you really do "Like" it, please comment and share it with your friends, family, or business associates.  And, in turn, they might just do the same for you! 

 

All Aboard For The Social Media Train!

You are at a train station.  You are holding a sign that says, "My Small Business."  And, here comes the train ...  Attached to the engine are all the social media sites and behind the train are all the cars representing all the various types of businesses.

Find me on Google+

It pulls into the station and you watch as all the different business people get on board.  You stand there for a few minutes trying to decide what to do.  "Should I get on?" you think to yourself.   "What will happen if I don't?  I don't know anything about all that stuff.  What does it cost?  It all seems so confusing and, well, unimportant."  And, then you remember hearing someone make a joke about Twitter.  Oh, something about posting stuff about what they had for breakfast.  So, you decide to wait and think about it more.  Maybe there will be another train along soon. You watch as all those business people continue to get on board and then the train pulls out of the station.  How do you feel?  Perhaps relieved that you didn't follow the crowd.  You always thought of yourself as an individualist; an independent thinker.  Or, you wonder if you're making a mistake.  You saw some of your competitors board that train and you wonder if somehow they will have an edge with your target market.  So, you decide to do some research and find out more about this social media thing.

Connect with me on Linkedin

Where do you start?  You could ask other business people.  Perhaps, you could join a few networking groups in your community and find out what other businesses are doing to promote their businesses.  "I'll Google social media marketing and see what comes up!" you say to yourself out loud.  Then you realize that you just decided to use an internet search engine to find out if using social media would be a good idea for your business.  "Hmmm...there's a connection here," you think to yourself.  And, you are correct!

Find me on Facebook

The goal of any business is to create new customers, and the first step is to let them know you exist.  When we first opened our business introduced ourselves to someone and told them the name of our business they would respond, "PostNet? Never heard of it. What kind of business is it?" That was four years ago.  We don't hear that anymore, and we believe we owe most of that recognition to our social media involvement.  Intense networking, of course, added to that recognition, but having social media accounts and being active on them helped to engage people with the goal of developing relationships with them.

 People buy from people and brands they like.  

      

Follow me on Twitter

Being active on various social media sites allows people to get to know and like you as a person.  Interacting in that environment puts your brand and product messages in a position to be shared and commented on which leads to awareness, interest, and sales!  And, depending how you choose to interact, people begin to get to know you and your unique personality.  You sprinkle your posts with humor, perhaps a gardening or travel tip, offer an answer to a question you see posted by someone else, or refer someone to a resource that helps them. Voila!  You have become a person to "Like, follow, and connect with ... Someone people want to do business with!