What Can Social Networking Do For You?
Build Your Brand and Develop Some Great Business Contacts
We live in a solution based world, trying to solve our own problems, or the problems of others. These are the goals of most businesses, and the best way to accomplish this goal is through a network. This is where Social Networking comes into play, or should I say, work. When you are using sites such as Facebook or LinkedIn, you have the ability to really reach out and make some great new business contacts.
As you get started, you will find that you spend more time and effort giving to the community than you are getting back. You will find it a bit challenging to keep your personal connections separate from your business connections.
There are three network sites that are great to begin with; Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. These are the leaders when it comes to reaching across several interests.
For a more targeted market if you are in the online business niche, along with 2 partners my new site, ViralNetworks is in prelaunch and is about as targeted as you can get. (shameless self plug!)
Social Networking Advice
Take the time to create a warm and inviting profile, providing all the public information including your current employment to your job history. You want to portray yourself as someone who is thorough and complete in everything you do, and this includes your profile.
Don’t create big spam profiles just filled with links and imitating a Splog (Spam Blog) with a bad case of the runs, be sure to keep it decent sizes, accurate, well written and with correct grammar.
Be Reachable! Provide many ways for others to contact you. Some examples are your IM address, email address, Skype username, Twitter name, as well as a phone number. Create a number of keywords that associate with your niche product, and tie it all closely to your blog.
How Important Is Your Email Signature?
This is very important and will provide value in your networking efforts. In your email signature, include your contact information, links to your blog and LinkedIn profile, making it easier for those to find you.
(Shameless Plug Take Two:) ViralNetworks has a Signature File in your profile, you enter your text in there (make it compelling, make people want to click on it) and then it hyperlinks to your chosen site. This Sig is used on guestbook comments, on the forums, on video comments, so can lead to MASSIVE exposure. It is VERY important to write a compelling Signature, as you are not allowed links ‘in post’ with most sites, including ViralNetworks
If you have any profiles that are currently inactive, clean them up and make sure they are professional. Do a search for your name on Google, Zoominfo, and Spock and see what is out there, delete anything that is not proper or inactive.
From this moment forward, be careful as to what you post, including photos, blog posts, and articles. Anything that can be linked back to you, needs to be professional and easily seen. You will also be seen by subscribing to a site application such as FriendFeed.
You will find benefits of social networking through many of the services available. You will learn how is using these services, and invite them into your network.
Next, you will invite your contacts by email to join your social network, but be careful how you do this…you do not want to become a spammer.
Take advantage of the Social Networking sites, get your name and brand out there and build up your own network. If you want to follow me on Twitter, please click here.
Check out the Posting Contest I have running: Click HERE to learn how you can win $100!
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