How does social media posting help networking groups?
Visibility: Obviously every business has a desire to be known. Social media allows your business to reach out to other businesses at any time in a variety of ways for a variety of reasons. There is no need to wait for a once-a-month event and you aren’t restricted by a physical location. With today’s virtual world, networking is no longer confined to local businesses.
This is not an either/or proposition. Networking needs to be both/and. Your business needs to be connected to others online, but there is great benefit in meeting face-to-face. It allows relationships to grow deeper. But using social media is a great way to begin the conversation and start building mutually beneficial relationships.
Building Reputation: As important as it is to be known, it is just as important to be known for being an expert in your specific business. Social media can help establish your expertise. It can be through a blog that you post on your website or LinkedIn Pulse, tweets that add value, connections and discussions on LinkedIn groups that give people confidence in the services and products you offer.
Sense of connection: Networking has to be a two-way street. This means that it is not just about you promoting your own agenda. It actually requires reaching out to others who are like-minded. Once you have found the people you want to connect with, you can start having conversations. Once you are in conversation, you can maintain the relationship with a light touch, knowing they are only a direct tweet or message away.
Act on Referrals: Follow through quickly and efficiently on referrals you are given. When people give you referrals, your actions are a reflection on them. Respect and honor that and your referrals will grow. This can be done via social media, but sometimes it might be more effective to place a call or make a personal visit. No matter how you decide to follow up, make sure you do it quickly and then thank whoever made the referral regardless of the outcome.
Visibility: Obviously every business has a desire to be known. Social media allows your business to reach out to other businesses at any time in a variety of ways for a variety of reasons. There is no need to wait for a once-a-month event and you aren’t restricted by a physical location. With today’s virtual world, networking is no longer confined to local businesses.
This is not an either/or proposition. Networking needs to be both/and. Your business needs to be connected to others online, but there is great benefit in meeting face-to-face. It allows relationships to grow deeper. But using social media is a great way to begin the conversation and start building mutually beneficial relationships.
Building Reputation: As important as it is to be known, it is just as important to be known for being an expert in your specific business. Social media can help establish your expertise. It can be through a blog that you post on your website or LinkedIn Pulse, tweets that add value, connections and discussions on LinkedIn groups that give people confidence in the services and products you offer.
Sense of connection: Networking has to be a two-way street. This means that it is not just about you promoting your own agenda. It actually requires reaching out to others who are like-minded. Once you have found the people you want to connect with, you can start having conversations. Once you are in conversation, you can maintain the relationship with a light touch, knowing they are only a direct tweet or message away.
Act on Referrals: Follow through quickly and efficiently on referrals you are given. When people give you referrals, your actions are a reflection on them. Respect and honor that and your referrals will grow. This can be done via social media, but sometimes it might be more effective to place a call or make a personal visit. No matter how you decide to follow up, make sure you do it quickly and then thank whoever made the referral regardless of the outcome.
