Social networking has become a vital part of our personal and professional life. Many of us can’t wait to log on to FaceBook to see updated photos of family and friends, and who does not like keeping up with what is going on in their social circle by Tweeting through Twitter?
What about your business? Can social networking help or hurt it? Research has shown that over 2/3 of the people using the Web visit social networking sites for personal and professional reasons. It is no wonder that social network web sites have grown 110% in the past 6 years and that number is continuing to rise.
Knowing how to use social networks as a business strategy is important. Preparing and updating blogs and articles is a time consuming task, so don’t allow it to take away from more important work in the office. It is a good idea to do your research in your spare time. After you have composed the blog or article, have it proofread or edited. No one will be impressed with your business if your post contains grammar errors or misspelled words. Make sure what you write is your own, or be sure to obtain a written copyright release from the author.
Know the rules before anything is posted. If a blog or article is considered "spam" it will be deleted and you could be removed from the site; thus all of your work will be for nothing and damaging your reputation. Know your subject matter well, remember information is transparent, and your readers may respond with questions that you will be expected to answer.
Security is important to keep in mind. Millions of people can read what you write, therefore don’t post any personal information in your profile. No one needs to know your date of birth, and they only need to know the state you are located – certainly not your exact address. In your post, for example, it is not a good idea to announce on the world wide web that you are going on vacation or that you live alone with your cat, or just purchased a plasma TV for the home or office…this is just the information a professional burglar is looking for and will use to their advantage.
One benefit of social networking is free advertising! What business professional can pass that up? When you join a social network, your name and your company instantly become visible to potentially thousands of individuals who are on the same site. This is great for those who are in the marketing and sales profession – it helps to build valuable contacts. Through social networking, you can get feedback from customers or others about your business, learn what the competition is doing, and how to better market your product to meet customer’s needs. It is easy to target your audience – those that you want to receive your message and would most benefit by your product or service.
The younger professional (those who has grown up not knowing what a 45 record looks like) make the most of social networking by sending blogs, pictures, music, and videos and are more likely to use the social networking sites as a business tool, thus combining their social and professional network. Thank goodness, social networking is not limited to any demographic, even us Baby Boomers have (or are getting!) the "hang of it."
I am providing a list, in no particular order, of business social network sites that you may want to consider researching further to determine the benefit of use by your business:
- Cfounder: for entrepreneurs, programmers, designers and others starting a new venture.
- Ecademy: a business network for creating contacts and sharing knowledge.
- Linkedin: a very large network of professionals that allow you to be introduced and to collaborate with other professionals.
- Plaxo: an enhanced address book for networking and staying in touch.
- E-Factor: an online community and virtual market place designed by entrepreneurs.
- Fast Pitch: a business network where professionals can market their business and make connections.
- Fabulously 40: a women’s professional network to network, connect, and advertise.
- Entrepreneur Connect: a community by Entrepreneur.com where professionals can network and connect.
- Focus: focused on helping business decision makers and IT professionals.
- Ryze: a business network for small to mid-size business to network and advertise.
- Jasezone: a professional site where you can find potential clients and business partners.
- Biznik: a professional site to network, advertise, and learn from others.
- Young Entrepreneur: a forum-based site for those passionate about promoting their business.
- Upspring: a site to promote your business and socialize with like-minded individuals.
- Twitter and FaceBook: we all know about these two, what type of business you have and how much you invest in the use of Twitter and FaceBook will depend on how much these two sites will benefit your company.
This is, to say the least, a very short list – there are so many other social networking sites out there! With so many ways to communicate today, and at lightning speed, using social media provides the business professional with a means to learn, advertise, connect, pass on opinions, and effectively promote his or her business. Then after work, connect with family and friends…what could be better?
Copyright © 2010 Sandy Glover
