Due to the increase in the popularity of social media, these sites
have become the best networking tools. With over 70 percent of regular internet
users having access to social networking sites, your future customers,
employers and business partners could be among them. Below are some tips for
effective social media networking:
Know Social Media
Channel
Each channel serves a different purpose and enables users to
connect in a unique way. Some of the main channels include:
1.
Google+:
This google powered site allows posts to be viewed by a wide audience
although you can limit them to certain groups. For effective personal branding
and job hunting, create a good profile highlighting your work history and
skills.
2.
LinkedIn:
The platform is meant for professional interactions. It is ideal for connecting
with colleagues, friends and people in your professional circle. You can put
your professional portfolio for others to see.
3.
Facebook:
Here you can share videos, pictures, messages and links with family,
friends and other contacts. It is mainly used for personal contacts and acquaintances
and most interactions are casual. However, most recruiters use it whenever they
want to know more concerning their potential employees, hence the need to be
cautious while posting anything.
4.
Twitter:
It is ideal for communicating short messages. It allows you to follow people
and organizations in your field of interest. You can reach a wide audience with
your messages.
Be Active Online While
Maintaining Professional Relationships
To make valuable connections, you must be active on these channels.
Interact consistently and authentically and always be vigilant when doing this.
Social media networking enables you to build and keep professional networks
without having to meet people regularly. For instance, you can meet at a
conference and stay connected through these platforms.
Identify Leaders in the
Niche
In every industry, there are those who standout. To have a
network with great opportunities, connect with leaders in the niche. Understand
the terms of any platform before opting for it and be cautious while
interacting so as to build trust among your contacts.
Growing Your
Business Network
Create relationships with your potential customers before
selling anything. To establish relationships, you should do a number of things
on social media. They include the following:
Join Twitter Conversations
Tweet chats are among the best social media lead generation
tools and they are ideal for one-on-one networking. You can locate relevant
chats using hashtags and other key information like date, time and the name of
the host of the chat. While almost everyone starts as a stranger, participants get
to know each other gradually and develop relationships beyond scheduled chats. Here
you will find people with questions that you can answer. Replies are normally limited
to 140 characters hence the need to be concise. Be open to accepting follows, direct
messages and carrying conversations further.
Join LinkedIn Groups
LinkedIn groups have numerous opportunities for networking. To
find relevant groups, use the search function using industry specific keywords.
You can filter your search results by relationships, languages or categories. Join those groups with people that are
interested in what you offer. Be nice and focus on serving others by sharing
knowledge, giving advice and answering questions. Pay attention to those who
like your posts and comments. Visit their profiles and if they fit your
prospect profile, follow them. If no existing group fits your needs, create one
to network with.
Share Insights from Events
When you attend events such as conferences or trade shows,
share the highlights and notes on twitter to attract those interested in the
niche. To include them in the larger conversation, use the official event
hashtag in your tweets. Pay attention to new follows, as they could be your new
prospects.
You can also accomplish this with your website using special
tools to consolidate notes into a blog post highlighting important points made
during the conference. To surface prospects that you might otherwise miss, pay
attention to those who follow, comment or retweet your information.
Interview Those You
Want to Work With
Use video tools for strategic networking. List those people you
want to work with and interview them. If you cannot meet them in person,
interview them on Google+ Hangout and publish the interview on YouTube. Do not
introduce your products or services yet, rather let the interviewee shine. Asks
question that encourage them to showcase their expertise then turn those
interviews into useful content to be shared on social networks.
These techniques can help you build relationships with those
who are interested in what you offer. They can help you to sort new contacts
into prospects and strategic partners who can refer prospects. This will enable
you to keep track of relationships as they evolve. As people learn to trust you and your knowledge,
they will be willing to buy from you.
In case you need help when it comes to getting your brand to potential customers, Ideal Web Solutions would be the best agency to hire:
Visit Ideal Web Solutions Kenya
