The Other Side of Social Media

With social media comes a whole new way of connecting with others. As our friend list builds on Facebook, we realise that that keeping a relationship adrift with the written word is now a perfectly acceptable and viable alternative to meeting for coffee or picking up the telephone. Posting on somebody's wall or replying to their blog post is just as acceptable as a teleconference call. In fact, we may have contacts that we have never even met or that we have never heard speak, but are as valuable an acquaintance as others whom we've known for years - especially when it comes to the business world. Social media is leaving the Myspace era of tweens and teens behind, and is now a perfectly acceptable mode of business networking.
Everyone has been on either end of social media networking - either finding that person through a friend of a friend that you just know will be a valuable link sometime in the future, or getting a contact request from that person you met at a conference a few months ago. Building and maintaining those important business relationships becomes that little bit easier with social media.
It's an ocean out there...
Firstly, there is the obvious access to a world full of business and contacts. What if the person that fits the contact you need 'to a tee' actually lives overseas? But nonetheless, they have the experience, qualifications, and personality to make your business idea or project become reality? Once upon a time, the chances of you coming across them when you needed them would have been minimal. Now, with the Internet connecting us with a simple click or 'Accept', people that were normally inaccessible are now very available. Online business networking means that the big wide world of business just got a little bit smaller.
Relationship building made easy
Preserving those business networking relationships can be done as long as we have an Internet connection. If we hand out business cards or give out our number at a business conference, we have to sit idly by and wait for the phone to ring. Social media allows us to take initiative and take action. A quick hello on a Facebook page or a Twitter account can keep you in contact with those that are important to you, without wasting any of your time or theirs. You don't need to go through their receptionist and stay on hold, and then chew their ear off for half an hour on the telephone to ensure you remain foremost in their minds. Social media allows us to stay in touch in our time.

Successful Business Networking

Are you serious about building your business through networking? Then you need an approach designed to build long-term, mutually beneficial relationships.

It seems obvious that the purpose of networking is to find prospects, right? So you scout the room, identify the most likely candidates, launch into your 30-second intro and follow up with the ten reasons why you should get together for a meeting next week.

On the odd occasion this may net you a sale, but for the most part you'll just be met with glazed eyes and a blank expression. Because the other people in the room have come, not to buy, but to sell their own products or services.

How do you get to the point then, where your networking contacts start buying from you, rather than trying to sell to you? Follow these tips, and you'll be well on your way:

1. Settle in for the long haul.

Networking is not a speedy promotional solution. It's a way to build a network of business contacts who know, like and trust you; a network of people you stay in touch with, and become friendly with.

Once you have that network, you will start to find that you're receiving business, leads and referrals from all directions.

2. It's better to give than to receive.

Concentrate first on bringing value to the people you meet, and to the groups you join. Your listening skills, and your willingness to offer free advice and assistance, or to make connections will make you much more memorable than your elevator speech ever will.

For every person you meet, ask yourself the following questions:

· What are their objectives and goals?
· How can I help them achieve those objectives?
· How might they benefit from connections with other people I know?
· How could they benefit from my information or ideas?
· What can I do right now to be helpful?

Are you networking with the right people?

I met someone recently at one of my regular networking groups. When he explained what he did I advised him that the group may not be great for him and his business. He sold cosmetics direct to consumers and was there to generate leads for his business. The group was made up of professionals and providers of business services.

He said, rightly, that everyone there either used or knew people that used the types of products he sold. I said that was true, but they were all there because they shared the same target market. They were not selling directly to consumers of domestic products so the best network for him would be with others selling directly to the same domestic consumers.

Successful networking for business development is all about building relationships with the right people. A good place to start when selecting a networking group for business is to find one where the other members sell to the same target market as you.

Good Networking! Dave Clarke ps Visit the new home of the business networking blog for the latest posts