 Small Business Professionals Online Social Networking Tips - Many professionals find the concept of an online social network intimidating, but the applications and platforms are typically intuitive and easy to learn. And for many practitioners, who tend to be naturals at networking and forming community connections, social media seem to be a perfect fit.
The Web isn't something people should be afraid of, but it takes time to learn about the technology and the how interactions take place. But once that's done, social networking should be no different from the work you are already researching, networking with customers, and marketing. It's just using a new technology to get there.
Though natural to many, you wouldbe surprised as to how reluctant some people are to try social media, but the primary reason is due to their unfamiliarity of the tools and their respective potentials.
Twitter. A couple years ago, this microblogging platform was practically unknown, but today it gets about 55 million visits every month, making it the third most trafficked online social network, according to Compete Inc., a Web analytics company.
Or consider that since the beginning of this decade, three very different social networks each have enjoyed the "most popular" status in the social media universe. In 2003, Friendster was the hottest social network, showing up on magazine covers and getting millions of members in a matter of months.
In 2005, the mantle passed to MySpace. And less than a year ago, Facebook began overtaking MySpace in terms of members and site traffic.
So while the Web is here to stay, don't get too attached to any one social media platform or site. As you venture into the new world of online communication, it's important to remember that every interaction, as anonymous as it may sometimes seem, is a representation of you and your business.
Although your goal is to project a positive and professional image to prospects and clients, you should not attempt to create a new persona that you think customers would desire. Instead, you should be the same person that you are in your everyday, face-to-face interactions.
You "must be" authentic. On social networking sites such as Facebook, authenticity should carry over to your personal profile which is one of the first things that prospects, colleagues, and friends see when they visit your page. While some people may wince at letting their professional and personal lives collide on the Web, many practitioners say that sharing photos and tidbits about their family, pets, and hobbies can actually create a stronger bond with customers. Remember, is "social media", after all.
What is your goal? You have to decide between a huge number of leads and then spend time following up, or generate a smaller number of leads but, have a high conversion rate. Remember.. it's part of your business... treat it like a business.
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