When you think about networking,
you probably think about going to an event, handing out your business cards,
seeing some folks you know but hopefully some you don’t who will want to do
business together some day down the road. But what about digital networking?
Every single day—literally every hour of the day—we have an opportunity to
connect with other people and expand our network thanks to social media.
But how do you use the digital landscape to network effectively? Here’s a
few tips we think work really well:
- Networking is not a
sales presentation. You don’t go to a networking event and break out
the PowerPoint to sell someone right away and you shouldn’t do that online
either. Social media connections should be more about the relationship and
less about the sale. Work on increasing that “know, like, and trust”
factor first and sales will naturally follow.
- Never “go” anywhere
without your contact info. When you go to a networking event, you take
your business cards with you and you probably practice your “elevator”
speech. In social media, your profile and your bio does that for
you. Always make sure that people can read more about who you are
and what you do and then how do they connect with you.
- Be clear on who you are
and who you serve. When you meet someone new and you exchange information,
it’s always best to let them know exactly what you do and who you work
with. This gives them a good idea if you’re a good fit but it also allows
them to think about who they might introduce you to in the future. Social
media works the same way. Be clear and you’ll make it natural for people
to share your content and your contact info.
- Dump the drunken Cinco
de Mayo sombrero profile photo. As fun as that night was, it’s not
appropriate for a profile photo. When someone views your profile,
this is the first handshake—the first impression. Make it a good one
that lets them know that you’re the kind of person they want to do
business with.
- Engagement is a two way
street. If you were at an event and you asked someone a question or made a
comment to someone expecting an answer but got none—how would you feel?
Yeah—not cool, right? So, if someone takes the time to come “stand” next
to you virtually, engage in the conversation with them. Don’t wait 2-3
weeks (or whenever you feel like it) to answer them. If you have trouble
remembering to check it, set up alerts to let you know when someone has
posted a comment or question.
These are just a few simple ways
to make your digital networking go smoothly. As you can see, it’s much like
networking out there IRL (in real life). For more strategies on building
relationships on and offline, join us at Pixie Dust University.
