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Social Networking, Why Bother??

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People Do Business With People They Like and Trust…

One of the keys to building a successful business is having a solid network of customers and partners who know you, like you, and can wholeheartedly recommend you to others. Before the Internet, cultivating this type of network meant getting out there and becoming part of the local business community by volunteering, joining networking groups and (most importantly) talking face to face with your customers. When I began my career in public relations, more than a decade ago, a significant portion of my time was spent at my local Chamber of Commerce and other networking events.

Now, my virtual assistance clients are in three different time zones and several different countries. I do not have any clients in my hometown. The Internet has made this possible to operate an international business from anywhere. But, even if your business is virtual, you still need to get out there and meet people. The easiest way to meet lots of people who are interested in partnering with you is through Social Networking.

In the past few years, it has become easier to build personal relationships through the Internet. College students have known how to use the Internet to build relationships for at least five years. The business community is finally catching up and realizing the usefulness of viral social networking tools like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter that allow you to easily meet and create strong relationships with other people on the Internet.

Here are some reasons why you should consider implementing these strategies in your business:

- Access to your target audience.

Online networking provides unprecedented access to your ideal clients. You can learn a lot about your clients from the information that they share on their social networking profiles and by who else they are following. Also, it is easier to become someone’s friend on a social networking platform (because it is a two-way connection) than it is to get them to join your mailing list.

- Social Networking is instant/viral.

You can communicate instantly (Twitter) with your customers. It is also very easy to pass on small bits of information. Some very successful social marketers have used this to get huge increases of traffic to their websites in a very short amount of time.

- Ability To Build Your Tribe

This is the area where online networking both resembles and outshines traditional networking. Building your tribe (or a community of dedicated followers) is like building your network. But, at the same time, online networks allow your community to talk to each other – and that can be a very powerful thing.

- Increased attendance at events

Advertising your events within your social networks is a great way to increase your attendance. One of my clients has increased her preview teleseminar attendance by 25% just by posting an event invitation on Facebook.

- Getting and Giving Help

The online community is very helpful. You can get (and more importantly) give instant answers to questions.

- Managing Reputation online

Participating in the social networking community is a great way to create a positive reputation online. You will come off as being approachable and in the know about technology.