If its true what they say; that you make your own luck in business through networking, we surely can’t ignore one of the best networking tools ever created in social media.
Ever heard the name William Dawes? Unless you are a history buff, probably not. Dawes made nearly the same ride as the well-known Paul Revere, but to a town to the south when they spotted the British approaching. Sadly though, he gets no credit due to the fact that Paul Revere had a much better and effective social network, one with powerful people and a wide reach. News from him spread way faster and farther!
Networks are more important than ever but, the awesome thing about today’s world is that you don’t have to mount up and ride long miles to spread your word. You don’t even have to physically meet everyone in your network. Social media provides a platform for finding and interacting with like-minded individuals and fans of you or your business. You just have to know how to do it.
It is an extensive and fast-moving world with lots of elements to consider. To make it a powerful part of your personal or business network, it requires time and a willingness to keep learning on the fly as you go along. If you recognize the power of social media and want to get a better handle on it, check out our past posts and sign-up for one of our classes on social media integration. In the meantime, here are 3 simple tips that will never let you down in your social media efforts:
1. Be Helpful: Create or share content with people that you know they will find interesting or have asked about. Answering a specific question makes you a part of a conversation and helps make you an expert. Taking 5 minutes to answer a question for even just one person or taking a little more time to publish a helpful piece of content can end up putting you in front of thousands of people, any of which could end up being an important part of your network.
2. Be Real: Be yourself online. Studies show that people are generally honest about themselves online, fakes will be exposed. The real you will attract the right people to you or your brand. Experts say that the key to an awesome blog and overall online presence is authenticity.
3. Say Thanks: If people out in the blogosphere or twittersphere help you out in some way, thank them. It seems simple, but the truth is that scientifically, thanks gets you far. If you establish that people who take time out of their day to spread your word will get thanked, it is more likely they will keep doing it and others will start.