How To Use Social Networking In Your Business

“You just have to use Digg to promote your business.”
“Everyone is on Facebook.”
“You’re not using Twitter? You’re missing out…”

There are tons of different ways to market your business and start bringing in prospects. In the years past people have sold everything from direct mail techniques, to Yellow Pages advertising, and advertising in newspapers. Today its tools like Facebook and Twitter.

But with any type of marketing or advertising, it’s not about what tool you use. It’s the results you achieve.

I can spend thousands of dollars on a quarter page Yellow Pages ad. But if my clients don’t use the phone book to find my services, it’s a waste of my marketing dollars.

The same with using Twitter or Facebook. If you’re clients aren’t using those tools, you’ll be wasting your time trying to convert people into clients – people that simply aren’t there to convert.

First, Define Your Audience
Take a look at your current client list. How did they find you? If you don’t know, take the next couple of weeks and survey your clients. Find out where they get their information, how they search for new products/services, and what they looked for before selecting you.

Define Your Goals and What You Want To Achieve
I love technology, and usually try things out as soon as I hear about them. But my target market is quite a ways behind me. (Yes, I still have clients that don’t have websites or email) For me, it’s important to learn about technology to have tools ready to help new clients. And also to attract clients as they start picking up on technology.

But as a small business owner, it’s also important not to spend a ton of time on things that will never provide results. Go into every new strategy with a clear purpose.

·    My goal is to drive traffic to my blog
·    My goal is to have profiles on a variety of social sites
·    My goal is to learn as much as I can about technology
·    My goal is to be perceived as an expert within my niche

Social networking is a great tool and can help you achieve different things. It may be free from a cost perspective, but it does take a lot of time. If you have the time and like experimenting, social networking can be a great addition to your marketing arsenal.

Be Useful
It’s easy to get caught in the trap of chatting and adding to conversations, rather than providing your own useful content. Remember, no matter what tool you use, its important to provide your own quality information first, chatter and conversation second.

If you start building a ton of content now, its easier to attract an audience. People may not be searching for your services online today. But what if you could send them to a site that had hundreds of ideas, and completely built you up as the expert? Build towards that. I guarantee you’re audience will be there at some point in the future.

Be Active
Checking your accounts once a month simply won’t provide you with any results. Social networking is just that – social. It takes time and commitment every week. Logging in a few minutes each day is much more effective than 30 minutes once a week. It’s all about timely connections, and sharing information with people on their schedule, not yours.

Again, if you’re building today and establishing your own systems, you’ll be that much ahead of your competition once they start finding and using these tools. There’s a lot to be said for being the first in your area with a ton of information. You will be looked at as the expert. Plus you’ll find it easy to continually add content.

Find Your Style and Your Rhythm
If you’ve been in business for a while, you understand the importance of systems. Your business runs smoother if you have things set up on systems. And if you can hire a person to do certain things for you, you’ll have more time to concentrate on the things you love.

The same holds true for social networking. Having systems in place help you stay on track. Head into the office 30 minutes before everyone else arrives. Or take an early lunch so you have a few spare moments over the lunch hour when things are quiet. Find the time to share your knowledge, and do it regularly.

Comments

2 Responses to “How To Use Social Networking In Your Business”

John Gaughan on February 16th, 2009 10:24 pm

Lori,

You couldn’t convince me more that social networking and continuous marketing are the keys to success for, perhaps, a small photography business. Through all your e-zines, blog posts, twitter and Facebook posts, I’ve yet to be led to your own photography business blog, where we see the shots you take and your clients. Do you keep a blog for this??

And I’m not sure if she’s learned from you, but I believe http://jessicaclaire.net is doing exactly what you have been blogging about, correct? Notice she has been quite successful at it. Is this blog-site style what you are trying to preach?
admin on March 20th, 2009 4:18 pm

Ahh, great question. Actually we retired from wedding photography a few years ago, and now simply help photographers build their businesses.

But, stay tuned. Once a photographer, always a photographer. We’re already gearing up the next wave of our photography business (in the fine art area) which we’ll be going into a few years down the road, once our daughter moves onto college.