Working the Net
If you haven’t been marooned on an island the last few years, you would’ve noticed- networking has gone digital. Handshakes by buffet tables and business cards exchanges over cocktails are giving way to Linked-in messages, Twitter Tweets and Facebook Wall Posts (not completely, thank goodness, I still enjoy my occasional free lunch and a congenial tête-à-tête).
Despite this rapidly growing trend, however, I often find that Brand Managers here in India are still amiss on how to make this transition to Social Networking Sites. A common uncertainty usually sounds something like: how do you monetize activities or how do you drive sales on social networking sites? The answer here is simple- you don’t. It’s not the point.
You do as you would around the buffet table- meet people, talk, get to know them- network.
To drive home this point, I’ve pulled an article entitled ‘Top 7 Rules of Networking’ by Martien-Eerhart, published online on August 24, 2000 (I haven’t chosen this piece by random or by academic findings- it showed up #1 on my Google search); I’ve applied these rules to the digital medium:
Rule #1: Don’t sell at networking meetings. Your goal is to meet people.
But first-
Know Your Room. Keep your target market in mind and select the networking sites that are right for you. Watch how people interact in each space, listen to what they are saying, what their interests are. “It means selecting your audience rather than accumulating it. It’s the foundation of a good campaign” (from “Conversation Marketing” by Ian Lurie).
Once you choose your room, behave accordingly. On a professional networking site, such as Linked-in, present yourself…well… professionally. Meanwhile, you can let your hair down a bit on more youthful sites like Myspace. ALWAYS be conscious that anyone can be watching you.
Back to Martien-Eerhart….
Don’t sell at networking meetings. Your goal is to meet people.
No one wants to hear another sales pitch. You are here to meet people and make friends. At an event, you exchange business cards. On the Internet- you add them to your ‘Friends list’, you ‘Follow’ them on Twitter, you connect with them on Linked-in; you may invite them to subscribe to your newsletters. As your network grows so will your visibility.
Rule #2: The best way to get something from networking is to give something. Networking is like marriage: You get out of it what you put in it.
Always be available to lend a helping hand and show support, be it connecting someone to your contacts, endorsing a product or brand (by being a Fan of someone’s Facebook page, for example), subscribing to RSS Feeds, etc.
“When you help someone,” says Laura Levitan (SVP @ Word of Mouth), “don’t expect you’ll get something back. While some people will return the favor and others won’t, the important thing is that you’ll feel good making a difference in someone’s life. And I guarantee over time you will see it returned in spades.” (Laura Levitan had 13,000 Linked-in contacts that she’s now filtered down to 5,00 qualified contacts)
Rule #3: When someone asks you what you do, say something memorable. This way it is easier for the other person to think of you when they meet someone who needs your product or service.
Keep your social media identities and your web properties engaging, relevant and intelligent. Update your profiles regularly with interesting posts, blogs, videos, news feeds, etc. Have people excited by what you are saying now and what you may say next.
Rule #4: Realize that not everyone will be a prospect. Networking is more then prospecting. It is also finding people who could lead you to potential new customers.
Heard of ‘Clusters and Influences’? Look at Sandeep Bansal’s blog on the subject (http://blogs.e-businessinteractive.com/2009/05/clusters-influencers-how-are-preferences-are-shaped-in-web20/).
Rule #5: Networking is more like farming then hunting. It takes time to cultivate and harvest. But once the harvest season starts, you will be well compensated.
Make connections and keep them active. As with any relationship, you need to nurture your online connections as well. Find reasons to stay in stay in touch. But don’t be pushy.
“Networking is not supposed to be difficult, awkward or forced. It’s about building long-term, lasting relationships with people. So don’t be too eager or persistent. Often, if you flood someone’s inbox with comments or messages, the messages will be ignored, and the person will end up with a bad perception of you” (from The rules of networking online by Brooklyne Gipson).
Rule #6: Did you miss me or am I just another number? Keep all your meetings like the first one!
Test, observe and update. Keep it fresh. Know what’s going on out there and make sure you and your social media content stays relevant. Regularly gauge your performance and be agile enough to update and adapt quickly.
Rule #7: Remember, it is net*work*, not net*eat* or net*play.* It takes energy and effort to make network work for you.
*Net*+ *work*: work the net and it’ll work for you.
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