How to Use Social Networking For Business

Using Traditional, Internet and Social Networking for Business

by Angela Wills

Ready to improve your speaker business networking skills?

Networking is the lifeblood of any speaking business. You have to get out there, network and get known so when the time is right and the opportunity arises, you are the speaker they think of.

In any service-based business networking is an absolutely essential business practice. Many people won’t hire you simply by finding your website, they want to hear from someone they know and trust that you are a great speaker!

Just remember that networking is NOT about pushing your business on other people. You need to give and add value wherever you go. Think of it like this – give until it hurts, be different when possible, be interesting whenever you can and be find-able when people DO want to hire you. Don’t shove your business in their face but don’t make it hard to find you when they’re ready.

Here are some ways to network that I’ve personally found very effective:

Offline:
Conferences & Seminars- Of course the traditional networking through conferences and seminars is still very effect. The belly to belly connection of looking someone in the eyes just can’t be beat. When you can get to conferences and seminars don’t miss the opportunity to connect with people, collect their business cards and FOLLOW UP.

Family & Friends – We can’t forget our family and friends. They care about our success and want us to succeed (most of the time) so make sure your family understands what you do or at least knows a great tagline for you. For example – My aunt inspires people to greater business success as a motivational speaker.

Online:
Membership Site Forums – When someone is willing to pay to be part of a membership site then it really shows they are serious about their business. I’ve found it to be very effective to network on the forums that these membership sites offer. Remember, though, that networking is about giving just as much (or more) then you get so don’t expect to go in and get tons of business straight away.

Blogs – We already know that people who post comments on our blogs are already interested in what we have to say. Why not send them a personalized reply saying thank you for the comment? This may open up a conversation with them or it might just lay the foundation for later.

Online Networking - There are many sites out there that host webinars specifically for networking. These are great places to go to get to know other business owners. One I know of and attend fairly regularly is the Business and Learning Tuesday night networking. When you visit these type of rooms put your first and last name so that you will be recognized.

Social Networking - Twitter, Facebook, Myspace and many many more. These are Social Networks. Using social networks to build your business has been the source of many debates. Some say it’s a waste of time, some say it’s a serious marketing tool. How do you know if it works for you? Test it. Don’t spend tons of time and resources on social networking until you see if it’s a great fit for your target market and your business. If you’re not getting the results (ie. great business contacts) then it may not be the networking method for you.

Of course there are other ways to network online as well, you just need to be creative and always make sure you are bringing value to the table. The important thing is that you’re getting yourself and your business recognized and building a solid reputation.

Want to network? Meet me over at Twitter or Mom Masterminds – two places I spent a lot of time networking.