Imagine tapping into more than 35 million professionals in over 200 countries and territories worldwide to gain potential new sales leads, learn from fellow industry peers on upcoming industry trends, and simply connect with so many options. different. This is the amazing reality of social media.
Social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Digg offer you some top-notch professional and business connections that you might never otherwise have access to. Only LinkedIn has these 35 million professionals. Therefore, more and more VARs are logging in and logging in to find, be introduced to, and connect with like-minded people to achieve their business goals. You’ve no doubt heard of LinkedIn and these other social networking sites, and maybe even created an account. You recognize the value of being involved in this viral network. Someone asks if you’re on LinkedIn or Facebook and you say, “Sure.” But calmly think to yourself, “I’m not sure what I should be doing, though.”
You’re not alone. So let’s take a look at some of the ways to maximize social media for your benefit.
First, the network you develop for yourself will consist of your connections, the connections of your connections, and the people they know, and so on. It’s similar to “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon,” where you’re only a few connections away from key people. It’s the ultimate in networking, and you’re doing it virtually instead of at a Chamber of Commerce meeting or annual meeting or trade show where you’re limited by physical attendees. In theory, you could meet future clients while lounging in your pajamas. You will not only find partners and business opportunities, but they will find you too!
Now that you’ve set up your account, what do you need to do next?
1. Put on your salesman hat and start selling! The first step on any social networking site is to create an intriguing and informative profile about yourself and/or your business. Approach this as if you were creating a resume online, only you’re creating it within an already developed template. Start with four or five words that sell what you have to offer; let people know not only what you’ve done in your career, but also where you’re going. A word of caution: don’t just cut and paste your resume into the profile field. That’s great to include, but it needs to go beyond the standard resume. What are you passionate about? What are your core values? What differentiates your business from your competitors? Why should clients choose you for their VAR? Social networking sites elevate resume writing to the creative “self-selling” it should be. You’re sharing more than just your professional experience—you’re selling the whole package.
2. What details does it include? People do business with other people, so include a photo of yourself. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words, so you want to look professional yet approachable in your photo. Lounging on your friend’s boat with a drink with umbrella in hand is probably not the best way to tell your story. But being in a stiff suit might not be either. Find a photo that you feel comfortable with and that speaks to who you are as a professional VAR. Let people know how you want to be contacted. Do you prefer email? Maybe communicating through the social networking site works well for a while, but do you want to communicate more directly? Or do you want people to call you out of the blue? Be specific about what is acceptable (and what is not) for networking with you. The more honest you are about what you hope to accomplish, the better your chances of connecting with like-minded people.
3. Start building your network. This could be “friends”, “connections” or other terminology depending on the social networking site. But the bottom line is that one connection usually leads to another as you develop your network further and further into this vast community. A good way to judge whether or not you want to make a connection with someone is to decide whether or not you would accept a phone call from that person during your busy day. If you accept the call, invite that person into your fold. If you wouldn’t, you might want to think twice before inviting.
4. Maximize the connections you make. Ask questions and respond to others. Informed sources will chime in with their information. You become a resource for others. Recommend clients, vendors and colleagues you know and ask them to do the same. Aren’t you more likely to do business with a vendor recommended by a trusted friend or business associate? The same rules apply here too.
Of course, when you go public, there are also potential dangers and pitfalls that you need to be aware of. People can spam and say negative things about you or your business. But that works both ways, so never leave negative comments in the public domain. You may also find “potential customers” at your doorstep that you don’t want or that won’t fit into the network you’re building. And lastly, don’t oversell or over-develop.
The bottom line is that you have an amazing opportunity to develop connections and build quality contacts and relationships in these communities. Using social media will allow you to not only grow your business financially, but will also enrich your business experience as you learn new and innovative ways to approach your peers’ businesses.