Effective Social Networking Marketing Strategies
Promote Yourself Through Attraction Rather Than Hard Sell
Jun 1, 2009
Social networking provides platforms for business people to network online. As a marketing strategy, it relies upon web 2.0 techniques such as sharing and commenting on information. There are several ways to use social networking effectively as part of an overall marketing plan.
Social Network Marketing Tips
As anyone who's ever suffered through an overcooked steak dinner at a business meeting knows, networking is part of marketing and promotions and a necessity for business and professional growth. Meeting new people, getting to know them, and exchanging business cards happens at Rotary Club dinners, conferences, and business meetings daily. Social networking is no different except that it happens online where the world is open to anyone with a computer.
On social networking websites, individuals and companies can set up a profile page, post links to articles online, share what they're reading through Amazon plug ins, feed blog posts into the site, and befriend countless people. Technology opens up a broad world of contact through social network marketing.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Networking Sites
More and more companies turn to social networking as part of their marketing strategy. There are several pros and cons to using social networking as part of a marketing program.
Advantages:
- Free - all it takes is a time commitment
- Immediate - immediate effects include click throughs to links, company websites
- Short learning curve - most sites are easy to learn, easy to navigate
- Far reach - provides access to global marketplace
Disadvantages:
- Overwhelming - trying to learn or use all social networking websites at once can be overwhelming
- Turn off - easy to turn off followers or connections with too many posts, irrelevant posts
- Time consuming - consumes a busy small business owner's time
How to Use Social Networking as Part of a Marketing Program
Social networking can be an effective part of any marketing program, but it must be used correctly. The following tips will help small business owners, entrepreneurs, and anyone looking to galvanize their social network marketing program.
- Use your social networking profile to communicate brand.
- Instead of linking to the home page of a website, set up a unique page for each social networking site, and include who you are, what you do and some personal facts to make the profile more approachable.
- Manage online reputation carefully. Avoid posting political, religious, or controversial opinions. Don't use a social networking profile as a platform to spout off about a former employer, coworker, colleague or business associate. What you post online can stay online for a very, very long time.
- Create a careful balance of posts. Too few posts and followers and friends lose interest. Too many and people are turned off.
- Be a friend to get friends. Nothing is worse than a person who posts only about themselves, or things to promote their business. Help others and attract true friends.
Give people time to understand personal details and become friends. As with a face to face networking event, not everyone will be a connection, nor will everyone wish to do business. Over time, as people read posts and learn more, they will be attracted to the business or person posting and seek to do business together. And in the long run, that leads to more profitable, long lasting, and better business contacts.
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