How Social Networking Can Benefit Your Business

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, MySpace...

All these social networking sites are invaluable marketing tools. Your business could grow and prosper by using them to help you strengthen your business relationships, generate leads, create SEO link building, and also:

Build Up Your Online Reputation and Your Brand

Do this through Facebook by: Pointing others towards your website where 'must see' information relating to your latest promotions and Special Offers can be found. You could develop customers and also introduce them to your website, blog, online store, articles, or even your monthly ezine (HTML email newsletters).
Do this through Twitter by: Mentioning any business awards (or accreditations) you have recently won, and saying how this could impact positively upon your customers through the enhanced service you can now offer them (as a result of your company enjoying a raised profile).
Do this through LinkedIn by: Announcing details of a forthcoming speaking engagement or business seminar you are leading, and inviting your LinkedIn contacts to attend at a discounted price or even as special guests.
Do this through MySpace by: Pointing your customers to some high quality content you have recently added to your website or blog - useful and relevant information. The content could be a Breaking News item, an informative article, a product description, or a how-to guide (e.g. How to get the most from your laptop). All this will help you forge a reputation for being a company that cares about its customers, rather than being fixated solely by the profit margin.
Do this through YouTube by: Talking about your company culture and values (in a short video). You could also talk about any recent successes you have had, and what the potential knock-on benefits this might create for your customers.

Facilitate the Expansion of Your Business Network

Do this through Facebook by: Connecting vendors to one another. Your efforts will be appreciated and could be rewarded by those you've helped connecting you with a vendor who may be interested in putting some business your way.
Do this through Twitter by: Finding relevant business-orientated conversations you could participate in (and contribute strongly to with relevant and useful information), by using Twitter search.
Do this through LinkedIn by: Explaining to your business contacts how you are keen to give a new business venture a try, but are missing one vital 'jigsaw piece' when it comes to getting started (a graphic designer, photographer, event planner...).
Do this through MySpace by: Using the site to organise an offline social event. Suggest to your contacts group (who share a common interest) that you all meet in person for a relaxed social evening. They are sure to bring someone along who you could then connect with offline and online.
Do this through YouTube by: Pointing your contacts towards a YouTube video where you let them know about which business events you will be attending in the coming months. You could also say how much you look forward to meeting them there, as well as any friends or associates they intend to bring along. This will get your contacts thinking about people they know who you would get on well with; find common ground with; and then possibly talk business with.

Increase Access to Customer Service and Feedback

Do this through Facebook by: Passing on relevant links and posts to your customers and asking them for their reaction. Your customers will feel you value their opinion and don't just see them as your 'target market'.
Do this through Twitter by: Answering common customer questions, sharing opinions and insight, breaking the 'latest news' in your industry. This will mark you out as being the first to give customers the inside track on what's going on, what the latest product developments are, and even what discounted goods or services are currently around. Also, respond quickly to any customer query or even a casual question. Your customers will feel valued. They will also regard your presence on the site as being constant rather than fleeting or intermittent. This will help to build trust.
Do this through LinkedIn by: Displaying endorsements and testimonials from satisfied customers. With this, it is essential that you include balanced views rather than simply including a list of glowing testimonials which smack of marketing spin (some users may even think that you have simply written the testimonials yourself). Have your other contacts perceive you as an honest vendor by including endorsements that say good things about you and your company, but not over-the-top compliments.
Do this through MySpace by: Being ethical and honest. As mentioned above, trust plays a huge part in being regarded as credible on social networking sites. On MySpace, as well as talking about the things you've got right, how about describing a business venture that went wrong! (something that happens to ALL businesses sooner or later). You could also talk about what you've learned from the experience, and how through sharing that knowledge you hope to help your contacts/customers avoid the nightmare situation themselves. You could also generate feedback by asking your contacts/customers if they have had a similar experience.
Do this through YouTube by: Uploading 'how-to' videos which not only help your customers, but also help you become recognised as an expert in your field. Teach others a specific skill and be sure to then emphasise what the benefit of acquiring that skill will mean to the user. Through passing on your knowledge you will be perceived not only as an expert, but one who is generous with their knowledge and open to helping others. In terms of generating feedback, you could also ask users if they found the information useful and for suggestions as to how the 'how-to' instructional videos you post each month may be improved.

How to Best Approach Social Networking for Business

Don't blindly register with ALL the sites - Choose the social networks where you feel the greatest affinity with the people who are on there.

Be patient and take a long-term approach - It takes time to build social networking contacts and to become 'trusted' on the different sites. Be patient and don't expect an explosion of interest in your business straight away.

Be consistent - Always strive to strike the same tone when you leave posts, send messages, make announcements, or contribute to discussions. This will establish your voice (and temperament) on each site as being consistent - one that others will grow to recognise and trust.

Be constant - Many businesses keen on benefiting from everything social networking has to offer throw themselves into it all fully at first, but then fade away. To maintain your social networking 'presence', aim to spend, say, 40 minutes social networking each day: leaving posts, contributing to discussions, pointing users towards your site, helping others, making new connections. Through doing so you will forge a reputation as being an online business that is not a flash in the pan, but a 'stayer'. All this will help foster trust and belief.

What You Absolutely MUST Do If You Want to Succeed

On social networking sites, give as much as you take (and give first).

As powerful as social networking is as a marketing tool, to be truly successful it is essential to remember that by joining these sites you are opting to join a community. A community is all about people listening to each other, helping out, empathising, encouraging. On sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and the rest, always strive to have a contribution-focused mindset. Others will love you for it, and, in return, they will contribute to your online success.

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