Monday, September 26, 2011

Is Facebook Stealing Your Time or Adding to Your Face Value?

It’s impossible to ignore the influence of online social networks in modern society. Facebook’s worldwide membership has grown to exceed 800 million active users.

75% of Americans and 83% of Canadians with Internet access are now on Facebook... and it has quickly become a primary form of communication for the 18-34 year-olds who will make up the next generation of first-time buyers.

Use Facebook to stay top of mind with the many people who already know, and like you—a strategy that could help you generate more referrals, build a thriving business and ultimately earn more money.


How to Transform Facebook from a Time Waster to a Money Maker

Make Your Communication Matter by sharing meaningful information to a wide audience and make certain your media sources are credible. It makes sense to highlight the events and happenings which are of interest to local residents, but it’s usually best to resist the urge to post trivial details like what you ate for breakfast. To keep from offending anyone, you may want to avoid polarizing topics like politics or religion and, depending on where you live, (like here in the Triangle) … possibly even sports teams.

Using Facebook to market listings or brag about sales could cause you to appear less than genuine. It’s often more effective to sell softly and gently remind people how you can help them.

Mind Your Professional Reputation

Limit the amount of personal information you share. Clients could get the idea that you are not working hard enough for them if they see countless references to golf outings, vacations or other social events.

Monitor your friends for bad behavior. You know it’s critical to keep your profile squeaky clean, but you may occasionally need to “un-friend” individuals who post negative comments or inappropriate photos.
Ask for testimonials. Your clients who have had a good experience may be willing to post a testimonial about you on their page for their friends to see.

Take time to read and understand Facebook’s terms of service and what commercial activities are allowed or possibly prohibited.
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How to Manage Social Media Marketing

Think of social media as a powerful communication tool which can be used to build relationships with the clients and prospects in your database. It’s also a quick and convenient way for you to stay in touch and position yourself as a valuable resource in the community.

Set goals and come up with a plan for your networking activities before you begin. Get comfortable with one social media platform before attempting to incorporate others. Block a small amount of time each day for posting content and communicating with contacts online; don’t allow yourself to get distracted and waste time that could be dedicated to other important tasks.
Planning
If you have used Facebook to keep up with friends and family in the past, you may need to make adjustments to your profile, including security settings, before you incorporate it into your business strategy. Your profile could eventually be viewed by hundreds or possibly thousands of people you don’t know yet. To make a good first impression, use a quality photo that looks professional and expresses your distinct personality.

Once you get your profile started, it’s important to keep track of what is happening on your page and quickly deal with any questions or negative issues that arise. Try to engage others in two-way conversation. It’s quick and easy for people to respond to your prompts and you may be surprised at what you learn.

Remember online interactions should not replace time spent in more personal and effective forms of communication. It’s still important to send handwritten notes, make regular phone calls or pop by from time to time with a small, thoughtful gift. Social networking makes it easy to connect with new people through others that you know.

When you come across new contacts online who seem interested in your professional activities, try to meet them in person for coffee or invite them to a mixer in order to further the relationship.

© 2011 Buffini & Company. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission.

Eddie Brown
www.ICU-Coaching.com

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