Networking: Connecting Through Social Media

For many years, face-to-face networking has been the primary way for sales executives to connect with potential buyers.   Many of us are still a little slow to embrace social media to its fullest as a means to grow our business.

I will be the first to admit that I’m still a neophyte at social media but I work on it every day.  Like they say, “I ain’t there yet but I’m getting there little-by-little.”

Let’s face it, social media is here to stay.  We might as well roll up our sleeves, cinch up our belt and get savvy with every possible way to make connections and seize opportunities.

To improve your overall effectiveness as a networker, here are a few tips that I have recently learned on how to improve my own social media:

    • Make sure that all of your social media profiles say the same thing.
    • Give yourself a title that is descriptive of what you do.  For example, I am the owner of my company. However, I am a Business Networking Expert, Speaker, Author and Industrial Packaging Specialist.  Therefore, list what you do as your Title, not the position that you hold within your company.
    • Create a Summary that includes who you are and what products or services provided. Again, make sure they are consistent on each media.
    • Write a short statement, one paragraph, about each job that you have held.
    • Toot your own horn by including all Awards and Honors that you have accumulated over the years.  People really read this stuff when they are checking you out.
    • List all continuing education or self-improvement coursework that you have taken.
    • Write short, to-the-point, articles or 1-2 sentence posts on your social media. This will qualify you as an author.
    • Comment on posts by others.  This will get better ratings on Google because it draws attention to you and what you are up to.
    • Connect periodically with your tribe to let them know you are still alive and kicking.  Send them a link to your most recent blog post.

Other places where you can connect with me include:

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/peggyedge

Facebook Business Page: https://www.facebook.com/PeggyEdgeFanPage

Twitter: ttps://twitter.com/PeggyEdge

Peggy P. Edge (c) 2014

Networking – Dale Carnegie style

Dale Carnegie was the consummate networker.  He wrote “How to Win Friends and Influence People” in 1936!  His teachings are still as relevant today as they were when originally written.

Here are 3 excerpts from his book that we can apply when attending your next networking event:

    • “Become genuinely interested in other people.”  The moral here is to drop the “what’s in it for me” attitude.  When you engage others and ask them about what they do, why there are there or simply welcome them as a guest, you show that you care about them.
    •  “Smile.”  You certainly cannot win many friends if you always go around with a frown on your face.
    • “Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.”  Many times at networking functions, I see folks spending all of their time talking about themselves and trying to establish their place whereas if they would be a sponge and soak up what other people have to say, they would be much more effective in making an impression.

Dale Carnegie was a genius at teaching folks how to be winners in all aspects of life.  His writings are still very applicable today as they were almost 80 years ago.

Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Win_Friends_and_Influence_People

Peggy P. Edge (c) 2014

 

Networking: 30-Second Commercial for Consultants and Service Industries

If you are a consultant or sell a service like IT services or financial services, describing what you do for a living in a 30-second commercial is sometimes difficult.  Finding the right words to explain, in laymen’s terms, the service you provide can be challenging.

For example, if  you say, “I am a Business Coach.” This does not give me enough information to “get it.” What do you really do?

If you say, “We help companies cut their expenses and increase their bottom line.” This statement not does not provide enough information to clearly understand what you do or how I might be able to help you with a warm referral.

Why? Because no matter what you or I sell, we all help our clients cut costs so they can make more money.

The Key Step to developing an effective 30-second commercial is to:

Give an example of how you have helped a client.

For example: The HR Director at Smith Insurance Company was having 1-2 issues (name them off) with their employees. Then explain 1-2 solutions that you recommended or were implemented.

Keep in mind the main purpose of a 30-Second Commercial is to be able to relay in common terms: who is your target market; what product or service you offer; and why you can solve the problem–your value proposition.

Therefore, if you are a consultant or provide some type of service, always include detailed descriptions of:

    • how you have identified a problem;
    • developed a strategy of remediation; and,
    • been successful in the implementation.

Finally get in front of the mirror, your dog or cat; practice-practice-practice; and time yourself. After all, a 30-second commercial is not a dissertation…it’s only 30-seconds.

Peggy P. Edge (c) 2014