when I worked with the record industry trolling chat rooms and
bulletin boards trying to get college kids not to rip music illegally
via sites like Napster. Social media has evolved significantly
since then, but the fundamentals of how to behave, and more
specifically, network online, have not. I’ve outlined three golden
rules of networking on social media below.
Listen before you speak. If you’re looking to make meaningful
connections to move your career or business forward, you can’t
afford to misstep right out of the gate. Do your homework
and get to know communities and individual influencers/
targets before reaching out. Understand their communication
preferences, hot buttons and needs. I can’t stand when people
message me on Twitter with an irrelevant question or comment
about my day or the weather. Show me you know me and be
unique and remarkable to foster engagement.
Provide value. The key to developing lasting relationships is
to create value early in the relationship. Instead of sending a
generic LinkedIn connection, customize it with an observation,
question or piece of valuable information that clearly indicates
you’ve taken the time to understand your audience in order
to differentiate yourself from the pack early on. The power of
reciprocity is well documented, so providing something of value
increases the likelihood your target will respond. A vast majority
of interactions I have in LinkedIn consist of vendors soliciting my
business without providing any credentials, relevance or value.
#fail.
Nurture the relationship. Networking takes time and good
networkers understand their network requires care and feeding.
Making a new connection is just the start. Execute a plan to
maintain regular communications, ensuring quality and value
consistently over time. Add value at every touch point and watch
your efforts reap great rewards. As the founder of pdxMindShare,
I run the largest LinkedIn Group in Oregon, which gives me a
unique view of a group of networkers. I’ve noticed a significant
number of members in the group are self-promotional or
generally engage only when they want something, rather than
making a consistent effort to engage and build their reputation,
credibility and karma. Don’t fall into that trap.
By following these three golden rules, you will grow your
network and enhance the value of your relationships on social
media.
Anvil Media Inc.
www.anvilmediainc.com
24
NATDA Magazine
www.natda.org