Posts Tagged ‘Networking’

9 reasons to QUIT SOCIAL MEDIA from Erik Graf

Thursday, August 9th, 2012

In his recent post on The Social Graf, Erik Sass punches social media in the face a bit.  There are some interesting thoughts here although I think they only apply to Facebook and Twitter.  I think LinkedIn provides a lot of value— the social media option for grown ups.  Furthermore, I happen to like social media.  I feel more connected with friends I don’t see often and I use Twitter to find interesting news articles.

Anyway, although these points are watered down from his original post, here are his 9 reasons to quit social media:

1.  It’s a waste of time. I like Erik’s take on this.  Let’s face it… how much time is spent “goofing off” with social media and how much true value do you get from looking at posts your friends?

2.  It’s addictive and unhealthy. “If nothing else, countless hours might be better spent taking a walk, pursuing a hobby, or doing activities you enjoy outside,” says Erik.

3.  It encourages envy/narcissism. I think this one is self-explanatory.

4. It takes you away from the real world.

5. It encourages superficial relationships. How many “friends” do you have?  Now, how many “real friends” do you have that will help you move out of your apartment on a sunny Saturday?

6. Privacy concerns/unethical business practices. How much information do you really want Facebook to know about you, your friends, your interests and your debauchery?

7. It can be personally and professional dangerous. Same deal here?  How much do you want your friends or business associates to know about you?

8.  It’s expected. I object to this one because I don’t think anyone really expects you to have a profile on social media (except on LinkedIn).  Recently some folks have suggested that criminals and murderers are less likely to have Facebook profiles.  But I don’t think your absence means you should be profiled.

9.  It’s only going to get worse. Erik finishes his post by saying, “in short, if you think managing your social media presences is overwhelming now, just imagine what it will be like ten years from now. And ask yourself: is it really worth it?”

What do you think?

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/180465/9-reasons-to-quit-social-media-now.html?edition=49844#ixzz234cK0GEy

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Posted in Facebook, LinkedIn, Social media, Twitter | No Comments »

Still not on Facebook? Here’s the first in a series to get you going…

Tuesday, October 18th, 2011

Get on Facebook

Facebook.com is fast becoming the global water cooler around which the world gathers to discuss anything and everything.Facebook logo

To date, according to Facebook, more than 800 million people have joined their community and it continues to grow every day.

Users typically log in to Facebook several times a day and it has become a more important method of communication than email for many.

Some say it is responsible for the recent downfall of several governments in the Arab Spring and is helping the Occupy Wall Street movement gain momentum.

The importance of Facebook as a community and for communication is expected to continue growing. The key to understanding Facebook is to recognize that it functions as a media vehicle for “word-of-mouth” discussions in the digital age.

Many of the points I made about LinkedIn apply also to Facebook but I have highlighted a few extra points that are specific to Facebook.

Get personal with your profile

The first way to get into Facebook is to establish a personal profile and start inviting your friends and contacts to connect with you.

You need to make a choice about whether you want to keep your Facebook profile totally personal – i.e. for family and real friends only – or whether you want to open your personal profile up to business contacts and customers.

More about business profiles on Facebook in my next post…

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Posted in Communication, Facebook, Networking, Social media | No Comments »

Even more awesome ways to use LinkedIn for business.

Friday, October 7th, 2011

Join industry and alumni associationsLinkedIn icon

These groups offer a great opportunity to reconnect with old friends and find new connections.

People like to do business with those who have attended the same college or belong to the same industry association. There is comfort and trust among those who belong to the same organizations.

Join those groups and search for people you might know.  Then connect.

Promote your recent work accomplishments

Update your status with interesting (make sure it truly is interesting) reports about your business accomplishments, meetings with interesting people and awards. This is PR in the new age.

Use the search facility for prospecting

Use LinkedIn’s search feature to find people who might need what you sell. Search by company, industry and city. Or, better yet… search through your primary contacts’ networks to see who they know. Then ask them for an introduction via LinkedIn.

Use the LinkedIn email system

This is email sent through the LinkedIn system. Inmail has been reported to get good open and read rates.

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Posted in Inbound Internet Lead Generation, lead generation, LinkedIn, marketing, Networking, Social media, strategy, Uncategorized | No Comments »

How to determine which networking events to go to for lead generation.

Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011

There are hundreds of networking opportunities in every major city in America – from chambers of commerce to simple clubs and groups. All you need to do is Google “local networking events” and you’ll find tons of opportunity.Networking events

But be sure to have a strategy before you run off to your first event. I recommend targeting your efforts. In other words, make sure you go to events where the prospects you need to meet are most likely to hang out. Don’t waste time at events that are off-track or you’ll end up with a ton of dead-end leads. And we suggest you avoid getting hooked into any networking that requires a commitment yet provides poor results.

I know a salesperson who drives 25 minutes each way (50 minutes total) to go to a networking luncheon for 90 minutes (now we’re up to 140 minutes) once a month.  Twelve times each year.  That’s 28 hours.  So she spends 4 full days (almost one full week) at a networking event trading business cards with people and hoping for referrals.  And after over a year of this I asked her if she ever got any business from it.  “No”, she replied.  “But they tell me I need to be patient and make sure to go every month.”

Duh!

If she spent time at the RIGHT place, she’d get more leads.  Or, better yet, if she spent 28 hours cold-calling, I’m sure she would have found more leads than she did driving back and forth to a monthly event that had no real prospects.

Bonus: And here’s the key that most people miss – don’t sell at networking events. Simply ask people what they do; be interested in their business; ask lots of questions. If there’s a fit, it will emerge. Of course that’s when you’ll want to trade business cards.

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Posted in Networking | No Comments »

4 ways CEO’s could use LinkedIN for results.

Monday, September 13th, 2010

We all know we’re supposed to be “on” LinkedIN.  But how can we make the most of it?

Here are some tips:

1- Use it to find top-notch employees. Remember, the best people aren’t necessarily looking for a new position.  And referrals are your best source for good people.  So, tap into your network.  Let them know you are looking for help.  Here’s how:

  • Send individual “in-mails” or post an update that announces the type of person you are looking for.
  • Post a job opening.  Go to the “Jobs” dropdown menu and follow the steps.
  • Review potential employees’ profiles online.
  • Check their references.  Do they have any?  Were they recommended by anyone on LinkedIN?
  • Run reference checks easily by searching for people who have worked at their previous companies.  Then contact them.

2- Help your team. If you have a great network, you can use it to help your team.  Suppose one of your salespeople is calling on a new prospect. She searches for the company on LinkedIn and sees that one of your connections knows the VP of purchasing. She can leverage the trust of that connection to build her relationship with the customer. Or ask you to help with an “introduction”.

3- Manage your time. You’ll get asked to connect with lots of people.  Many will be unknown to you.  Some may want to pitch a service to you while others may want you to speak at an event.  How do you know if that person or group is relevant to your needs and legitimate?  Before you connect you need to make sure they are a good fit for you and your network so they don’t waste your time.  LinkedIn makes it easy to check them out. You can easily search around to see who you know in common.  And you can ask your trusted connections if the person or group is for real.

4- Find smart answers from smart people fast. You can find an expert and have your questions answered easily on just about any topic under the sun.  Just go to the tab that says “More” and click on “Answers”.  Once there, search for answers to your question first.  Then, and only then… if you can’t find the answer you are looking for, go ahead and post a “Question”.  I recommend searching for the answer first because many questions have already been answered and you’ll be muddying the waters if you ask the same question that 30 other people have already asked.  It’s “LinkedIN etiquette” to search for an answer before you ask a question.

Obviously I’m a big fan of LinkedIN.  There’s a lot more you can do with it.  But these tips will get you started.

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Posted in Social media, Uncategorized | No Comments »