You don’t have to be a rocket scientist or CEO of a global organisation to see how social media has changed the business marketing landscape in the last decade, revolutionising the way we connect and interact. Indeed, many of today’s business leaders wouldn’t even remember a time before social media. But despite the influence social media has on our marketing strategies, networking continues to have a huge impact on building relationships and growing online connections, leads and referrals. That’s why it’s so important to combine these two marketing essentials and prioritise a social media networking strategy.
There are a multitude of benefits to social media networking and how building online connections and engaging in professional networking can enhance your personal and professional life … here are just a few:
- Connecting Globally
Social media platforms have made the world a smaller place, with more than half of the world’s population connected on social platforms.* And in just a few clicks, you can connect with people from businesses across the globe, regardless of geographical boundaries or time zones. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a creative professional, or simply someone seeking to expand their knowledge, digital networking allows you to connect with like-minded individuals, industry experts, and potential collaborators across the globe.
- Building Lasting Relationships
As with all professional networking activities, social media networking is about fostering relationships. Through consistent and genuine interactions, you can establish meaningful connections with a variety of people, who will either support your product or service, or even, actively support you in your business.
- Knowledge Sharing and Learning Opportunities
Digital networking is an abundant source of knowledge and learning opportunities. By following industry influencers, participating in online communities, and joining groups related to your field of interest, you gain access to a wealth of information and insights.
- Branding and Visibility
Brand visibility plays a crucial role in business growth success. Social media networking offers the perfect stage to showcase your unique brand personality, products, services and accomplishments to a global audience.
So, with all these benefits, it could be easy to jump straight in and start sending messages to hundreds of random people, play a numbers game and hope for the best. But like all good marketing and networking, making beneficial online connections while building relationships requires a strategy.
Leveraging social media for business partnerships
Initiating meaningful conversations and establishing mutual interests with your online connections is a good place to start but can be challenging. Doug Camplejohn, previously VP of Product Management at Linkedin, suggests you approach social media networking ‘as an extension of how you interact with others in the real world.’ ** Don’t’ look at your online connections as a one-time sales transaction, instead, look at ways to continue building relationships with authenticity and trust. It’s important to find ways to support your online connections; if you are prepared to help others, you will find many more people who will then support you. This is as true online as it is in the real world. It’s about looking at the big picture, and by harnessing the power of social media networking, you can unlock a wealth of collaborative opportunities leading to partnerships that drive innovation, growth, and success.
So, what strategies can you use to ensure your digital networking is effective?
Optimise your online persona
Your online persona is a reflection of your real-life self. Strive to be authentic, positive, and professional in all your interactions. Building a strong and optimised online presence takes time and effort, but it can greatly enhance your personal brand and open doors to exciting opportunities. It’s important to use a professional image and craft a strong and individual bio that highlights your expertise, interests and passions. This may require the help of a professional to support you to stand out. Your persona should be consistent across all platforms, and your posts should contain valuable content.
Create engaging content that sparks conversation
You’ll have more chance of engaging with beneficial online connections when you have a thoughtful and strategic approach. This starts with ensuring that what you are posting online, whether it’s images and videos or blogs and articles, is professional, engaging and valuable content. If you have a history of consistent value online, with a high level of engagement, (comments and likes) your credibility will be strong. Content that is unique, informative, and thought-provoking, with good storytelling and compelling visuals, will capture attention and evoke emotions. Encourage audience participation by asking questions, seeking opinions, or running polls. Be open to feedback and respond to comments promptly to foster a two-way dialogue. By consistently providing valuable and stimulating content, you can create an engaged community that eagerly discusses and shares your content, creating more opportunities to nurture lasting relationships.
When you are reaching out to connect directly with individuals and professionals online, ensure your message is short and sweet. Linkedin** analysis suggests that direct messages under 100 words are more likely to get a response, while referencing mutual contacts also establishes some credibility. Asking questions that intrigue the reader can also help to get a higher response.
Establish yourself in a variety of online groups and forums
Utilising a variety of platforms, such as blogs, groups and forums, as well as social media, will help you to reach a wider audience and collaborate with influencers and experts in a range of industries. Interacting with an organisation like ScalePreneurs could make a huge difference to your number of online connections and the value of your global network. Scalepreneurs is a platform offering entrepreneurs and professionals access to a global business growth network of inspirational business leaders seeking exponential results ($), uncapped opportunities (growth) and strategic shortcuts (speed). A place where you can capitalise on new and exciting opportunities and learn from the challenges and successes of international experts to solve burning issues.
Reach out to us and discover how we can support your successful social media and digital networking strategy.