Referral Marketing: Facebook

It's all the rage! Social networking ... Twitter ... Facebook ... LinkedIn ... Plaxo ... etc., etc. What does it all mean? How does it impact networking? How much should you put "out there"? Here's a few tips from my own personal perspective:

1. Yes ... you should have a presence in the social networking arena.
2. Don't overwhelm yourself ... pick one to start with and spend some time with it. Choose one that will meet your goals (I spend time with LinkedIn and Facebook).
3. Ask a "Gen Xer" to help you establish your profile and teach you how to navigate the site.
4. Schedule time in your calendar to work the social network environment ... you can't receive any benefit by simply being there ... you've got to use it regularly.
5. LinkedIn can help you view your network's network very quickly ... potentially leading to referrals if you ask your network to make introductions for you.
6. Only connect to people you know... why? ... because when a friend asks you to introduce them to someone in your network ... you CAN because you know that person well.
7. Only put "out there" what you don't mind the world to see ... including your mom and your prospective client.

I'm probably not in the norm ... but in my opinion, social networking is not about numbers. It's about staying connected to people in your life and making them aware of what's happening in your life. It's about helping people in your network to connect to others you know at a faster pace.

Social networking is not going to go away ... so get with the program. I also don't believe social networking will replace face to face networking ... at least in my lifetime!

Referral Marketing: Social Networking

150 million users on Facebook!
36 million users on LinkedIn!
4.43 million users on Twitter!

I got these numbers from the web last week ... they've probably increased significantly by now!

If you haven't begun to work an online network of some sort by now, you're missing out! It's one of those things that certainly is not going to go away ... so you might as well get on board. I have a profile on LinkedIn, Plaxo, and Facebook. Personally, I like LinkedIn. It's easy for a non-techie like me to use it (otherwise, forget it).

But the BIG question is ... can it actually help you find new business in this economy? Yes ... absolutely! Imagine this scenario ... you're sitting in your pajamas browsing your best friend's LinkedIn contacts only to see the name of the CEO you've been trying to meet for the last two months! Or this scenario ... imagine browsing the contacts of your best client only to find 5 perfect prospects that they could introduce you right now! Can you find business? Absolutely!

Here's the caveat ... business won't just miraculously show up on your doorstep simply by setting up a profile on a social networking site. Just like face to face networking, you must dedicate time in your schedule to work that system to reap the benefits. I recommend at least one hour per week initially to get started learning the systems and reviewing who your people know and then activating your network to make connections for you.

Stop wasting time. Stop being afraid of the social networking sites. Get on board today and stop leaving money on the table!