EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second article in the virtual and online networking activity series. The first article ran last week: The 5 Benefits of Networking Virtually.
How do we turn all the Tweeters, Facebookers, and LinkedIners into actionable tangible relationships?
I use TweetDeck as a social application that helps me organize and monitor my social platform activity. Sometimes I watch my Twitter friend stream pulse by and am astounded with the activity per 15 seconds! Somehow we have to find a way to leverage all this activity into tangible results be it a referral, customer, or inquiry.
Finding those best to connect with
I use the search tool features on most of the social platforms to find the people who are most likely to be interested in me and what I do. These can be people directly in the industries and content I cover, plus other layers of possible synergy. Then I time block into my schedule time for prospecting and qualifying potential connections. Not everyone is going to be willing and mutual.
You really have to ‘vet’ your connections and spend some time interacting to see how you communicate together virtually.
Here are 6 ways I have gotten more personal with people in the digital space.
1) Comment on or re-post something I find interesting and has value to my followers and platforms.
2) Invite certain people to guest on my weekly Blogtalkradio show podcast.
3) Pick at least 3-5 people weekly to set up phone, Skype or in person meetings.
4) Invite experts to guest write on my blog.
5) Collaborate on webinars, teleconference calls and live workshops and seminars.
6) Include or feature a post, book, website or blog into my newsletters and email marketing.
Created opportunities
Here are just a few amazing tangible rewards of getting more personal in our digital world. Author, entrepreneur and national workplace expert Tory Johnson put her profile in my book and gave me a beautiful praise for the cover of my book. I am writing regularly for personal branding expert Dan Schawbel’s Personal Branding Blog, Anita Campbell’s Small Business Trends, JT O’Donnel’s top 3 career blog Career Realism! Plus, my Metropolis Radio show in its third year has over 27K downloads and is frequently featured.
“Fairy tales can come true they can happen to you, if you’re playing in the space.” So, get out there and play, greet and meet!
If you are not living, working and playing in the virtual, digital space, you are missing out on opportunities to meet what could be some of the most valued and impact people in your life and business, and to build your brand footprint!
Author:
Deborah Shane is an author, entrepreneur, radio host and expert. She is the heart and soul of her business education and professional development company, Train with Shane and is in her third year of hosting a weekly business radio show on blogtalkradio.com. She writes for several national business, career and marketing blogs, and websites including smallbiztrends.com, careerealism.com, Internationalbusinesstimes.com, Smartbrief.com and blogher.com Her new book Career Transition-make the shift-the 5 steps to successful career reinvention is available now on amazon.com. Connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Blogtalkradio @Deborah Shane, or visit www.deborahshane.com.
