Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn - Networking Tools for the New Millennium
If you have a new home based business or will be starting one soon, you are likely thinking of ways to get the word out.
Friends and well meaning relatives keep telling you that networking is the key to generating leads for your new home based business, but what happens when you work non-traditional business hours and can't make the city chamber or business association networking meetings? After all, having the flexibility to work around your family's schedule is exactly why you decided to start a home based business in the first place.
We have two words for you: Social Media.
We know what your thinking.
Your idea is great, and you know how to do what you do; however, when it comes to computers and navigating the maze of social media networks to get the word out, you are unsure.
Will using social media to network for your home based business really bring the sales leads you hope for? It will if you understand the different networks and how your target demographic uses them.
Facebook is an extremely popular network used by consumers to keep up with their families and friends, but it can also help your home based business.
For example, if you are trying to sell logo'd children's T-shirts, where do you think parents are "hanging out" talking about what to get the kids for the holidays? That's right...
Facebook.
You can even customize your Facebook business page to include e-commerce so consumers can buy those t-shirts right off your Facebook page! Not to mention, Facebook is a great way for friends and family to help you use that old fashioned word-of-mouth to promote your home based business that we all instinctively understand.
Consider Twitter, the new millennium "business lunch".
Classified as a micro-blog, Twitter allows users to say what's on their mind in a fast 140 characters or less.
Twitter can be an instant way to notify of sales, a special product launching, or some other quick notice that you want announced to many instantly.
The best part? Twitter's keyword trending analysis can tell you how many people are talking about products or services such as yours within a 100 mile radius! LinkedIn is a social network used by professionals.
Most often, professionals are searching for connections that will help them develop relationships with businesses that can become a strategic partnership.
These relationships can be the life's blood of your word-of-mouth advertising.
A strategic partnership occurs when another business who sells a product or service to similar customers/clients as your business, but is not in direct competition with your home based business refers customers or clients to each other.
For example, let's say you sell work boots.
Companies that sell uniforms, safety equipment, etc.
but who do not sell boots might be companies that could be a strategic partner.
Sometimes it takes a bit of research to find the best businesses to work with in this strategic way, but by using social media channels, it doesn't take as long as you might think.
With LinkedIn, you can search through millions of professional and business profiles to find the best possible strategic partnerships.
Don't let the venue fool you though, even though it is a professional network, you still need to cultivate those relationships.
Is networking important for the growth of your home based business? Absolutely! But not all networking has to be face-to-face.
By using social media tools like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, you can begin developing those all important networking relationships online, then schedule an offline meeting so you invest that networking time wisely.
Friends and well meaning relatives keep telling you that networking is the key to generating leads for your new home based business, but what happens when you work non-traditional business hours and can't make the city chamber or business association networking meetings? After all, having the flexibility to work around your family's schedule is exactly why you decided to start a home based business in the first place.
We have two words for you: Social Media.
We know what your thinking.
Your idea is great, and you know how to do what you do; however, when it comes to computers and navigating the maze of social media networks to get the word out, you are unsure.
Will using social media to network for your home based business really bring the sales leads you hope for? It will if you understand the different networks and how your target demographic uses them.
Facebook is an extremely popular network used by consumers to keep up with their families and friends, but it can also help your home based business.
For example, if you are trying to sell logo'd children's T-shirts, where do you think parents are "hanging out" talking about what to get the kids for the holidays? That's right...
Facebook.
You can even customize your Facebook business page to include e-commerce so consumers can buy those t-shirts right off your Facebook page! Not to mention, Facebook is a great way for friends and family to help you use that old fashioned word-of-mouth to promote your home based business that we all instinctively understand.
Consider Twitter, the new millennium "business lunch".
Classified as a micro-blog, Twitter allows users to say what's on their mind in a fast 140 characters or less.
Twitter can be an instant way to notify of sales, a special product launching, or some other quick notice that you want announced to many instantly.
The best part? Twitter's keyword trending analysis can tell you how many people are talking about products or services such as yours within a 100 mile radius! LinkedIn is a social network used by professionals.
Most often, professionals are searching for connections that will help them develop relationships with businesses that can become a strategic partnership.
These relationships can be the life's blood of your word-of-mouth advertising.
A strategic partnership occurs when another business who sells a product or service to similar customers/clients as your business, but is not in direct competition with your home based business refers customers or clients to each other.
For example, let's say you sell work boots.
Companies that sell uniforms, safety equipment, etc.
but who do not sell boots might be companies that could be a strategic partner.
Sometimes it takes a bit of research to find the best businesses to work with in this strategic way, but by using social media channels, it doesn't take as long as you might think.
With LinkedIn, you can search through millions of professional and business profiles to find the best possible strategic partnerships.
Don't let the venue fool you though, even though it is a professional network, you still need to cultivate those relationships.
Is networking important for the growth of your home based business? Absolutely! But not all networking has to be face-to-face.
By using social media tools like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, you can begin developing those all important networking relationships online, then schedule an offline meeting so you invest that networking time wisely.
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