Reach out on Social Media
LONDON, February 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ –
Face-to-face networking is, surely, second to none.
I don’t think that’s up for debate. Social media is a means to support your
face-to-face activities and, if embarked upon correctly, is immensely effective.
Say hello.
To potentialise your on and off-line networking, it’s crucial to be people-friendly.
Kind of obvious isn’t it? However, why is it that we’re prepared to shake hands when
others reach out when we meet them yet, when it comes to – for example, accepting requests
to connect on LinkedIn, most simply hit the ‘Accept’ button and do nothing else? Is that a
warm handshake?
Wouldn’t it be better to send a brief message to thank the person whose invitation
you’ve just received? Surely, it’ll not only show you care, but also stand out positively
against a back-drop of the majority who don’t bother doing so? Your new connection is
likely to appreciate your gesture and remember you for that too!
Additionally, what about when you request a connection on Linkedin? In my view, using
LinkedIn’s predetermined script, “I’d like to add you to my professional network on
LinkedIn” is nothing more than a cold handshake. Sure, it’s better than no message at all,
however where’s the effort to personalise?
In one of my workshops, I shared a screen shot of my ‘Invitations to connect’ list. Of
course, I hid the identity of those listed. Out of 18 requests, only 1 had bothered to
personalise their message to me. It seems that people spare little time for one another
here. I’d like to think it’s done subconsciously. What I know is, the few who do
personalise do it consciously, meaning some care is being invested. That’s engagement.
I see this as an opportunity for you.
Make an effort by personalising when you can. Small gestures like this really do make
a difference. If you’re concerned that it takes too much time, why not set up some
pre-written templates, say in MSWord, and copy / paste and ‘top and tail’ by adding the
recipient’s name and making your message relevant?
These small, yet proactive messages count and they all help build your reputation of
being an engager.
There are countless other gestures like this you can apply when on-line. After all,
why not be social, when it comes to social networking?
John Coupland, author of ‘ACCELerate(TM) Your Social Media’, is a multi-award winning
e-Business & Networking Professional. John has over 25 years of award-winning experience
in retail and account management, with over 18 years in e-business. He left the corporate
world in 2009 and founded and runs a number of influential social networking groups,
consisting of thousands of business owners, alongside his business, @networkerplus Social
Media. He helps businesses with their social media strategies, speaks at events and also
runs on-line campaigns for SMEs and leading brands.
http://www.networkerplus.net
http://www.ACCELerateYourSocialMedia.com
SOURCE @networkerplus Social Media
