Three Tips To Succeed At Online (Social) Networking

There are benefits to networking both online and off. A lot of businessmen (and women) prefer networking in person because they are more comfortable with it. Social networking is new and ambiguous, but super essential to success in the technology era.

Here are some tips for startup entrepreneurs and business owners  to succeed.

• Start small. Pick one or two social networks to start with. Once you are comfortable with them and have enough time to devote to move social sites, you can add to your marketing. However, if you spread yourself too thin, you won’t be able to network the way that you should.  
  Action Item:  Download the app and turn on push notifications.
• Pick your social networks carefully. Each social media network has special features that work well for different types of networking and businesses. You should decide what goals you have and then decide which network you should choose. If you want to show off your artwork and network with other artists, you may want to stick with Pinterest where you can pin your own art and that of other artists.  Facebook is good for event planners nowadays.  
  Action Item:  Ensure your Twitter profile is part of the mix for engaging new people.
• Be present. It is important that you connect with others online. It is also important to remember that it takes work to make online relationships works. You must take time every day to check online and respond to any messages. Answer questions. Stroll through your feed. Do you have anything helpful to add? Make sure that anything you add to a conversation makes it better.
  Action Item:  Delete a profile that you haven't used in 3 months if you have one.

It is important for business owners to succeed at social networking. Start small and pick your networks carefully. They are all different for a reason and contextualizing your content is key. Then, when you pick one or two, devote a portion of time to it daily!

Learn how to network more effectively in the Handshakin Startup Pre-accelerator.

PS Let's network on LinkedIn, add me here.