Boost your business networking efforts…Maximize your Online Presence

Just about any business professional would attest to the power of effective networking to build and grow your business. Like the saying goes, “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” 

Building relationships with other professionals both within, and outside of your industry can help you achieve the effective global networking that your businesses needs to thrive.  These best practices for maximizing your online business presence can be achieved effectively by using a four pronged approach.

The following strategies will help you network your business online, gain followers, and help your business effectively participate in the online community. Here are some of the things you can achieve by using an online networking platform such as LinkedIn:

• Find and “Nurture” new leads and fans
• Find High Quality Leads
• Qualify and eliminate the wrong clients
• Stay connected with industry professionals and maximize referral leads
• Identify and find potential partners.

By focusing on the four areas listed below, you can help grow your client list, gain followers, and find whole new groups of consumers to market your products and services to. The below listed four pronged approach to using LinkedIn will help you to maximize the efficiency of your online business networking.

Feature

LinkedIn is a business-oriented social networking site founded in December 2002 and launched in May 2003  mainly used for professional networking. This is your online version of your local and national industry association on steroids due to ability to cross network to relevant industries. LinkedIn will allow you to keep in contact with former clients, vendors and other industry contacts. The participation in a LinkedIn Group also allows you to provide occasional service for potential customers to help build your funnel lead generation.

Benefits

Keep track of clients and industry contacts, the ability to have your contacts information and profile travel with them (many industries experience a high turnover) So no matter where they end up your LinkedIn rolodex so to say is always updated automatically by the contact.

Solutions

LinkedIn is more of asocial directory then a socializing tool. Building a LinkedIn Directory is a great way to keep in contact with your group. The purpose of the group to  aggressively  marketing to is frowned upon, the purpose is to stay connected. The best use is a soft marketing approach and lead generation to your other products and visa versa. The challenge is to find contacts in your email database and sending an invitation for the benefit of the group.

Strategy

• Link to all your social platforms and online businesses.
• Devote specific weekly time to each social network and staying connected.
• Allocate the Time!
• Be choosy with the networks, be niche specific. Do not link to groups that are vaguely similar to yours.
• Mention your social strategy  i.e. “I’m also on Facebook if you ever want to connect there” or “ We also have a blog you might be interested in”

Remember consistency and dedication is the key to a long term contact list build and lead generation strategy. By being consitent at building new business relationships, as well as finding time to grow existing relationships, you can build a an online network of professionals who can assist in bringing you new business, and help you establish yourself as an expert within your own industry.