What you need to network – virtually

Next month the Australian Academy of Wedding and Event Planning will launch its monthly webinar series.  Several of the topics we will cover relate to using social media for your business.  Over the last few weeks, as I plan my own presentations for the series, I have found myself explaining the benefits of social media for business owners to several of my friends and members of my family.  For them, social media is either something they have no interest in, or use to keep in touch with friends.  The concept of using social media for business is still very new to them and I expect also to many of you out there.
With this in mind I thought that I might share with you some (and I mean some….this is just a snapshot of the benefits of social media) of the reasons why using social media makes sense for business owners and operators.
It’s Free – Yes it’s true.  Almost all of the social media tools out there are available on a ‘free to use’ basis.  There are terms and condition associated with almost all of your options, but you will find that tool like Facebook and Twitter are easy to use, require very little personal information from you and are FREE!
It’s Effective – Ok free is good but if it’s not effective, it’s just a waste of your time right?  Absolutely!  However, the good news is that Social Media is proven to be an effective use of the very old fashioned ‘Word of Mouth’ approach to marketing.  Social Media takes ‘Word of Mouth’ marketing to another, more dynamic and flexible level, but you will find that the essence of ‘Word of Mouth’ marketing is retained.   What I think works most about this form of marketing is its reach and the personal interaction that it facilitates.  Far from being impersonal, I find using social media shrinks the world and enables me to build relationships with in a really positive way. 
For example, I have just been granted the rights (free of charge) to use some images shot by a photographer who is based in Chicago.  I live on the other side of the world in Brisbane.  We have never met and probably never will, but we have found a way to assist each other by using ‘Word of Mouth’ marketing and in amongst that, I have built a relationship with a like-minded business woman.
It can help to boost your SEO – In the world of Internet marketing it is all about your Search Engine ranking.  In the competitive world of blogs and websites many businesses invest heavily in Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing.  Facebook, Twitter and Blogging are all cost effective ways of giving your ranking a ‘boost’.
It helps to build communities – Have you ever been to a traditional, face to face networking meeting?  Face to face networking relies heavily on geographic proximity, which means that you often attend these events only to find that there is not one person in the room who has a need for your services and that the only thing you have in common is the fact that you live or work in the same area. 
Social networking on the other hand enables that to build communities of people who are interested in what you do and who may buy your goods or use your services, regardless of where they are situated.  The other great thing about Social Networking is that you can do it anytime, anywhere.  No more dragging yourself out of bed early to attend yet another breakfast networking event where you will swap cards with people you will never meet again.

If you think Social Media could give your business a boost, but don’t know how to get started, stay tuned for more information about our monthly Webinars or email me for the schedule and booking information.