information, resources & books for small businesses and start-ups
Do-it-yourself Social Networking Website.
Website: SocialGo
An online tool that works with Google, Outlook, Apple iCal, Entourage for Mac, Lotus Notes, Windows Live, Yahoo! and connects to major social networks including Facebook, Plancast, TripIt, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Connecting allows Tungle.me to keep your availability up to date, and automatically update your calendar as you book meetings. Your calendar details are kept private. You can see them, but others only see your free/busy times.
Website: Tungle.me
This application can be accessed on your desktop, as well as some smartphones, offering you the ability to quickly browse your social media community including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Foursquare, and more; by selecting the application and creating column views.
Website: Tweetdeck
A social media management application that allows you to:
Social Media Week. Celebrating being social? But I guess it’s like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day…all those holidays created to remind us of things we need to appreciate every day, but take for granted. And today, social media is something that users take for granted.
Remember when Twitter was down? When it came back up, all the tweets were about what we did when it was down! And now that it is more consistent, we go back to taking it for granted. We have the ability to tweet, update our status on Facebook and continue to communicate through our blogs. So why do we need a “Social Media Week”? I think we need it to stop and think. How much do you appreciate Social Media? Are you using it to build your community? How many relationships have you built from a tweet? Take a look around and think about the impact Social Media has had on your life. And then think about how Social Media impacts your “off-line” relaationships.
While I treasure the friends and relationships I have with people from high school, college and pre-Social Media, I am amazed at the community I have built with the help of Social Media. Are you using LinkedIn? Twitter? Facebook? Foursquare? With the help of Social Media, I have reconnected with old friends, connected with new friends, and through these connections, built even more relationships. And through tweetups and other events, I am able to personalize Social Media.
For those non-believers, Social Media IS social! It helps to increase your community and your world. So what are your options? You can be an observer of Social Media by joining the sites and just reading what everybody else says. You can participate by updating your status and sharing your news. And then you can be a motivator by using your community to pay it forward and help others.
So if you aren’t involved, you should be. Celebrate Social Media week by becoming more social!
As small business owners, many of us network at local meetings. We all have so much to offer each other. But using social media in addition to personal networking helps all of us. Many of us focus most of our time on personal networking and forget the many benefits of “free” networking. Here is a brief list of social media networks that we can all take advantage of.
http://www.linkedin.com relationship management for professionals
http://www.facebook.com helps you conenct with the people in your life
http://www.twitter.com social messaging utility for staying connected in real-time
http://www.pinklinx.com network of professional women from the around the world
http://econnect.entrepreneur.com social network for small business owners
http://www.blitztime.com networking events from your telephone
I can hear it now. “But I am so busy, I don’t have time for all of this.” You can use a program like:
http://ping.fm to update most of your social networks at the same time.
If you want to build your networks through social media, then you should include your social media information on your business card. I know, now your comment is “my card is already full”. Are you using both sides? Your business card is how people remember you (company, name, phone, business tag line, website links, etc., on the front and your 30 second elevator pitch on the back).
Here’s the catch to all of this…just like the lottery…”you gotta be in it to win it”. If you don’t think you can keep up with all of the social networks, pick what you can keep up with. The more you get your message out there, the more you are heard, but the message needs to count!
By Susan RoAne, Author of The Secrets of Savvy Networking, How To Work a Room® and Face To Face: How To Reclaim The Personal Touch in A Digital World
Susan RoAne is an in-demand keynote speaker and the best selling author of How To Work A Room® which launched an industry. She is the undisputed original networking authority who also wrote the landmark book: The Secrets of Savvy Networking and Face To Face: How To Reclaim The Personal Touch in A Digital World among others.
For daily insights, follow her at www.twitter.com/susanroane
http://susanroane.com/articles/savvy-networking-secrets.html
Every business knows how important networking is for their success. For small businesses and start-ups, networking is critical. Meeting people that can help you and your business is essential to your business success. So here are some networking suggestions:
Help the internet help you.
Join online networking groups to help increase your visibility. These include:
Look for online meeting options including Blitztime.
Meeting people that can help you is spontaneous, but you can be prepared by always having business cards with. You should also make sure to use every part of your business card, front and back. Don’t print so many at a time. Test them out and only print a large quantity when you find the one that truly represents everything you want it to.
Local networking is always important. After all, there’s nothing like putting a face to a name. For these types of networking events, you will want to look for a local Chamber of Commerce or local business association, i.e., Acworth Business Association. Once you become involved in these groups, you will most likely learn about other groups in your area that might be beneficial to your business.
