The Power of Social Networks

Randy Siegel

"You've got mail!" Do you receive a slew of e-mails each week inviting you to join a social network, like LinkedIn.com? If you are like I was, you immediately delete them thinking "Who has time?" or "I don't need more spam." About a month ago, I woke up and smelled the coffee.
Social networks are a wonderful way to build your professional brand, and in the future they'll become even more important. The sooner you jump in and get involved in social networking, the more connected you'll be five years from now - and the stronger your brand will be.

Here's how to get started:

Research which social network works for you. Find the network(s) that make most sense for you. I joined LinkedIn.com. LinkedIn is currently the most "professional" network, garnering most of the Fortune 500 executives; if these people are your audience, that's where you should be. Ryze, while still professional, is a bit more "chatty"; it's somewhat easier to make new friends on Ryze, whereas on LinkedIn.com you're cultivating the offline connections you've already made. MySpace is best if your market is teens, and Bebo if you're marketing to Europeans. Facebook, which started as a site for college students, is rapidly becoming a world favorite.

Create a profile. Don't share details that are too personal; you're trying to attract business, not get a date. (There are other sites for dating. Trust me, I've been on most of them at one time or another.)

Start "making friends." Find the site functionality that allows you to search your address book to see which of your friends are already registered. Then, once they become contacts, review "their" contacts to find familiar names and faces and invite them to join your network. If you're diligent about checking in to see whom your friends have befriended, you can accumulate several friends each day. (Feel free to start off by befriending "me." Again, I am on LinkedIn.com.)

Get involved. Each of the networks has "groups" you can join to connect with people of similar interests. Dip into a few different groups to see what they're talking about. When you join a conversation, include your contact details so that potential clients can get in touch. Once you've surfed around, settle on two or three groups and contribute to them regularly. On some of the networks, such as LinkedIn, you can also position yourself as an expert by answering questions in your area of expertise. I haven't done this yet, but I plan to check it out.

Start your own group. Once you've got the hang of how groups work, you can start one of your own. Remember to set the group profile to open/global so that other people can join. Invite all your friends. Then send a message to everyone in the group asking them to invite all their friends. Once you have a critical mass, mention the group in other places: in posts to subscriber lists, in your e-mail signature, on your Web site, etc.

If you're new to all of this, these tips will get you started. If you're already a pro and have some successful strategies of your own, I'd love to hear from you. I'll share your ideas with the readers.

Randy Siegel is a nationally-recognized specialist in professional development, self-branding, communications training, and executive positioning for corporate professional development programs and for individual clients. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia Business School with a bachelor of business administration degree in marketing. In his free time, Randy enjoys painting and writing. He and his Dalmatian, Lucy, live in Asheville, N.C. To find out more about Randy, visit his Web site at www.buildyourleaders.com.