What puzzles me is that, rather than embrace social media as a brilliant new marketing tool, most of the business owners I meet are citing lack of time as an excuse for not getting involved.
These are probably the same people who visit networking groups when the mood takes them rather than planning events into their marketing strategy.
Of course, if they don't want additional business, they need not trouble themselves with the extra work networking entails.
But so many of them are relying on word of mouth referrals to keep their order books full and do very little else in the way of active marketing. It’s as if they expect customers to miraculously find them!
Do they really think that those of us who use Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. have magically found more hours in each day? Of course we haven’t.
However we have recognised the need to be involved and are prepared to put in the additional effort and make the time to learn, to take part, to reach out and make new contacts. For us, the return on investment of our time is worthwhile.
How long do you spend networking each week – both online and offline?
(for more tips on networking, take a look at the Confident Business Networking System)
Hi Jane, thanks so much for sharing your interesting experiences & for reminding me about those stats on how people get ahead! You're absolutely right that people need to know you're the best - I like to think we have a duty to keep on telling them!
Posted by: LouiseBJ | October 23, 2009 at 03:09 PM
Hmm, how much time do I spend networking? Hard to say as I don't call it that in my head. I just think of it as talking to people and personally if I don't like or approve of someone or their business, I don't do it.
And I do spend time 'networking' ie talking to folk on sites like twitter that bear no relevence to my work but I just like them!
Sometimes, of course, it does bring me benefit but I don't start with that as my primary aim.
However, twitter and other sites I talk on has led to me having my articles published all over the world which has increased my profile. This has had a knock on effect on how people actually find me and then view me as credible when they find me.
And of course, as I tell my all course participants and coachees, it's no good being the best at what you do if no one knows you are the best at what you do!
And I give them these stats on how people get ahead, which I'm sure you know:
Quality of actual work 10%
Image you present 30%
Visibility (being out there) 60%!
Kind regards,
Jane
Posted by: Jane C Woods | October 23, 2009 at 10:17 AM