Using the Internet for Business Networking.
Using the Internet for Business Networking.
Well I can’t imagine why people wouldn’t take advantage of the internet and network with as many relevant groups, organizations, members, forums and businesses as possible. This is a great era to be a business owner, writer, photographer, band member, performer, entrepreneur, athlete…………
It is in this era that you can reach potentially millions of people to sell a product to, support a cause, share an experience, show off your talents, communicate with, learn from. Whatever your reason, the internet is the place for networking. I am going to try to keep this article honed on the benefits and ways to use the internet to network for a business. First off you need to do a search for Relevant sites, such as Business to Business Sites, Business Networking Sites, On-line Directories, and sites that are relevant to your service/product. (for example if you are a photographer, do a search to find communities, forums and boards for photographers.)
Register to become a member to as many of these sites as you can, most memberships are free, and then set up your profile strictly for your business. Try to leave your personal information to a minimum, such as I love cats, have 2 children……. All you are doing is leaving your “Business Card” on the site. So upload your logo
——If you don’t have one there are many places on the net that also offer this service
Insert some content that sums up your services of products.
A lot of Forums, Boards and Communities don’t like you to just come in and start to solicit your business. But there is usually a post especially for that purpose, and the advertising is suppose to be kept strictly there. That is good enough. Advertise there.
Also take a glance at the topics on the boards and questions in the forums. If you are able to contribute to any of these… do, and at the end of your reply leave a Signature. It can be as simple as your First and Last Name, Your Title, and then the Name of Your Business. If you are able to add a link, then link your business name to your site.
Jane Doe
Owner
yourwebsite.com
What you are accomplishing here is WORD OF MOUTH, just 2009 style!
Depending on how many places you found to Network, and you want to find a lot, I would spend a couple of weeks doing only this. Keep in mind that most of these sites you are not going to spend much time going back to. You are just leaving your footprint for others to find. This doesn’t mean not to utilize the site, you MUST. Take the hours it requires to send 400 friend requests, to reply to a couple of posts and to advertise your site in the delegated area and then move on. You just left a seed for potentially 400 people to click on your profile and maybe then bring traffic to your site. Also you have left your “business card” for others to see in the future.
And we all know traffic to our site is what we want. An important part of having a web presence is to be found when you are searched for, and this means getting up in the rankings. So not only are you bringing a potential 400 clients or customers who if they each told one person about your site makes that number 800, you are helping your rankings to be searched. Everyone says to Target Your Market……Yes Do……. But you also should observe that fact that you yourself are already a targeted market for all of those in this great big on-line world who are looking for YOU-your service-your product-your website.
Catherine Pitts
Vice President
SiteSires.com
