No man (or woman) stands alone. These days, that's the truth both in-person and online.
Would you keep your Twitter account if no one ever followed you?
Would you stay on Facebook if you never got "friended"?
Better yet: Would your business survive if no one cared what you said or worse yet, what you had to offer?
Collective power is all the rage—let social media tell it—and the popularity contest is the ONLY contest in town! This time though, it's not about your own personality, it's about your brand!
As brands go, they’re a dime a dozen, so how does one stay afloat, much less lead the pack, in this sea of smart and savvy business owners?
By utilizing the power of networks, that’s how! But does networking actually work? Check out AQ Networking’s perspective, then tell us what you think.
Here’s some insight on how to build a network on which your brand can stand:
Set out to meet FIVE new people every day. Easy if you're online. Many bloggers, for example, burn the midnight oil finding new blogs and asserting the virtual "Hello, there!" by commenting. Look at your connections’ network on LinkedIn, and reach out to the ones in industries that compliment yours. You can also retweet sounds information from popular tweeters; in other words, see and be seen, because your survival depends on it! Sound time consuming? Use services such as Ping.fm to simplify your Web networking and save yourself valuable time!
Get a mentor (or two). Mentors can even be people you'll never meet? Follow or friend a leader in your industry, read his/her tips daily, get his/her books, and most important, utilize the strategies they promote. Ask yourself WWMMD? (What Would My Mentor Do?)
Build a "team" of people who will speak on your behalf even if you're nowhere near. If you build a genuine connection through networking online and in-person, you will find that you have "reps" and "affiliates" who'll talk you up when someone mentions the need for the type of product or service you provide. Meetup.com is an excellent way to get to know your “neighbors”, swap entrepreneurial war stories, and of course, network.
Generate enthusiasm about your product or service! If there's no network, who is your market, and how are you assessing whether you are meeting their needs?
Embrace the More/Better rule: This rule says the point is not to use your energy to create more products/services, but instead, to create better products/services. In other words, work smarter, not harder! Using a network to test your ideas and strategies, then maximize what garners the best responses will likely prove to be a better use of your time than simply doing more of what you’ve always been doing, with little regard for proven research. Networks provide a vehicle to live case study data—can you think of a time where your brand couldn’t benefit from some good old-fashioned brain-picking or idea bouncing? Probably not.
Got Network?
Outright is secure.