Most of us have jumped on the social media bandwagon and use different aspects of it in our daily lives. One of the great things about social media is that it has a different use for everyone. You may use it as a break from your work, to connect with old friends, and to meet new people. And if you are in business for yourself, networking and finding new business is always a peripheral use of social media, even if you don’t focus on that exclusively.
Blogs, Twitter and Facebook are three elements of social media where you can tailor your approach to find new clients and other business opportunities.
Business Blogs
A blog can be a valuable marketing tool for your business. If you have good information to share on your blog that is of interest to clients, colleagues and prospects, then it’s a no-brainer.
Here are some tips to make your blog a successful way to generate new interest in your business:
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Offer high-quality free information that is valuable to others
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Post consistently and stick to a set schedule
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Be willing to share a little of your personal side
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Have a point of view and don’t be afraid to share it
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Be patient and give it time
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Keep keywords in mind, but don’t overemphasize them
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Take time to review and edit your posts before publishing
Because blogging is an ongoing activity with long-term benefits, none of these tips will individually grab a handful of new clients for you. But if you make a commitment to your blog and follow it through, you may be surprised what develops.
Twitter
Twitter can be an effective way to find clients if you focus on maintaining a professional profile and use your account consistently. You may even be able to find new business opportunities by being passive. That’s right, it’s entirely possible that new clients will come to you.
To find potential business opportunities on Twitter, try:
- Finding relevant people to follow using services such as Twellow
- Searching for targeted keywords through the search function
- Being willing to jump in and help others when appropriate
- Engaging in both business and non-business conversations
One of the most important things you can do in order to maximize Twitter as a marketing tool is to be honest, genuine and respectful with each tweet.
Facebook can be another way to establish credibility and expertise in your industry and gradually send new business your way. By creating your profile and making your business the focus, you can develop a following that boosts your prospects.
To use Facebook effectively for business, consider:
- Posting links to your business blog posts on your profile
- Accepting friend requests from acquaintances and reaching out to connect to those you don’t know well
- Creating a business fan page for added promotion
- Exploring advertising through Facebook
- Keeping your profile professional, but add in some personality
Facebook simply gives you yet another way to reach your prospects. With these elements of social media combined with your web site and other online sources, you can easily build momentum that eventually leads to new business.
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