Using Social Media for Business Networking

Did you know the latest numbers from the analyst group, Forrester, shows for sales lead generation that Facebook has a 1% click-through rate and a 2% conversion rate? Did you also know that Twitter has one-upped Facebook and its click-through rate is between 3-5%? For comparison the average click-through rate for Internet ads is.08%.

If you haven't yet, you need to be using social media for your business networking.

We all know that this is a social media age for small business, but most small businesses either don't know how or are unsure how to go about harnessing this valuable Internet resource.

The good news is, it's not difficult to start. There are numerous free resources online, as well as business networking groups to get you started.

The more engaging you are online with social media the more engaging business networking-wise you will be. It tends to be an art form. But one that doesn't have a huge learning curve. There's enough evidence everywhere on the Internet for you to be able to turn into that social savvy business networking guru for your small business.

Your business is only as well-known online as your social media presence, which in turn creates your business networking presence.

The latest branding strategy for small businesses online is to "get personal". This falls perfectly inline, with using social media for business networking.

Now, many people on the Internet are wary of getting personal online and with good reason. But if you don't do it, your competitors either are, or will start doing it. Getting real shows who you are as a person and creates an immediate relationship with the person visiting your social media profile or business website.

And this is what makes Social Media such an attractive tool for business networking in this new social media world.

As a small business you should ensure that you have not only completed your profile on your Facebook page, Twitter account, and Google+ profile page, but make sure you have a picture of you posted to your profile and not just your logo. People connect with faces. And in addition to talking about business, why don't you let people know what you're passionate about. Do you love kayaking or white river rafting? Insert a blurb in one of your blog posts letting people know about your latest trip. And you do have a blog don't you?

When other business owners see who the real you is, they are more inclined to not only reach out to you but to refer you to others as well. We all know in the end, it's a small world out there, and how many times have you expressed something to a colleague or counterpart to find out later that your message was passed on to your new client. And it all starts with using social media for business networking.