Make an introduction today!
Social media is all about making friends and creating fans!
One of the easiest and most considerate things you can do on social sites is introduce your friends to one another. When one of your contacts is new to a social media network (Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Flickr) recommend a few friends to follow. One way to introduce friends is to send out a tweet: “Hey @ABC, meet @123! You both like xxxx.”
Introductions do not have to take place on the social sites. Just last week my brother-in-law emailed me an introduction to a long-time friend of his. “You both are interested in xxxx. Charity is on Twitter @CharityHisle, Kelly is @KellyX. How can you help each other?”
It’s easy to make an introduction, and the effort goes a long way toward growing your own network. Connecting people with one another will also bring your network closer together. Eventually, you will grow a group of ‘friends’ online.
Networking online should not be a replacement for networking in person.
Once you’ve established your online network, take the opportunity to meet people offline. This means tweet-ups and meet-ups, conferences and un-conferences. Introduce your friends to one another to build a strong network. If no one in your area is arranging a Tweet-up, consider organizing one yourself.
Here are 3 Tips for people that are new at networking during social media events:
1. When you attend a social media event, write your Twitter name on your name badge. People recognize you from your online profile and may not know you without your ‘handle’.
2. Don’t forget to place your Twitter handle on your business cards for distribution at events. Request business cards and share yours when asked. When I get back to the office I sort my cards and connect with people online.
3. Even though you are at a social networking event, try to pay attention to the people in the room. One of the biggest tweet-up jokes I hear is that everyone is using Twitter and missing the opportunity to connect with people in person. Just walk right up, stick out your hand and introduce yourself. The first time is uncomfortable, but you’ll get the hang of it!
TIP: Don’t “latch” on to one individual, make the effort to meet various people.
What other tips do you have for networking at social media events?
