Facebook may have started out as a way for the youth of America to poke each other, but it has officially grown up into a serious networking tool. So much so, in fact, that major companies are starting to use it (and its cousins, Twitter and LinkedIn) to recruit their new employees. I came across this recent article by Kristi L. Gustafson that explores how employers use social networking sites to connect with, research, and offer job opportunities to qualified professionals.
But what if you’re not a job seeker, but a business owner? Is there anything that networking on social media sites can do for you?
Umm…yeah. Is there ever.
Free Advertising from Fans…Friends…Friends of Friends…
In years past, there were plenty of businesses that stayed open thanks almost completely to word of mouth. And even with all the other marketing strategies out there, generating a positive buzz is still an unbelievable way to keep business going strong. After all, we’re much more likely to do business with a company that a neighbor or friend has recommended than to randomly choose a business from the yellow pages. It just makes sense to learn from the experiences of people we know and trust.
Facebook amplifies the idea of word-of-mouth and combines it with the convenience of technology and real-time updates. By networking on Facebook and other social media sites, you’re building a web of people who can connect with your company and get it noticed by their friends, and their friends’ friends.
Everyone you network with online – either through your personal social media accounts or through your business page – can get multiple reminders that your company exists. And people who are fans of your Facebook business page can get so much more than that if you keep your page up to date with new content.
And All That’s Without Really Trying…
In addition to the referrals you can get as a result of people who become your friends or fans, you can take a more proactive approach and use social media to contact possible clients directly. Just as the employers in Gustafson’s article reached out to potential employees through social media outlets, you can use the social media world to introduce yourself to someone you’d like to do business with. The vibe of Facebook is relaxed and social, so it’s a comfortable way to make contact online.
Between the information you can share with a pyramid of fans and the new business contacts you can make, the social media world has the perfect tools to help your business grow.
