Hi, I’m Naomi Burgess and this post is about digital networking.
Online networking is something 9 out of 10 businesses engage in today, and if you’re reading this post, chances are you are one of them. You probably have several hundreds if not thousands people who follow you on Twitter and/or “Like” your company’s page on Facebook. However, digital networking cannot be one-sided; a follow or a “Like” means very little if there are no lines of communication existing between you.
Getting to know Online Marketing
For example, if you see someone who could be a potential client following you on Twitter, don’t hesitate to tweet them a personalised “Thanks for following!” – clients would appreciate being noticed. If you’ve met this person at an event, mention that you remember them and send your best regards.
Dealing with Clients
The next step is to include that person into your potential client database and wait for a moment when your company comes up with a product or a promotion that would be perfect for them. You can send them an e-mail or a LinkedIn message/a Tweet with a link to the product or the promotion and see if they’re interested. If they agree with you that the deal is perfect for them by making a purchase, thank them and don’t be afraid to ask for feedback. Congratulations – you now have a genuine contact with your client!
Your Service
It’s possible that if the client is satisfied with your product/service, they’ve given your name to someone they know and that person approaches you. This is called a referral and many businesses get the majority of their clients by employing that method. Thank the referrer as soon as you can and make the effort to repay the favour – if you’re lucky, you might have just begun a beneficial referral arrangement. If it works out, it might even turn into a partnership in the future.
If your arrangements are working out well, your contact is likely to be in your “inner circle”, so to speak. In some instances, you might even be friends outside work. Either way, maintaining a relationship requires effort on both parts. Don’t let your contacts disappear after ignoring them for weeks or even months – you really can’t afford to do that in the current economic climate.
Digital networking is how most contacts in business are made today – even if your first meeting occurred in person. Try to invest some time in engaging in this type of networking, because chances are, at least half of your potential clients are on Twitter or LinkedIn. You don’t want to miss out on useful contacts just because you haven’t made the effort to find them, do you?
