Social networks, such as MySpace and LinkedIn started off with a small following of early adopters who used them as they were intended to be used, simply to connect with other users. As time went on many people began to use social networks in an attempt at marketing their companies. This isn’t isolated to social networks though. The same thing has happened with just about every technology you can think of. With the printing press came catalog. With the telephone came telemarketers. With the personal computer came desktop publishing. With the Internet came web sites and with email came email marketing.
When used properly and ethically, just about any form of technology can be used to increase the exposure you are able to generate for your company in a positive manner however it’s the few people who refuse to maintain any sense of decency that ruin it for the rest of us. These are the people that create dozens if not hundreds or thousands of fake profiles on various social network sites and then bombard you with useless bulletins, private messages and invites to push their products or services. Chances are that these also happen to be the same people that think SPAM email is perfectly acceptable as long as it makes them a few dollars.
Don’t let this scare you away from utilizing social networking in your marketing plan though. As long as you follow a few basic guidelines (mostly common sense) you can develop a new and useful marketing channel that requires no investment other than your own time.
- Create an informative and honest profile that tells people what you do or what your company is about. You don’t need to replicate your entire company web site on your profile though. Just stick to the basics. You don’t have to use a photo, but under no circumstances should you use someone else’s picture ? even if it’s a stock photo that you’ve legally purchased. Keep in mind though, if you are in a relationship-based business such as real estate, investing or something of that nature, using a professional photo of yourself is a good idea.
- Add other members to your network based on their relevance ? not a sexy photo. Simply having a large network will do little for your business if they have nothing to do with your industry. Like any other form of marketing, focus on quality over quantity. In most social networking web sites you can search for other members based on their interests or their industries. Develop a group of like minded people and you’ll all get a lot more out of the relationship.
- Provide value. Are you one of the countless others that just created a profile and then adds everyone you find while providing little or no benefit to them? Don’t be. You could create an added value by offering the members of your network a promotional code that gives them a discount, give them early access to new products or even give them free information that would be useful to their business.
- Don’t be annoying. If you have something to say, say it, but there is no need to post a bulletin or send a message every day. If you start down that path, not only will people start to ignore what you say, but they’ll likely remove you from their network. Think of it as a classic case of “less is more.”
