17 Tips to Get the Most out of Social Networking

I wrote this article originally for my RYZE group ~ HER Mastermind as a guide to help members navigate the network and give them a way to easily participate. I call this the 17 tips to ge t the most out of social networking and in reality it is social networking etiquette 1.0.  But really it is a list of tisp you can use so when you join a social network and start participating, you are less likely to create ill will (piss people off).

I am sure there are other more advanced tips to share and will look to my readers to add their ideas in the comments.

1. Participate! The key to success in networking is allowing others to get to know you. That means responding to posts you have an interest in as well as posting items of interest to women.

2. Ask questions! If you have a challenge, need or concern, use your network to seek guidance. With the number of members in this network, there is certain to be someone who can help you.

3. When you post a new topic, please include a specific topic or brief description in the subject line. That way, only those interested will read and respond. It will also endear you to the members because they will know you care enough about them to not waste their time by making them read items that they have no interest in.

4. The length of the message is not as important as the details necessary to get your point across. Given our limited time, the best posts are those that “get to the point” early in the conversation. Exceptions are when you are selling something. People ask me all the time how long a sales page should be and I have learned from many experts that it depends. It depends on what you are selling, how much it costs, who you are selling to and a number of other factors. Your message should be as long as it needs to be to “tell the story.”

5. If you want to post an article that pertains to a specific topic, post the first paragraph and a link to read the rest of the article. Also, be sure to give proper attribution to the author of the article, especially if the author is you:).

6. Create a signature line to use with your posts. Something that tells us about you or displays your websites. Give people a reason to click on the links. Hint: when you include the http:// in the URL it makes the link clickable on the page.

7. Say hello to other members of the network by stopping by their Home page and signing their guestbook or sending them a private message – it is important that you just say hello at this point, and not try to SELL them something.

8. Be open, listen and read other posts and respond in a positive way. I have seen Negativity MULTIPLY on social networking sites that leads to hurt feelings and withdrawal (or even banishment) from the boards. My grandmother use to say “You attract more flies with honey than vinegar” wise words to live by and try to model each and every day.

9. Posting MLM opportunities – make sure the board you participate in encourages members to post MLM opportunities, before trying to recruit members to your team. If they do, share the benefits you and your following has experienced and slowly introduce members to your company. Some people don’t fully understand multi-level/direct sales and it is important to “educate them” as much as possible up front.  When you do, you will be surprised at how many actually WANT to try the product and better yet, become one of your team.

10. When someone on the network has done something nice for you or provided a great service, thank them publicly. Let the members know who you do business with and help promote one another in a positive and supporting way.  Facebook is one group that has a system where you can recommend others, offer testimonials and introduce other members to one another.

11. Lurking is okay. Until you feel comfortable getting to know the members and the “attitude” of a network, feel free to lurk. However, if you want to get known quickly, the best way is to jump in with both feet and get involved. It is remarkable how much more you will receive out of your membership once you engage in the conversations.

12. Stay on topic. If the post is about relationships, and you have something to add to the conversation, please do. I have seen people “hijack” conversations by changing the topic in midstream, which can demonstrate to others a lack of respect for the poster. If you want to change the subject, better to start a new thread (conversation).

13. Introduce yourself. After visiting several social networking sites, I have found a large number of profiles with very little information, incomplete or non-existent profiles. Which makes it more difficult to get to know you or find out if you are someone I might want to connect with.  The best way to develop rapport and build a relationship is to share personal tidbits over time about yourself. Let the groups know what you do professionally and personally.

14. Get organized and keep track of where you are posting by making a folder to store those valuable responses, and keep track of which networks you regularly visit. Some of the posts could be used in other formats such as the beginnings of topics for a blog post.

15. Some networks require you to post in certain threads only. You can save those posts as FAVORITES on your computer and then when it is time to post to that thread you have it as a favorite and don’t have to look for that thread when you need it.

16. Appreciate diversity. Many of us come from different walks of life– we can all learn something from each other if we are open to the possibilities. If you feel uncomfortable branching out and getting to know others because they look different, you could be missing out on a grand opportunity.

17. Connecting with people via private message is a good way to network if; you are truly looking to expand your circle, you have something to offer and it is clearly stated in the message. In the book “Never Eat Alone” Keith Ferrazzi makes a point of always telling folks what’s in it for them before he EVER asks something of them (except a meeting). He makes the offer almost irresistible by doing research on his prospects to find out what “hot buttons” they are most likely to respond to.

And finally, take it slow and don’t join every social network at once or you can get overwhelmed. Try two or three to start with and see how it works – be a giver of VALUABLE advice – don’t go into social networking expecting clients…be there to build relationships.