I love how easy the Internet has made the network marketing business—don’t you? I also love a good party. Combine the party with the Internet, and you have one of the best networking tools ever invented—social networking websites.
If you haven’t been to one of the main social networking sites like FaceBook, Twitter, or MySpace, head on over when you’re done reading this article and take a peek. You’re going to find everyone from the president of the United States to online friends from totally different countries all chatting away with each other.
They talk about the great books they just read. They post links to interesting recipes. They tell each other what they had for breakfast (ust like at any cocktail party, not everyone knows how to keep a conversation interesting), and they network with each other.
Looking for a car? One of your local online friends may just have what you need. Want a recommendation for the best Thai food in Fairbanks, Alaska? Someone will have that info, too.
Want to get into a fantastic network marketing business? That, dear friend, is where you come in.
So how do you take advantage of the opportunities that social networking sites offer you to network and expand your brand? It’s important to remember that, just like any other party, the social networking cocktail party has rules of etiquette.
You need to remember and apply these rules or you’ll be viewed like those extremely obnoxious people who insist on telling (and telling and telling) everyone at the party about their stock market killing/latest operation/every single picayune rule of their favorite fantasy role playing game.
In other words, you may be at the party, but everyone else is going to do anything it takes to avoid talking with you.
That caution aside, here are some rules and some tips about how to join the social networking party:
- Obviously you need to provide some information about yourself when you open up an account with the social networking sites. Be sure to emphasize the most personable parts of your personal brand and include your marketing business’s website address.
- Don’t ask people to sign up for your online marketing opportunity! And don’t try to sell people your products! That’s as crass on a social networking site as it would be at a cocktail party. Rather, post content that is educational, inspiring, enjoyable, or funny and gives value to your readers. You can include a link to your marketing business’s website in the content you post, of course, just like you might give someone at a party your business card.
- If one of your followers posts a question that falls within your area of expertise, be sure to be helpful and post an answer. Likewise, take an interest in any comments your post generates and join the conversation. No one likes to be talked at online anymore than we enjoy it at an actual party.
Social networking sites offer everyone in the network marketing business a huge opportunity to connect with prospects on the kind of personal level that makes sales. But you need to be careful not to offend. That said, welcome to the party—I hope you enjoy yourself!