Making Connections Online Networks Become Business Platforms By David Cain
Since the beginning of time, people have always had an interest in what other people are doing. If you doubt it today, consider the popularity of reality television and online social networking web sites.
While social networking began as a byproduct of the fascination with other people’s lives through Facebook and MySpace, it is proving to be much more. These online networks commonly referred to as “social communities” create both a marketing channel for businesses and an opportunity for business connections.
Think of an online network as an Internet inside the Internet. If the Internet is a sea of people with varying interests, then a social network is really a smaller pool of people consisting of fragments or niches based on interest. However, the “community” might also consist of a much larger general interest audience with the ability to find people based on specific information in their profiles.
It’s a smaller world after all
The Internet is shrinking the world. People are always connected and communicating any time, anywhere – melting away time and geographic obstacles. It is a global marketplace. And if the marketplace is global, so are your potential relationships.
With online capabilities, it is easier than ever to reach people. And, the people you know are familiar with others you may want to know. Six degrees of separation means that everyone is only six degrees or six people away from a connection with anyone else. Given online connectivity and new ways of developing relationships, arguably that number has been cut in half.
Leveraging relationships
Are you using your three degrees of separation to find new prospects? Are you creating new ways for your business to meet people you don’t know by leveraging the people you do know? Usually the answer is “no.” As the use of the Internet continues to evolve, marketing is becoming more about sharing and less about searching or browsing. Providing a shareable message for people you know and spending time focusing your efforts on leveraging your existing relationships using online tools can build new business.
Personal example
Recently I received an e-mail from someone I didn’t know. Not spam, but legitimate communication. This person found me on LinkedIn.com (you can too), a social networking site for business professionals. She was a marketing director for a group our company had been prospecting for some time. I guess it’s safe to say we knew of each other but had never met. The e-mail requested me to “link in” to her network. I responded with an offer of coffee in person too. The result is a new business associate and new business.
If you haven’t practiced it, it might be hard to ask someone you know to connect you with people you don’t know. Remember dating? It can be challenging to ask someone to introduce you or, worse yet, introduce yourself. Online tools are making it easier for business people to make that request and get connected.
Popular options
Some groups choose to custom build a community for their exclusive use and there are businesses out there that sell online applications that can make this easy. Most “plug and play” options require an ongoing cost or the offer of marketing from the application provider. Aside from custom building a solution, there are several social networks that are specific to the business community. A popular example is LinkedIn.com. This site has users in the multi-millions and is really an online rolodex.
IncBizNet.com is a service provided by Inc. magazine that is being touted as the place for entrepreneurs. In addition to these open sites there are, of course, membership organizations that host custom-built solutions for their members. In most cases, private web sites and custom solutions use applications such as blogging and forums as de facto social networks. These types of applications allow users to feel a sense of community or social equity, but they would not be categorized as social networks.
Future path
The transformative power of the Internet will reshape your business, including networking strategies. It can help you find new business. It can create more effective internal communications. And if the possibilities of a company-sponsored network seem odd at first, remember, you can’t be innovative if you are comfortable. Is your business missing out?
Author: David Cain is president of MediaSauce, a digital media and online marketing company based in Carmel. MediaSauce is a leader in delivering forward-thinking marketing solutions, creative services and digital media consulting. To learn more, visit www.mediasauce.com and forward your questions or comments to David.Cain@MediaSauce.com
Making Connections