7 tips for biz dev using Social Media
Image by vincos via Flickr
Suw , a client [full disclosure] has posted this question on LinkedIn. Have social tools helped your career? I answered it.
You may find some of the other answers useful / insightful.
I’m writing a piece on how social tools can help people develop their career and would like to talk to anyone in the internet industries, especially graphic designers, web designers, developers, programmers, system admins, user experience people, etc., about which tools they have used to help get a new job or client. I’m interested in both employed people looking for new jobs, or self-employed people searching for new clients.What social tools do you use?Which ones have been most effective?
Can you tell me a story about a time when you got a new/job client directly from using social tools?
Here’s what I found interesting
- There is a perceived hierarchy of social media tools for business
- Different sites function differently. e.g. FB is social or more casual than Linked In.
- Pre-Web 2.0 contacts are different from web 2.0 contacts and need to be treated differently
- Face to Face remains a strong tool for business closing
And so for your own business development
- Get a profile on the key social media sites.
- Signpost them from your contacts page on your website.
- Be prepared to invest in spending time on each to learn and then use each within the context of your biz dev plan.
- Set metrics and targets for each site. Review quarterly.
- Transfer contacts you meet in each onto your conventional business database when you have offline / email / phone data revealed via actual dialogue.
- Be open to new contacts getting in touch but be judicious in filtering them to the ones likely to be useful.
- Use search tools to monitor conversations that use your name / brand so that you pick up on people talking about you who you do not yet follow /connect with.
Well I would have to say social media tools have helped my career….it would be hard to research into their use if they didn’t exist
I think we are going to find the question ‘Have social tools helped your career?’ increasingly difficult to answer as they become increasingly embedded in our lifestyles. Whilst we may recognise the direct results of social media use, we are less likely to acknowledge indirect effects, for example, the casual use of Facebook keeping us engaged with off-line friends longer than we may otherwise have done may help our careers further down the line, but will we necessarily recognise the role of Facebook in keeping the friendship going?
Well I would have to say social media tools have helped my career….it would be hard to research into their use if they didn’t exist
I think we are going to find the question ‘Have social tools helped your career?’ increasingly difficult to answer as they become increasingly embedded in our lifestyles. Whilst we may recognise the direct results of social media use, we are less likely to acknowledge indirect effects, for example, the casual use of Facebook keeping us engaged with off-line friends longer than we may otherwise have done may help our careers further down the line, but will we necessarily recognise the role of Facebook in keeping the friendship going?
Ha, love your POV, David
I agree with what you say. The real answer is “air”.
When Social media tools are as ubiquitous as the air we breathe, we’ll be using them widely and their presence will be normal in our daily lives.
But market researchers will still be asking the questions about usage!
Ha, love your POV, David
I agree with what you say. The real answer is “air”.
When Social media tools are as ubiquitous as the air we breathe, we’ll be using them widely and their presence will be normal in our daily lives.
But market researchers will still be asking the questions about usage!
I think it’s about understanding what benefit you will get from each tool.
Flickr!: Great for self promotion, meeting like minded people and showing off visual work, bad for getting new clients.
LinkedIn: Good for meeting potential clients, bad for showing off visual work.
Twitter: Just seems like a waste of time.
etc…etc…
Paul
that’s an interesting view about Twitter. I think that most social media tools appear to be a “complete waste of time” until you find a group of people who fit your profile and needs.
I found Twitter hopeless the first time I tried it and gave up. Couldn’t see the point. Then I tried again and quite quickly became engaged with a group of thinkers who are very generous with their thoughts about new tools in social media. This suits me because I can then tell my clients about new tools flagged up by my contact group.
But then again, it my be useless for you and your particular needs as a creative.
If you want to research further, have a look at my followers http://www.twitter.com/rebeccacaroe or let’s have a phone chat about getting you hooked into an appropriate group.
PS using tweetdeck rather than the website really improved my Twitter experience.
Paul
that’s an interesting view about Twitter. I think that most social media tools appear to be a “complete waste of time” until you find a group of people who fit your profile and needs.
I found Twitter hopeless the first time I tried it and gave up. Couldn’t see the point. Then I tried again and quite quickly became engaged with a group of thinkers who are very generous with their thoughts about new tools in social media. This suits me because I can then tell my clients about new tools flagged up by my contact group.
But then again, it my be useless for you and your particular needs as a creative.
If you want to research further, have a look at my followers http://www.twitter.com/rebeccacaroe or let’s have a phone chat about getting you hooked into an appropriate group.
PS using tweetdeck rather than the website really improved my Twitter experience.
Hi Rebecca,
That’s a great post – it is something I am currently reviewing myself as I work for a digital agency as their business development manager. It seems to be a difficult thing to balance all the different channels – especially with only 24 hours in each day!
I find it increasingly complicated to follow fb, myspace (I play in a band too!), twitter, linkedin, my work blog, my personal blog, affiliate blog, work email, personal email, messenger, ……etc….. And I still have to get on the phone and attend meetings!
Where does it all end. Although, the main thing is that I am getting out there and being proactive about it. And I do think it works.
One of the most difficult things I find, is how do I measure success with all these different social networking tools. Sometimes it is just pie in the sky, rather than pie on the table. Although the actual results I achieve are obviously quantifiable, the source of some leads may not be immediately transparent. I think the key it to utilise al the different channels into an integrated campaign and see how you work best with it.
I have added you on Twitter, and look forward to seeing if I can integrate into some of the groups you have going there. And also going to instal Tweetdeck this weekend to give that a bash – just using twhirl at the moment
Cheers!
Hi Rebecca,
That’s a great post – it is something I am currently reviewing myself as I work for a digital agency as their business development manager. It seems to be a difficult thing to balance all the different channels – especially with only 24 hours in each day!
I find it increasingly complicated to follow fb, myspace (I play in a band too!), twitter, linkedin, my work blog, my personal blog, affiliate blog, work email, personal email, messenger, ……etc….. And I still have to get on the phone and attend meetings!
Where does it all end. Although, the main thing is that I am getting out there and being proactive about it. And I do think it works.
One of the most difficult things I find, is how do I measure success with all these different social networking tools. Sometimes it is just pie in the sky, rather than pie on the table. Although the actual results I achieve are obviously quantifiable, the source of some leads may not be immediately transparent. I think the key it to utilise al the different channels into an integrated campaign and see how you work best with it.
I have added you on Twitter, and look forward to seeing if I can integrate into some of the groups you have going there. And also going to instal Tweetdeck this weekend to give that a bash – just using twhirl at the moment
Cheers!
Hi Rebecca,
Found a use for it now! There are loads of councils on there and it’s also good for telling people about new blog/news posts.
Starting to come round to it too, I’ll be sure to check out the tweetdeck thing.
All the best,
paul
Hi Rebecca,
Found a use for it now! There are loads of councils on there and it’s also good for telling people about new blog/news posts.
Starting to come round to it too, I’ll be sure to check out the tweetdeck thing.
All the best,
paul
Paul
I am delighted. ‘Finding a use’ is key to all these new social media tools. If you can’t see an application that’s relevant to your situation – there is no point. And anyway, there’s a limit to the number of pokes / zombies you can withstand before it stops being fun.
Saw Cassie this morning at NESTA gig. Great fun.
Rebecca
Paul
I am delighted. ‘Finding a use’ is key to all these new social media tools. If you can’t see an application that’s relevant to your situation – there is no point. And anyway, there’s a limit to the number of pokes / zombies you can withstand before it stops being fun.
Saw Cassie this morning at NESTA gig. Great fun.
Rebecca
I think it's about understanding what benefit you will get from each tool.
Flickr!: Great for self promotion, meeting like minded people and showing off visual work, bad for getting new clients.
LinkedIn: Good for meeting potential clients, bad for showing off visual work.
Twitter: Just seems like a waste of time.
etc…etc…