Avoiding the MySpace Mistake
Follow these eight dos and don'ts for marketing your small business
through online social networking, and you won't be the bore of the
party
by
Kerry Miller
To believers, social networking sites like News Corp.'s (NWS)
MySpace are powerful tools for building awareness, strengthening
customer loyalty, and driving sales. Skeptics scoff that with free
advertising, you get what you pay for. What both sides sometimes miss
is that online social networking—like networking in the real world—is
all about giving, not taking (see BusinessWeek.com, 3/26/07, "Network like an Entrepreneur").
We rounded up a slew of experts to share online networking best
practices and common mistakes to avoid. Their top eight tips follow.
1. Forget the hard sell. Communications consultant
Olivia Fox Cabane says that trying to sell your products, services, or
yourself when you first meet someone is the fastest way to ruin a
networking relationship before it begins. Instead, she suggests using
your own tools and expertise to give something to the other person. On
MySpace, too, the most successful businesses are ones that know how to
give, whether it's a downloadable screensaver, a chef's exclusive
recipes, or a roundup of upcoming local events. "This isn't a direct
marketing tool, this is human communication," says Rob Key, chief
executive officer of social marketing firm Converseon. "You don't have
to beat people over the head."
2. Do your homework. Showing up in flip-flops at a
white-tie event is no way to make a good impression. Even when properly
attired, attending an event without researching the potential attendees
is a waste of time, says Cabane. Online, your virtual behavior and
dress is just as important. Online communities like MySpace, Google's (GOOG)
YouTube, or Second Life have their own cultures, rules, and social
mores that business people disrespect at their peril. Key recommends
spending a few weeks experiencing a social networking site as a user
before charging in with your business. "You don't want to be like those
45-year-olds hanging out at spring break," Key says.
3. Focus on a few contacts. Collecting a thick stack
of business cards may make you feel important, but it's not a very good
way to glean useful contacts. Similarly, sending out flurries of
MySpace friend requests probably isn't an efficient use of your time.
Instead, Key says, focus on the quality of what you're providing. "If
you're giving useful information to the community, you will get
friends," he says.
4. Listen before you speak. Networking is a two-way
conversation, so be prepared to interact. Beware of being the cocktail
party equivalent of the bore who only talks about himself.
5. Authenticity counts. While a phony smile might get
a few rolled eyes at a networking event, being reported as a spammer on
MySpace can get you kicked off for good. And whether online or
in-person, being uncovered as a fraud can trigger a damaging backlash.
6. Be engaging. Talking about the weather is no way to
impress, and neither is the same old song and dance. Use your MySpace
page to show off the persona of your business, and be sure to refresh
your content regularly.
7. Always follow up. Establishing a new connection
doesn't end when the party's over, and successful online social
networking requires offline connections, too. Integration is key, says
Linda Zimmer, president and CEO of social media consultancy
MarCom:Interactive. For maximum impact, your MySpace address should be
visible on your other printed materials, your Web site, and in your
physical storefront, in order to "close the loop."
8. Think long term. Approaching a networking event
with the expectation of leaving with a new contract or job offer is
missing the point, and so is looking to MySpace for immediate results.
"You need to give something to the community before you start looking
for an ROI [return on investment]," says Key of Converseon. Although
many businesses see a MySpace profile as a free virtual billboard, Rex
Briggs, CEO of Marketing Evolution, a marketing ROI measurement firm,
says that community outreach programs make for a better analogy. Giving
back to the community has long-term value, even if it doesn't show up
on today's balance sheet.
Kathy Hamilton simikathy2@yahoo.com 253 277 1238
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