Business and Social Networking
Four Ways to Separate the Professional from the Personal
Oct 16, 2009
The economic downturn and the quick pace of technological innovation have made efficient marketing a tricky subject for many business owners and entrepreneurs. Many are seeking new marketing methods to meet a business landscape that is increasingly reliant on social networking sites and trying to walk the fine line between professional and personal.
In 2009, budgets shrank and demand for products and services across industries decreased, leaving many companies to rethink their marketing strategies and come up with creative, inexpensive ways to reach potential customers. Renowned business and marketing source Direct Marketing News (DM News) reported that according to a study released by Forrester Research in July, 2009 – “Marketing Budgets Suffer Significant Cuts” – 71% of Chief Marketing Officers worldwide had lower marketing budgets in 2009 than in 2008. Also, 51% of these professionals reported budget cuts of over 20% (http://www.dmnews.com).
In the past decade, business owners and entrepreneurs have recognized the importance of creating a professional website and a focused online presence, and more recently have turned to social networking to add depth to their marketing portfolio. One of the most popular social media sites, Facebook, touts over 300 million active users. Of these users, 50% log in daily. Many – especially those that have been in business for years and remember a time before technology played such a major part in all aspects of business life – may think that Facebook and other sites such as Twitter are for twenty-somethings and teenagers; but reports indicate those 35 years and older are the fastest-growing demographic on Facebook.
Business owners, entrepreneurs and marketing professionals to realize an important fact – social networking is a necessary marketing tool. Increasing numbers of businesses are choosing to take the leap into social media as marketing studies continue to show that sites like Twitter and Facebook are efficient, cost-effective ways to personally reach prospects, customers and clients.
The following four tips can help business owners draw a clear distinction between their personal and professional lives on Facebook, Twitter and any other social media site, so they can get the most out of these free marketing resources.
Professional Users Should Create Two Different Social Networking Profiles
Creating two different profiles – one for personal updates and contacts and one for professional updates and contacts – is essential and can help a business owner responsibly manage his/her online presence. Major sites like Facebook and Twitter have privacy settings that allow users to control exactly who sees their different profiles and what they see. When professional users keep personal profiles private and only visible by friends and family members, they ensure that personal photos of family, friends and trips are kept away from potential clients or buyers that might be researching them or their company. Entrepreneurs also need to watch which photos they set as default personal profile photos so that it presents them positively.
Business Owners Should Plan Status Updates and Announcements Carefully
As they must with any other marketing strategy, professional users have to create a plan for any announcements they post on social networking sites. Social media should be viewed in the same light as other marketing strategies. The most successful marketing strategies are those that are persistent, consistent, helpful and purposeful.
Those using social media for professional purposes must avoid the temptation to spam contacts every hour with self-serving advertisements; instead they should focus on what customers, clients and potential clients will need to hear in order to make an investment. Status updates are an opportunity to post about exciting promotions and benefits of services to potential clients. As an additional tip, companies should set a consistent schedule for announcements and stick to it so they establish a pattern and show they are dependable. This process will help build a solid reputation for any business.
Entrepreneurs Must Make “Friends” Selectively
Those using social networking sites as part of a professional marketing strategy need to be choosy when it comes to adding contacts. Many social networking sites have gained a reputation for being places to garner huge numbers of friends, many of whom are not real-life, face-to-face contacts. Certainly, a business owners want to create excitement about his/her company and get as many people interested as possible, but the “friends” added need to contribute positively to a professional image.
Business owners should take a moment to look at the profiles of each person or business that requests to be added on Facebook or Twitter and make sure they are all legitimate and not those out to spam or over-post with their own agendas. Those using social media for marketing should encourage current satisfied clients and business partners to add them and even to post positive comments about their experiences with the business; professional network members can be a valuable extended sales force that can help business owners attract new, qualified clients.
Business Owners Need to Put Their Careers First
Business owners have to put their careers first when presenting themselves online, no matter which type of business they run. They must take full responsibility for the information they make available and behave in a professional manner even when interacting with personal friends through social networking.
Many entrepreneurs think their personal lives are well hidden on the Web, not realizing that many searching for their services or company – whether potential clients or competitors – are Web savvy and looking for the negative as well as the positive. Professionals need to avoid leaving questionable, racy comments on friends’ pages or posting unprofessional photos of themselves on any message boards or public photo albums. If they are out there in Internet space, someone can and will find them.
Regardless of industry, those professionals that want to stay on the cutting edge and keep up with their competitors need to get involved in social networking; but as online social networking sites blur the lines between personal and professional, business owners and entrepreneurs need to be responsible about how they present themselves so they can earn the trust of future clients and keep the respect of those on their current roster.
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