BBC Capital Feature: Take the scary out of networking

So happy to have contributed once again to one of Liz Garone's BBC Capital articles! This time it's about networking.

Take the scary out of networking

Here's my two bits:

Many people make the mistake of thinking that there are “natural networkers,” or those people to whom it comes easily, said Ashley Ringger, managing director of Switzerland-based Set Sails Social Media, in an email. “However, good networking is more a skill to be learned than to be born with,” she said. “Once you get started, it becomes easier as you develop your own approach and grow your circle. Not only will you increase your contact base, but soon you will become a resource to connect others.”

Give yourself a goal, suggested Ringger. For example, at every professional event you attend, don’t allow yourself to leave until you’ve met at least three people and have exchanged business cards with them. And don’t stop there.

“Plenty of networking takes place online through social media,” said Ringger. After you get home, find the new contacts you have made on social media platforms like LinkedIn and Xing and connect with them there. “When possible, include a personal message about where and when you met, thank them for the information they shared, and express your interest in remaining connected with them. If they have their own business, ‘like’ or follow it on appropriate social media platforms. “Showing your support of their endeavours gives them a reason to support yours,” she said.

Nine ways to vamp up your social media

Feeling a bit lost or dull with your social media marketing efforts? Don't worry! Here are nine ways to get up, dust yourself off and get back in the social media game!

1. Create a social media voice that people want to hang out with. Make your brand sound like your customers, or more importantly, relatable to your customers.
2. Make yourself and your team visible. Give a face to the name!
3. Know your customers and what their day-to-day lives are about.
4. Be an active listener. If you don't know your customer, get to know them and then get to know them again in a few months. Things are always changing and we have to keep up!
5. Avoid too much branding or talking about yourself too much. 
6. Instead, be more conversational and invite others to contribute to your story.
7. Give credit where credit is due. This not only shows you are a respectable brand, but also gives you a chance to network with others.
8. Lay off the #hashtags. #No one #wants to read a #sentence with too many #breaks! Be relevant in what you tag to get maximum results.
9. Remember that numbers fans and followers are overrated metrics. I said numbers. Fans and followers matter when they interact with our brand. Just having them doesn't mean anything if they aren't being engaged.

Bonus idea: Have fun with it! What exists online is just a reflection of the real world. So just be yourself!

Thanks, Entrepreneur for the article idea.

New year, new social media networks

The only constant is change, right? Here are five social media networks to watch for in 2014:


Medium. 
Quite simply, Medium is a blogging site, though its founders describe it as an extension of Twitter. “A place where you can find and share knowledge, ideas, and stories—specifically, ones that need more than 140 characters and are not just for your friends,” the site promises. 
The About Us page of Medium is packed with lofty language stressing that the site favors quality over quantity—a noble pursuit in the Internet age. 
Here’s how it works: You write a blog, which appears in one of the site's many “collections”—such as “Advice to New Graduates” or “Airport Stories”—or on the site’s homepage. Users vote (or “recommend”) posts. How prominently a post is displayed on the site depends on how many votes it receives. 
The design of Medium is clean and sharp, a real pleasure to the eye. 
Anyone with a Twitter account can log in and start reading and voting, but you’ll need an invite from the folks at Medium to actually write something. It plans to open up the site in the future. 
Why you should care: Medium was created by Evan Williams and Biz Stone, whom you may recognize as the guys who started Twitter and Blogger. With that kind of track record, you would assume the site will take off. 
Whisper. 
This is an iPhone app that promises anonymity. With Whisper, users post secrets, known as whispers, which appear in the form of an online postcard. These posts are anonymous. Other users can then respond with their whispers, send messages, or simply leave a heart on the post. 
According to Business Insider, more than 1 million people have uploaded roughly 8 million whispers. The app has reportedly sparked controversy, even violence at some high schools in the U.S., but it’s also gone viral across college campuses. 
Why you should care: Last week, the app received $3 million in funding. It’s also gaining steam among college kids—the ones who will soon be invading your offices. Tech blogs such asTechCrunch are calling it the next big thing. TechCrunch’s Ryan Lawler said last week, “If you haven’t heard of Whisper yet, get ready to.” 
Chirpify. 
This online service founded in 2011 enables users to buy products through social media sites with one click. Here’s how it works: You sign up for Chirpify—which you can do in less than 30 seconds via your Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram accounts—sync it with your PayPal account, and start shopping. 
Adidas, for example, has sold attire on Twitter using Chirpify. In February, Chirpify enabled Facebook users to purchase country singer Tim McGraw’s new album by simply typing “buy” in the Facebook comments section attached to the record. People can also use Chirpify to make purchases on Instagram. 
Why you should care: More brands will be interested in the ease of selling goods via social media. Plus, Waggener Edstrom gained headlines last year for partnering with Portland, Ore.-based agency tenfour to create Tweet-a-Beer, an app that enables people to buy someone a beer via Twitter. 
Sina Weibo. 
Sina Weibo is billed as China’s Twitter—except it has twice the users as Twitter. 
Brands such as Pizza Hut have embraced the site, as have celebrities, including some Western celebs like Tom Cruise, who has more than 4.2 million followers on Sina Weibo. There’s even a U.S.version of Weibo, though that’s mostly indecipherable (unless you understand Mandarin Chinese). There is at least one service, called Transfluencer, helping American brands post to Weibo. 
Why you should care: According to Mashable, 22 percent of China’s population of more than 1.3 billion people are signed up for Sina Weibo. According to our calculations that’s ... a lot of people. 
deviantArt. 
The Internet is obsessed with images, and they help drive viral posts for brands. deviantART, founded in 2000, is the largest social network for artists and art enthusiasts. It has more than 26 million users and gets about 65 million unique page views a month. 
Brands have dipped their toe into deviantART. In 2011, for instance, Dr Pepper held a crowdsourcing competition among artists to show how they drink Dr Pepper. Recently, the site teamed up with comic book publishers to give amateur illustrators a chance to create stories. 
Angelo Sotira, the co-founder of deviantART, has said he wants to partner with other brands. 
Why you should care: Last week, digital marketing firm iAcquire released a study showing that 80 percent of deviantART users are 18 to 29 years old. The report suggested these late teens and 20-somethings are losing interest in Facebook for sites such as deviantART.
Thank you, PR Daily for the article.

The impact of social media marketing [infographic]

Integrating social media into multiple functions of your organization can benefit operations and yield a distinct competitive advantage. Adopting social media across the organization can help businesses:

• Find new market opportunities
• Get their pricing strategy right
• Increase operational efficiencies
• Attract and retain talented employees
• Get industry insights to make better informed business decisions

A recent infographic follows the life of real-world social signals. View it here.

Generating leads on Twitter

Many of my clients aren't sure how Twitter can help their marketing efforts. Compared to Facebook, Twitter is excellent for networking and lead generation. Here are some tips to help you get started.

1. Survey your followers Maybe you want to know how to better serve your clients. Ask them casually.
2. Offer solutions Chances are you provide a service that meets your followers's needs. Promote that.
3. Educate As an expert in your field, share something your followers would find interesting and learn from.
4. Promote your blog or website Twitter is a great place to share links! When you post an update on your website, share it!
5. Repeat Yep. You can't just do this once and consider it done. Networking relationships need time and care.

Need more tips on Twitter? Tweet me with your question.