I’ve been honored to speak at the Tour Minnesota Association this spring at the Science Museum of Minnesota on the subject of utilizing social media for the purposes of sales and networking. The event’s theme is “Go for the Gold!” Sell, Sell, Sell!” in response to the recent economic recession. The goal is to help participants improve their networking skills and find new ways to leverage personal contacts to enhance sales efforts.
Social media has definitely become a huge component in helping people network but it should not be seen as a substitute for actual face-to-face networking. There still is no better way to build trust and make sales than a good ‘ol fashion meeting. However, social networking channels such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook can help initiate conversations and get you to that first meeting by replacing a “cold call” with a “warm call.”
Here are some good resources to better understand social media and networking:
- Using LinkedIn to Make the Sale
- Get More from LinkedIn Groups in Just 5 Minutes a Day
- How to Successfully Participate in LinkedIn Groups
- LinkedIn: The Forgotten Social Channel
- Using LinkedIn Answers to become an expert in your niche
- 10 Newbie Twitter Mistakes Made By Businesses
- Twitter for Beginners: 5 Steps for Better Tweeting
- The 90-10 Rule for Successful Twitter Networking
- 8 Easy Ways to Network on Twitter
- Facebook and Professional Networking
- How to Use Facebook for Professional Networking
- 25 Ways To Use Facebook For Business
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