Social Networking; don’t be fooled by thinking that it’s strictly an online thing.
It’s happening in more places and for more situations than ever before.
The circumstances which we’re living in are causing a need in people from every industry to band and work together through the professional tide.
And it’s a beautiful thing.

In the wake of large scale layoffs, top corporate executives are using traditional marketing knowhow towards making a much needed professional change and becoming grassroots entrepreneurs. In most cases, they’re realizing that there’s a gap that needs to be filled with new media trends.

Letting Go of Complete Control

Yesterday I taught a workshop hosted by the MC-Forum (follow the link to get involved) titled: Business development on Social Networks to a fantastic group of people within the MarCom and PR industry. As I host more and more Social Marketing and Networking workshops I get to meet some of the most incredible individuals in business today. The simple fact that they acknowledge the need to understand social media is incredibly inspiring. Venturing into unknown territory can be a very nerve racking experience. Control, Risk, Time, Resources, name any apprehension and I promise you that I’ve heard it during my talks. But the opportunities of being in the social media “know” far outweigh the risks of staying clear and not being involved. Like it or not, your customers, even worse, your competitors already are.

Thanking the Crowd

If I make any point clear during my one-on-one meetings with attendees during workshops, it’s this. Your enthusiasm to learn inspires me as much as the information you’ll be leaving with. And I THANK YOU for this. At the end of the day, with all the new media tools and services available at your disposal, a successful online presence depends on just one thing, enthusiasm. Regardless of the format you’re using, engagement is key. Whether it’s video, text, podcasting, webinars or an amalgamation of all of them remember that you’re in it to inspire your visitors to become active participants and remember to thank them when they do.

Apprehension is the mother of Opportunity

What are your apprehensions about social media? Post your questions below and the Seovice readers will answer them, we'll round them up in the next part of this blog post.

Social Networking for Business Development

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