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What do you get when you do your job well? Not your organization... but you? A raise? A promotion? The employee of the month parking spot? The satisfaction of knowing you did your best and moved the brand forward? All good stuff.
Recently I had an interesting email volley with Tim Jackson, the Masiguy and a Daily Fix contributor, that put a slightly different spin on social media marketing for me. Executing an advertising, research, public relations, sales or any other traditional marketing strategy brings success or not. I never thought about social media marketing in terms of the marketer getting something back other than the "marketing" of the brand.
Sure as you do business vendors, customers and people you meet along the way can turn into friends, too. However, the "social" in social media rings true. No other strategy gives me back more than what I put it.
Online social media networking is a little different than offline networking or other online networking opportunities (bulletin boards, listserves). Here are a few suggestions to help you put the social in social media (marketing) networking.
16 Social Media (Marketing) Networking Ideas
1. Find who is linking and mentioning you: review your stats, create an RSS feed and Google Alerts that include your blog url, blog title and your name.
2. Add comments and trackbacks that extend the conversation.
3. Remember what your Mama taught you... thank people who have picked up on your conversation.
4. Email a blogger.
5. Phone a blogger.
6. Skype a blogger.
7. Send an eCard. Heard it from Wayne Hurlbert.
8. Send a card through the mail. Heard it from Kristie T, Kristie T's Home Business Blog.
9. Extend a discussion on your blog and link to the blogger/s who contributed.
10. Develop a habit of courtesy linking - acknowledging where ideas are from (see #7, #8, #11).
11. Bring back the Blog Roll. Heard it from Jeneane Sussem, Allied.
12. Link generously.
13. Interview a blogger.
14. Help out a friend with a little link love buzz.
15. Reach out to the new kid on the blogogsphere block.
16. Send a little surprise gift to a blogger. Heard it from Jane Geneva.
Note: #16 is not Pay For Post. These are little presents that speak of kindness and expressions of friendship. Jane sent me some lovely tea last winter. Tim gave me cool Masi espresso cups and from Ann Handley, for contributing to Daily Fix, a great MarketingProfs mug.
I've unwrapped wonderful surprises from my involvement in social media from quotes in prestigous business publications like the Wall Street Journal, profiled in a best seller book (Naked Conversations), extension of my business, to speaking engagements, new clients and wonderful friendships.
What gifts has social media brought you? What other networking ideas do you have?
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Comments
Good post Toby. Sounds like social media benefits from building relationships, as does all marketing. And I love the MarketingProfs mug. Hey, Tim, where the heck are my espresso cups?
Posted by: Lewis Green | 03.06.07
Lewis - as you know so well and do so well, building relationships are the "heart & soul" of a social media strategy. Or should I say - most social media strategies. Tim - sorry if I let the cups out of the bag.
Posted by: Toby | 03.06.07
Your ideas are good. In fact, I have tried some like add comments and link generously. It really is a good way of socializing.
Posted by: Barb | 03.06.07
It's always an honor to be mentioned by the Diva.
Toby- great post. I agree on so many levels. Like you and I have said in offline discussions before, blogging gives so much more than what you put into it, normally. I have really enjoyed blogging and the community of bloggers that I am now attached to. My life, both professionally and privately, is much richer.
Lewis- Buddy, I think I actually gave the last of the cups to Ann. She's a savvy business woman though... she might part with'em for a price.
Funny thing- coffee and cycling are joined at the hip. I had the espresso cups made as schwag items for our big trade show two shows ago. People were coming over from my competitors asking for a couple. I think I'll be doing them again this year. They were just too popular.
Posted by: Tim Jackson | 03.06.07
Toby,
Love your list. I just posted about an executive blogger I had lunch with yesterday. A mutual friend put us together. So yeah, it gives him some "link love." But it also lets me make a point about the ROI of blogging. There's almost *always* something in it for both parties in social media.
Posted by: Debbie Weil | 03.06.07
"1. Find who is linking and mentioning you: review your stats, create an RSS feed and Google Alerts that include your blog url, blog title and your name."
It is painfully easy to set up a feed by subscribing to a Google Blog Search for new links to your blog. This is exactly what I do, and it's a great way to keep up with who is linking to your blog, and it gives you the chance to stop by and say thanks.
Posted by: Mack Collier | 03.06.07
Mack and Toby:
Keeping track is a good idea; stopping by and saying thank you to your new best friend makes it a great idea.
Tim,
You're off the hook, until next time.
Posted by: Lewis Green | 03.06.07
Great list, Toby (Diva). Thanks for compiling and for always reminding everyone to give back (and forward ;-).
Posted by: CK | 03.06.07
Thanks you all for your comments and kind words.
Debbie - Social media is the ultimate win-win. Sounds like your lunch meeting provided some great material for a post. Looking thru the world with "is that blogable" eyes .. oops that's another post.
Yes Mack it sure is the little things that we forget in the rush of day-to-day living that are most appreciated .. like stopping by to thank a new friend.
Barb - Yup, comments and links .. networking social media style!
Tim - feeling part of a larger community was a huge surprise to me as well.
Love the "forward and back" CK.
Posted by: Toby | 03.07.07
My blogging finally started getting results when I used it as a platform to build relationships, exposure, etc. At first I just assumed that posting was what you did and then waited. The post is but the beginning.
Your recommendations will save newbies time. In a sense I wasted the first six months of blogging but just doing nothing.
Posted by: Jane Genova | 03.08.07
This is a great list. It's always great to learn about new ways the blogosphere is growing and teaching people about communication.
I've been blogging for a while, but just recently dialed it up with Corporate Blogging.
I loved the look on my bosses face when I said the word "Blog".
Great job Toby.
Posted by: Tj Todd | 03.08.07
Great post Toby!"Social Media Networking" is a very popular & interesting topic to be learned. Keep it up. Get going with your good work..............
Posted by: Ashima | 05.03.08